The Los Angeles Dodgers are getting closer to the postseason with a big 2-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday.

The team put their magic number at 6, so clinching the West Division is something that could happen this weekend with a combination of results.

What is the magic number in Major League Baseball?

A team's magic number represents the combination of wins it needs and the losses of its closest competitor to achieve a specific goal. Each time a team wins, its magic number decreases by one. Likewise, each time its closest competitor in the division (or wild card) loses, the magic number also decreases by one.

This means the Dodgers need six straight wins or a combination of wins and losses for the San Diego Padres to clinch the Western Conference pennant.

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Yoshinobu Yamamoto remains sharp even if he's not perfect

Yoshinobu Yamamoto had a bittersweet outing this Thursday against the Giants. The Japanese player left a no-decision after 5.1 innings after not allowing a run, but issued six walks.

Yamamoto issued the highest number of walks in a single outing. He finished with seven strikeouts, one hit allowed, and 108 pitches.

The Dodgers' offense was able to manufacture two runs against Logan Webb, enough to hold the lead.

Ben Rortvedt scored the first run on a fielder's choice that the Giants didn't execute, and then Freddie Freeman drove in Shohei Ohtani with a single to center field.

For their part, the Giants only managed one hit in the entire game. The only run they scored came from a bases-loaded walk.

San Francisco finished 0-for-7 with men in scoring position and stranded seven runners on base.

This Friday will be a special game with Clayton Kershaw's final regular-season start, which will close out an illustrious 18-season career with the Dodgers.