Los Angeles @ San Francisco preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 29, 2018 ) LA Dodgers 10, San Francisco 6

The Los Angeles Dodgers finally punched their ticket to the postseason but still harbor loftier goals -- both in the short and long term. The Dodgers still have a chance to claim their sixth consecutive National League West title, entering Sunday's regular-season finale at the San Francisco Giants tied with the Colorado Rockies atop the division.

Although Los Angeles could open the playoffs in one of four cities, manager Dave Roberts said after Saturday's postseason-clinching 10-6 win that he has the best team and now it's up to the Dodgers to prove it. "Mostly, we've got to go out there and play like it," Roberts said. "I think we can be as dangerous as anyone but it’s up to us to play like it. One part of the equation is to get an invite, we have that. Now we have to take it from there." Should Los Angeles and Colorado wind up tied for first place, they will square off in a one-game playoff at Dodger Stadium on Monday, with the loser headed to the Wild Card game on Tuesday. Hunter Pence had a pair of doubles in Saturday's loss, his fifth two-hit game in the last nine for San Francisco, which has dropped three in a row and eight of nine.

TV: 3:05 p.m. ET, Sportsnet LA (Los Angeles), NBCS Bay Area (San Francisco)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Walker Buehler (7-5, 2.76 ERA) or LH Rich Hill (10-5, 3.87) vs. Giants LH Andrew Suárez (7-12, 4.22)

Buehler, expected to get the nod over Hill unless the Dodgers trailed Colorado, permitted two runs or fewer in 10 of his last 11 outings. He yielded two earned runs and only nine hits while striking out 26 over 20 innings in his last three starts, and tossed five innings of two-run ball at San Francisco on April 28. Hill won his final four starts, allowing at least four runs in three of them, and is 6-2 with a 2.47 ERA against the Giants but has never won in five starts at AT&T Park.

Suarez fell to 1-3 in four September starts after giving up two runs and six hits over five innings at St. Louis his last time out. The rookie picked up the victory in his previous turn by pitching a season-high 7 2/3 innings at San Diego, limiting the Padres to two runs and four hits. Suarez made his lone start against the Dodgers on Aug. 15 but settled for a no-decision despite six scoreless innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Dodgers LF Joc Pederson hit his eighth leadoff homer of the season, breaking the team record held by Davey Lopes (1979).

2. Giants 2B Joe Panik is 14-for-44 (.318) against Los Angeles in 2018.

3. Dodgers SS Manny Machado has 10 RBIs during an eight-game hitting streak.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 5, Giants 3