Major League Baseball

Dodgers top Giants, can clinch NL West with Kershaw pitching

Published Sep. 24, 2014 2:08 a.m. ET

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The script is set for the Los Angeles Dodgers to win the National League West.

They'll have ace Clayton Kershaw on the mound in front of their fans against longtime rival San Francisco in the series finale Wednesday night.

"I like our chances," Matt Kemp said. "It would be nice to clinch against these guys."

The Dodgers set up a possible Hollywood ending with a testy 4-2 victory over the second-place Giants on Tuesday night, stretching their division lead to 4-1/2 games.

Justin Turner homered twice and Kemp had a two-run shot in the first inning, when both benches and bullpens emptied after left-hander Madison Bumgarner hit Dodgers star Yasiel Puig in the left foot with a pitch.

No punches were thrown and order was soon restored.

"Tempers flare sometimes," Kemp said. "It's a big game."

Bumgarner said that in trying to throw a cutter, he pulled the ball across and it hit Puig, who ended up on his rear.

"Well, I probably said something first," Bumgarner said. "He's sitting there staring at me."

Puig confirmed that, saying through a translator, "He looked at me and said, `What are you looking at?'"

The two have a turbulent history dating to a game in Los Angeles in May, when Puig homered off Bumgarner, who thought Puig was going too slowly around the bases and yelled at him.

"We had a little back and forth," Puig said. "I'm not sure if this was a continuation of that. I just reacted to what he said."

Bumgarner doesn't see a friendly future for him and Puig.

"I don't think that's in the cards for us," he said.

The Giants' seventh loss in 10 games kept them from clinching a playoff berth after Milwaukee lost at Cincinnati.

Zack Greinke (16-8) extended his mastery of the Giants, improving to 5-0 against them this season. He is unbeaten in seven career starts against San Francisco. He tied his career high in victories while throwing a season-high 118 pitches.

"Sometimes, I get tired around 100 pitches. Other times, I feel good," Greinke said. "Today was one of those when I felt good."

The right-hander allowed two runs and six hits in eight innings, striking out five and walking none. He retired 17 of his final 19 batters.

Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth to earn his 44th save.

Bumgarner (18-10) had been dominant at Dodger Stadium with a 7-2 career mark coming in, but he was stymied in pursuit of his fourth straight win there. He gave up four runs and six hits in 7-1/3 innings, striking out five and walking none.

Turner homered into the left-field pavilion in the eighth for the second time in the game, chasing Bumgarner.

"I was floating around those bases, and the fans were going nuts," Turner said.

After the tension subsided in the first, Puig took first base and Kemp celebrated his 30th birthday by hitting his 24th homer, extending the Dodgers' lead to 3-0. Turner got things started with his first career leadoff shot in the first.

"It's a good birthday gift -- hitting a home run and getting a win," Kemp said.

Bumgarner pulled the Giants to 3-2 with his own two-run homer in the third. The pitcher pumped his right arm and yelled as he rounded first base.

Puig came in hitting .300 against Bumgarner, but the Cuban outfielder was hitless in three at-bats with two strikeouts.

After getting hit, Puig quickly tailed plate umpire Adrian Johnson toward the mound, yelling at Bumgarner. The pitcher chucked his glove behind him and gestured with both hands as if to say, "Bring it on."

Johnson pushed Puig away, and Kemp got in front of Puig before Dodgers manager Don Mattingly restrained his emotional star.

"The hitter creates a little drama," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "Sometimes you wonder why some guys don't go to first and create the drama. But it was over, and Bum settled down."

Kemp, who had words with Puig in the dugout last week at Colorado, came to his defense.

"We needed him in the game," Kemp said. "You don't want anyone to do anything stupid."

Puig also was plunked by Jake Peavy in the first inning on Monday night, when the Giants won 5-2 in 13 innings.

Bumgarner's four homers this season are the most by a Giants pitcher since Hal Schumacher hit six in 1934, and his 15 RBI tied the club record for a pitcher set by Juan Marichal in 1966. 

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