Dodgers @ Brewers Oct. 19, 2018: NLCS Game 6

(Via)

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.

Dodgers
Brewers
5:39 p.m.
Milwaukee
1B
Freese
CF
Cain
2B
Muncy
RF
Yelich
3B
Turner
LF
Braun
SS
Machado
2B
Shaw
CF
Bellinger
1B
Aguilar
LF
Taylor
3B
Moustakas
RF
Puig C Kratz
C
Barnes
SS
Arcia
P
Ryu (L)
P
Miley (L)

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.

Check out that hair!

Here’s hoping for a bounce back start from Ryu to help the Dodgers get back to the World Series.

——

This has been an evenly matched series between these two teams, even if their respective pitching staffs are doing it differently.

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.

——

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?

About Dustin Nosler

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Dustin Nosler began writing about the Dodgers in July 2009 on his blog, Feelin' Kinda Blue, and co-hosted a weekly podcast with Jared Massey called Dugout Blues. He was a contributor/editor at The Hardball Times and True Blue LA. He graduated from California State University, Sacramento with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in digital media. While at CSUS, he worked for the student-run newspaper The State Hornet for three years, culminating with a one-year term as editor-in-chief. He resides in Stockton, California.