Roberts claims spot in 1,000-win club

Manager joins Dodger greats to hit ‘surreal’ milestone in victory over the Athletics.

- By BILL SHAIKIN

SARA NEVIS Associated Press

THE DODGERS' Dave Roberts before matchup against the A's Tuesday.

For Dave Roberts, it’s 1,000 down and Cooperstown to go.

Victory No. 1: 15-0 over the San Diego Padres in 2016, with vintage Clayton Kershaw on the mound and Adrián González in the cleanup spot. Amid the postgame handshakes, González showered Roberts with bubble gum.

“There was no stress,” Roberts said. “It was such a nice soft landing.”

Victory No. 1,000: 9-3 over the Athletics in Sacramento on Tuesday with home runs from Tommy Edman and Miguel Rojas, and with Justin Wrobleski striking out a career-high 11 to become the Dodgers’ first 10-game winner.

Pretty soft landing too, and well worth a celebration. Roberts doffed his cap in gratitude for a spirited postgame ovation from the fans here, almost all of them Dodgers fans. Inside the clubhouse, Rojas and Freddie Freeman led a champagne and tequila toast.

“Today is not about us,” Rojas said afterward. “It’s about Doc and this big milestone for him.”

Said Roberts before the game: “I can’t ask the players to enjoy milestones and things and not do that myself. But what it does is it gives me an opportunity to look back on a lot of people that have supported me — players, coaches, front office. I've done a lot of growing, had a lot of great experiences. That’s what I'll take away.”

And, when No. 1,000 finally happened, what adjective did Roberts use to describe it?

“I know people say the word surreal a lot,” he said, “but it is surreal.”

When he got the job, after all, he was the first-time manager of a team 28 years removed from its last World Series appearance.