#Dodgers Clinch National League West Title

The game was player early afternoon yesterday. I was at work, but was watching for updates on the Dodgers' Twitter feed.

A.J. Ellis hit an eighth-inning home run and from there it was just a matter of closing the Diamondbacks down.

At LAT, "Dodgers cash in and win the West."

PHOENIX — Standing in a clubhouse that was about to become a champagne-soaked stage on which Yasiel Puig would break-dance in front of hollering teammates, catcher A.J. Ellis reflected on how the Dodgers conquered the National League West.

"It's amazing what talent can do," Ellis said.

The Dodgers secured their first division title in four years with a 7-6 victory over the second-place Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday that served as a testament to that talent.

The World Series trophy might not be for sale. But the NL West crown was.

The Dodgers started the season with a record payroll of $230 million. That figure increased by $10 million or so as baseball's most free-spending owners continued to add reinforcements.

Over the six-month season, the small- to mid-market teams in their division had little chance.

"The collection of players here is unmatched in all of baseball," Ellis said. "When you get those guys together in the right form, clicking together, it's going to create amazing results."

How amazing? The Dodgers erased a 9 1/2-game deficit in the standings on June 22 to become the first team in baseball to clinch a playoff spot, quickly going from last place to first. And they overcame a 6-3 deficit Thursday and won the game on an eighth-inning solo home run by Ellis.

Of all the millionaire players who bathed in alcoholic beverages at Chase Field, none were as important as Hanley Ramirez, who was acquired in a trade with the Miami Marlins last year.

Ramirez hit two more home runs, Nos. 19 and 20 in of his injury-shortened season — a three-run blast in the third inning that put the Dodgers ahead, 3-0, and a solo shot in the seventh that tied the score, 6-6.

"This is one of the best hitters in baseball," Manager Don Mattingly said. "He can really hit. I want the whole world to see this."

The world will see Ramirez on a stage on which he has never previously performed. Nine years into his major league career, Ramirez will be playing postseason baseball for the first time.

"It's a long season," Ramirez said. "We knew that we could come back and win the division. And we did it."

Ramirez missed five of the last six games because of an irritated nerve in his back. He was replaced by Nick Punto at shortstop in the bottom of the ninth inning.

"Everybody knows I'm not 100%," Ramirez said.

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