Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
It is impossible to overstate how big yesterday’s win was for the Dodgers. Rather than heading into Game 5 on the brink of elimination, the series is now knotted at two games, and the Astros are guaranteed to return to Los Angeles for at least one game.
Tonight’s game, the final one in Houston, is a rematch of Game 1, with Clayton Kershaw going back up against Dallas Keuchel.
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Dodgers
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Astros
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5:20 p.m. FOX
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Houston
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CF
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Taylor |
CF
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Springer | |
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SS
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Seager |
3B
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Bregman | |
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DH
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Turner |
2B
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Altuve | |
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LF
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Hernández |
SS
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Correa | |
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1B
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Bellinger |
1B
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Gurriel | |
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3B
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Forsythe |
RF
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Reddick | |
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RF
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Puig | DH | Gattis | |
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C
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Barnes |
LF
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González | |
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2B
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Culberson |
C
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McCann | |
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P
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Kershaw (L)
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P
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Keuchel (L)
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Kershaw was excellent in Game 1, allowing just one run on three hits in seven innings pitched, while striking out 11. It was one of his best (if not his best) playoff starts to date. Another strong performance to bring his team to within one game of a ring may officially kill the narrative of Kershaw’s postseason woes. He should do that. #Analysis
Since 2008, Kershaw has made five starts at Minute Maid Park. His numbers there aren’t worth putting too much stock in, as two of them came before he was KERSHAW and a couple of them were against tanking Astros teams. For reference, though, his most recent start in Houston came in 2015 (against a good-not-great Astros team), when he allowed one run on seven hits in eight innings while striking out 10.
To refresh, Keuchel pitched six and two-thirds innings in Game 1 and allowed three runs on six hits and a walk while striking out three. Two of those hits were home runs, which accounted for all of the Dodgers’ scoring. It is worth noting Keuchel has been much better at home than on the road. His 2017 home OPS allowed is .528 (vs. .701 on the road), and his home ERA is 2.26 (vs. 3.53 on the road). In this postseason, he’s allowed one run in 12.2 home IP; he’s allowed seven runs in 11.1 away IP.
With the lefty Keuchel on the mound, Dave Roberts has opted to shake up his lineup a bit from the past two games. Enrique Hernández is batting cleanup, with Cody Bellinger bumped down to the fifth spot. Charlie Culberson is in at second base and batting ninth.
Justin Turner, who took a grounder off the calf last night and was pinch run for in the ninth, is serving as tonight’s designated hitter, with Logan Forsythe shifting over to third base. Roberts had this to say as to why:
Dave Roberts said Justin Turner (calf) would be at 3B if this game were played without DH. “Sort of a no-brainer for me” to give him DH day
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) October 29, 2017
Seems reasonable.
While most Dodger relievers are available tonight, we shouldn’t expect to see Brandon Morrow:
Dave Roberts said he would like to avoid using Brandon Morrow tonight, as Morrow had pitched four times in the previous five days.
— Andy McCullough (@ByMcCullough) October 29, 2017
The good news is that Kenta Maeda is available for three or four outs tonight, after not being available last night.
On the Astros side of things, their closer, Ken Giles, probably won’t see game action tonight — at least, not in a save situation:
If #Astros have lead in 9th AJ Hinch says he won’t give Ken Giles ball to close: “Not sure who it will go to but it won’t go to Ken tonight”
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) October 29, 2017
Giles gave up the go-ahead runs in last night’s game. He’s been charged with five runs in just 1.2 IP this World Series, and 10 runs across 7.2 cumulative postseason innings.
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Astros manager A.J. Hinch had this to say in regards to the reception Yuli Gurriel can expect in Los Angeles:
“He made a mistake,” Hinch said of Gurriel. “He’ll pay for it, with the looming suspension to come and also the reception in L.A.”
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) October 29, 2017
I guess that’s one way to get the heat off of Josh Reddick.
(Dodger fans, please prove him right.)
