The Red Sox beat the Orioles 3-1 at home and did not celebrate locking up a wild card spot.
Los Angeles beat the Diamondbacks 7-6 in Arizona to take the National League West title. The Dodgers not only celebrated but also took the festivities out of the clubhouse, jumping into the pool at Chase Field — after the Diamondbacks organization had specifically asked L.A. not to go back onto the field due to security issues.
Leading the group into the pool was Gonzalez, who has been a key contributor for the Dodgers this year but didn’t even play Thursday. A sore quad kept him out of the game.
After the victory, Gonzalez offered some leader-like wisdom that may have come from a certain September experience he once had.
“We’re a veteran ballclub,” Gonzalez said of his L.A. team. “We understand it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.”
Gonzalez’s quad appeared to be healthy enough for a sprint into the pool, and he’s not expected to miss much time as the playoffs near.