Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
Just a few short days ago, this seemed quite unlikely: The Dodgers need one more win to advance to the World Series for the second consecutive year.
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Dodgers
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Brewers
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5:39 p.m.
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Milwaukee
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1B
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Freese |
CF
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Cain | |
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2B
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Muncy |
RF
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Yelich | |
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3B
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Turner |
LF
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Braun | |
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SS
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Machado |
2B
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Shaw | |
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CF
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Bellinger |
1B
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Aguilar | |
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LF
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Taylor |
3B
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Moustakas | |
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RF
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Puig | C | Kratz | |
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C
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Barnes |
SS
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Arcia | |
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P
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Ryu (L)
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P
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Miley (L)
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And it was a few (six, actually) short days ago that we got the very same matchup of Hyun-Jin Ryu and Wade Miley that we’re getting tonight. (It was also the last time the Dodgers hit a home run in this series.)
Yes, the Brewers tried some shenanigans with their pitching last game by starting Miley and allowing him to face one hitter before going to Brandon Woodruff (who was really good), but I wouldn’t expect any of that today. Craig Counsell might pull out all the stops, but I don’t see him pulling Miley after a single batter again.
Dave Roberts and the Dodgers, on the other hand, look to be going a tad unconventional with David Freese hitting leadoff tonight. That’s one way to get the most out of him if you’re gonna start him. I almost think it might be better to save him for later in the game for a Josh Hader encounter, but this way, Freese gets the most opportunities for as long as Miley is in the game. Joc Pederson will probably be the first guy up if a pinch-hitting opportunity arises. The rest of the lineup is pretty standard, including Austin Barnes getting his second start in a row. While he had the big RBI single that tied up Game 5 and kept Clayton Kershaw in the game, it was his work behind the plate that caught Chad’s eye.
The Brewers are sticking with almost the same lineup. Travis Shaw is inserted into the No. 4 spot at second base against the lefty Ryu, but other than that, it’s about what we’re used to seeing in this series.
Ryu is coming off a shorter-than-expected start in Game 2. He lasted just 4 1/3 innings and gave up six hits, two runs and recorded four strikeouts. I’d expect a better outing from him tonight.
And for fun, here’s a clip of him in the Korea Baseball Organization playoffs from many years ago.
MyKBO's Flashback Friday to the last time Hanwha was in the playoffs:
A young @HyunJinRyu99 threw 128 pitches and picked up the victory in Game 1 of the series vs Samsung. Three days later in Game 3, he came on in relief to help the Eagles advance
— Dan Kurtz (@MyKBO) October 19, 2018
Check out that hair!
Here’s hoping for a bounce back start from Ryu to help the Dodgers get back to the World Series.
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This has been an evenly matched series between these two teams, even if their respective pitching staffs are doing it differently.
NLCS so far:
Brewers pitchers: 2.83 ERA
Dodgers pitchers: 2.81 ERABrewers hitters: 16 runs, .219 avg
Dodgers hitters: 16 runs, .220 avg(Brewers actually lead in OPS, .653 to .599.)
Brewers wins: 2
Dodgers wins: 3— Adam McCalvy (@AdamMcCalvy) October 18, 2018
Starters' ERA
Brewers: 1.29 (14 innings)
Dodgers: 4.10 (26.1 innings)Relievers' ERA
Brewers: 3.48 (33.2 innings)
Dodgers: 1.25 (21.2 innings)— Adam McCalvy (@AdamMcCalvy) October 18, 2018
Who woulda thunk the Brewers’ starters would out-pitch the Dodgers’ and the Dodgers’ bullpen would out-pitch the Brewers’? Baseball is so beautifully dumb.
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You might be saying to yourself, “Oct. 19 … that seems familiar?” The Dodgers clinched their first World Series berth in almost three decades on this date last year. It seems only fitting for them to do it again this year. If they did it by an 11-1 margin, that’d be even better.
This isn’t a must-win game for the Dodgers, but do they (and us) really want another Game 7?
