Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
The Dodgers didn’t manage to finish the job against the Cubs last night. With the NLCS now three games to one, Los Angeles still clearly holds the advantage in the series, though. And they’ll take their second shot at clinching a World Series berth tonight, this time behind their ace.
|
Dodgers
|
Cubs
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
5:08 PM TBS
|
Chicago
|
|||
|
SS
|
Taylor
|
CF
|
Almora | |
|
3B
|
Turner
|
LF
|
Schwarber | |
|
1B
|
Bellinger
|
3B
|
Bryant | |
|
RF
|
Puig |
1B
|
Rizzo | |
|
2B
|
Forsythe |
C
|
Contreras | |
|
LF
|
Hernández |
SS
|
Russell | |
|
C
|
Barnes | 2B | Báez | |
|
SS
|
Culberson |
RF
|
Zobrist | |
|
P
|
Kershaw (L)
|
P
|
Quintana (L)
|
This wouldn’t be the first time that Clayton Kershaw (2.31 ERA, 3.07 FIP, 3.30 DRA) has started a game deemed the most important of his career, but … this may very well be the most important game of Clayton Kershaw‘s career. A poor performance wouldn’t doom the Dodgers (like in past elimination scenarios), but a strong performance to take his team to that long-elusive World Series would be incredibly vindicating. Chad wrote earlier today about Kershaw needing to rise to this occasion, and I think we can all agree that this is a really big moment for the vaunted southpaw.
As a reminder, Kershaw pitched five innings of two-run ball in Game 1 of the NLCS, allowing four hits (one of which was a two-run home run by Albert Almora) and a walk while striking out four. His teammates backed him up by evening the score against Cubs starter José Quintana (4.15 ERA, 3.68 FIP, 3.86 DRA), and then doing further damage against the Chicago bullpen.
That said, Quintana was on short rest in Game 1. He’ll be on full rest this time, so things may go a bit differently. However, after a 48-pitch effort last night, Cubs closer Wade Davis is not available — so if the Dodgers can get to the bullpen fairly early on, they’ll be in good shape.
The righty-heavy Dodger lineup is very similar to the one that faced Quintana in Game 1, save for a bit of shuffling. Austin Barnes is back at catcher, and Logan Forsythe is back at second base, with Enrique Hernández manning left field.
The Cubs are going with pretty much the same lineup they had last night, except with Ben Zobrist in right field in place of Jon Jay.
Although the wind appeared to have played a role in the offense over the course of the past two games, it looks like tonight may be a bit different.
Light breeze blowing in at Wrigley Field today. Games 3 and 4, the wind was blowing out and 8 HRs were hit.
— Ken Gurnick (@kengurnick) October 19, 2017
We’ll see if that’s the case come game time, though.
——
The Dodgers’ position heading into this game is definitely the preferable one. But it’s okay to be anxious. It’s October baseball — if you’re not anxious, you’re probably dead, or at least comatose.
In any event, here’s something to lighten the mood a bit:
https://twitter.com/YasielPuig/status/921127007785648129
Tongues out. Let’s do this.
