Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers (1-1) and Brewers (1-1) resume the National League Championship series on a very windy Monday afternoon at Dodger Stadium. The series, which is a very close one so far, is essentially down to a best-of-five scenario with the next three games to be played in LA. The Dodgers mounted an epic comeback win in Game 2 on Saturday in Milwaukee thanks to Justin Turner‘s go-ahead two-run home run in the eighth.
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Brewers
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Dodgers
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4:39 PM
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Los Angeles
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CF
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Cain |
LF
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Pederson | |
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RF
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Yelich |
1B
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Muncy | |
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LF
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Braun |
3B
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Turner | |
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2B
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Shaw |
SS
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Machado | |
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1B
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Aguilar |
CF
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Bellinger | |
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3B
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Moustakas |
RF
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Puig | |
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C
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Kratz | C | Grandal | |
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SS
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Arcia |
2B
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Hernandez | |
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P
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Chacin (R)
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P
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Buehler (R)
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Walker Buehler (8-5, 2.62 ERA, 3.04 FIP) looks to redeem himself after allowing five runs, a season high, to the Braves in NLDS Game 3. The rookie right-hander faced the Brewers once this season on July 31 at Dodger Stadium. He threw seven innings of one-run ball, striking out seven and walking none. Unfortunately, Wade Miley shut out the Dodgers’ offense in a frustrating 1-0 loss. The Dodgers held back Buehler to start Game 3 for good reason. He’s been dominant at home this season (1.93 ERA, 0.830 WHIP, 10.1 K/9).
Jhoulys Chacin (15-8, 3.50 ERA, 4.03 FIP) pitched a gem in Game 2 of the NLDS, his first career postseason start. He allowed three hits in five scoreless innings against the Rockies, striking out three and walking three. Overall, in his career, he’s 11-9 with a 4.41 ERA in 26 games (25 starts) against the Dodgers. At Dodger Stadium, he’s 5-5 with a 4.96 ERA and 1.605 WHIP in 12 games (11 starts). The Dodgers roughed up the veteran right-hander last time they faced him back on August 2 in LA. He allowed 9 runs (8 earned) in 4 1/3 innings in the memorable 21-5 blowout. Joc Pederson, Cody Bellinger, and Yasiel Puig all homered off Chacin in the dong fest.
So far, the Dodgers have been able to corral Christian Yelich. He’s 1-for-8 with 2 walks in the NLCS. Kenley Jansen got him to groundout to end Game 2 with the tying runner in scoring position, a key battle won by the Blue Crew. He’s 2-for-3 with a strikeout against Buehler.
Turner and Chris Taylor are defending their NLCS Co-MVP titles so far. Taylor is 5-for-9 in the series, and Turner came back after a four-strikeout performance, the first of his career, in Game 1 to come up clutch with the winning home run in Game 2. Turner is now one of the best postseason hitters in major league history (.319/.439/.556/.995 in 164 plate appearances).
Los Angeles @Dodgers‘ Justin Turner currently has the 3rd-best on-base % in MLB Postseason history behind only Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth. (Min 125 PA) pic.twitter.com/L1BA6j7gER
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) October 14, 2018
With right-handed Chacin on the mound, Yasmani Grandal is back behind the plate for Game 3. He had a really rough Game 1 when he committed two errors and two passed balls. Austin Barnes started Game 2, and he came up with a key bases-loaded walk that helped fuel the comeback win.
Speaking of backstops, Roberts said that Max Muncy was his emergency third catcher after Game 2. He had used up all his position players by the end of the game. I guess #LetKikéCatch sadly isn’t going to happen after all.
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Congrats to Joc and his wife Kelsey who welcomed their first child, a daughter, last night.
.@djsevere, told me @yungjoc650 changed his walk out song to “Big Poppa”, by Biggie, in honor of his new daughter, Poppy, born last night!
— Alanna Rizzo (@alannarizzo) October 15, 2018
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The Dodgers may have something magical up their jersey sleeves today. October 15 has been a historically special day for the Dodgers. It was a year ago today that Turner hit his walk-off home run in Game 2 of the 2017 NLCS that literally drove me to tears.
It’s also the 30th, yes 30th (!), anniversary of the iconic Kirk Gibson home run.
On this day in 1988… look who’s coming up. pic.twitter.com/DEHSWlg6TH
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 15, 2018
Where does time go?
