It has been said and repeated many times this season that ‘So goes Justin Turner, so go the Dodgers.’

Justin Turner is going good right now … exceptionally good.

In fact, the 33-year-old Long Beach, California native and seventh-round draft pick in 2006 (by the Cincinnati Reds) out of Cal State Fullerton and signed by the Dodgers as a free agent on February 6, 2014, is currently the Dodgers best hitter, with a very impressive slash-line of .308 / .398 / .508 for an excellent OPS of .906. He has also slugged 10 home runs, 18 doubles, and has driven in 39 runs.

Two of those 18 doubles came during Sunday’s 7-3 pounding of the NL West last place San Diego Padres in front of a Dodger Stadium crowd of 43,253, to complete a three-game sweep of the Friars.

“I feel like I’m in a pretty good spot right now,” Turner told reporters following Sunday’s matinee win. “Haven’t had any problems with the wrist and the groin is feeling good. Seeing the ball pretty good. Knock on wood, try to keep getting better every day.

“Coming down this last stretch, the personal numbers, stats, don’t mean anything as long as we figure out how to win a game,” added Turner.

With his two doubles on Sunday, Turner now has 18 on the season. His five RBI in the 7-3 rout of the Padres tied his career high, which he has now done six times. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Although a red-hot RedTurn2 (as he is affectionately known and was his Player’s Weekend nickname) is certainly nothing new, his recent power surge – which couldn’t come at a better time – has caused Dodgers manager Dave Roberts to move the popular red-head from the number three spot in his starting lineup into the number two hole ahead of recently acquired slugging shortstop Manny Machado – a move that has paid huge dividends.

“That’s what we hope to do every time, but it doesn’t always work out that way,” said Turner. “It’s been good since he’s flipped us around. I think Manny’s been in the three-hole most of his career. He’s comfortable there, and I’ve never hit third until I came to the Dodgers.”

Speaking of Machado, since joining the team following the All-Star break, the just-turned 26-year-old Hialeah, Florida native and four-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove shortstop has slugged seven home runs (to go along with the 23 that he hit with the Baltimore Orioles prior to the trade), including a towering 397-footer that landed into the area once known as “Mannywood,” so named after another once-popular – if not controversial – former Dodger named Manny.

Machado’s fifth-inning two run home run was a no-doubter that landed into what was formerly (and fittingly) known as “Mannywood.” (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

But as we all know, it takes more than good hitting to win a major league baseball game. It also takes good pitching, which the Dodgers received yet again from 31-year-old left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu, who was making his third start since returning from the 60-day disabled list for a severe left groin strain. In his 5.2 innings of work on Sunday, the popular Incheon, South Korea native allowed only two runs (one earned) on 11 hits, while walking one and striking out eight. And even though 11 hits is rather high in only 5.2 innings pitched, most were what Roberts called “soft contact.”

“I did give up a lot of hits, but I was able to control the damage,” Ryu told reporters through an interpreter. “I wish I could have gone six or seven innings, which is what is expected from a starter. I couldn’t do that, but I kept the game close and gave us a chance to win.”

Even though Ryu gave up 11 hits on Sunday, he struck out 8 over his 5.2 innings of work, including five in the first two innings. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Ryu was followed on the mound by oft-criticized right-hander Pedro Baez, who has been uncharacteristically excellent over his past six appearances. In fact, the 30-year-old Bani, Dominican Republic native hasn’t allowed a run since giving up four earned runs to the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on August 9.

Right-hander Dylan Floro followed Baez and did not allow a run on three hits in his 2.0 innings of work. The same cannot be said for hard-throwing Dodgers right-hander Yimi Garcia, who gave up a leadoff solo home run to Padres left fielder Hunter Renfroe in the top half of the ninth inning. But Garcia managed to get the next three Padres batters to fly out to end the inning and the game, although all three were also hit very hard, suggesting that the 28-year-old Moca, Dominican Republic native might not be the answer to the Dodgers ‘closer by committee’ role when regular Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen (who himself has been struggling significantly of late) needs an occasional day off, as was the case on Sunday.

With Sunday’s win and a loss by the NL West second place Colorado Rockies (at the hands of the suddenly hot St. Louis Cardinals), the Dodgers find themselves 1.5 games behind the Rockies and 2.5 games behind the Arizona Diamondbacks (who also won on Sunday) in the extremely tight NL West standings with 31 games remaining in the 2018 regular season.

The Dodgers open a brief two-game interleague series against the AL West last place Texas Rangers (58-74) at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas following Monday’s scheduled off day. They then return home for what will undoubtedly be the most important series of the season, when they host those first-place Dbacks for a crucial four-game series.

Strap in and hang on, because things are about to get real for the Dodgers in their quest to set a franchise record sixth consecutive NL West title.

Play Ball!