Best in the West

BRANT Brown and the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrate after winning the National League West crown. AFP

BALTIMORE (AFP) — Corey Seager blasted two home runs and finished with five Run Battled Inc. as the Los Angeles Dodgers clinched their seventh straight National League West title with a 7-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday.

“This feels great. It never gets old,” Seager said.

The Dodgers, who have reached the last two World Series, are seeking their first World Series title since 1988.

Los Angeles lost to the Boston Red Sox in five games last year and lost to the Houston Astros in seven in 2017.

“I just think after losing your first World Series, you probably got a little bit of a hangover coming into it,” pitcher Clayton Kershaw said.

“After 2018, I think we came in a little bit more determined, maybe a little more focused.”

Seager smacked two homers in the first three innings and scored two runs for the Dodgers, who celebrated with champagne in the clubhouse.

Seager said the festivities won’t last long as they have their sights on the bigger prize.

“We are glad to get this out of the way,” he said. “We will have fun tonight and come back to work tomorrow.”

Seager hit a three-run homer in the first inning and belted a two-run shot in the third as the Dodgers took a big early lead and cruised from there in front of a crowd of just 12,000 at Camden Yards.

He hit both homers off of Baltimore starting pitcher Ty Blach.

Gavin Lux hit his first major league homer in the fifth inning as the Dodgers scored six of their seven runs from homers.

Starting pitcher Walker Buehler got the victory with a dominant performance to improve to 13-3 on the season.

The right-hander fanned 11 batters and allowed just four hits in seven shutout innings.

“It was really special,” manager Dave Roberts said. “We needed it, and I think that he needed it.”