The National League Championship Series shifts to Wrigley Field as the Dodgers fly into Chicago on top of the world. Justin Turner’s heroic and historic walk-off home run in game 2 has given the Dodgers a 2-0 series lead putting them only two wins away from their first pennant in 29 years. The Dodgers only have to win two out of three in Chicago to punch their ticket to the fall classic.
The Dodgers will give the ball to Yu Darvish in game 3. Darvish was pretty dominant in game 3 of the NLDS against Arizona tossing five innings of one-run ball with no walks and 7 strikeouts. Darvish has 18 career postseason strikeouts and has issued just one free pass over 16.2 innings.
Dodgers @ Chicago-NLCS Game 3
Dodgers Lineup
#ThisTeam // NLCS Game 3:
Taylor SS
Bellinger 1B
Turner 3B
Puig RF
Ethier LF
Utley 2B
Barnes C
Pederson CF
Darvish P pic.twitter.com/Vzp1pMb7Nv— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 17, 2017
Chicago Lineup
Here is tonight's #Cubs starting lineup.
NLCS Game 3 preview: https://t.co/YgYHeHMzKd #FlyTheW pic.twitter.com/HH7JZ9jsCJ
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) October 17, 2017
Yu Darvish vs. Kyle Hendricks
Game time – 6:01 PM PST- TV-TBS
Darvish has faced the Cubs only once in his career. That was back in July of 2016 as a member of the Rangers. In that outing he allowed two earned runs across 4.1 innings and struck out 9. In 50 career plate appearances Darvish has limited the current Cubs to a .195 batting average (8 for 41) with a .584 OPS against. The Cubs have just two extra-base hits against Darvish and he’s struck out 18.
Darvish vs. Cubs
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | OPS |
| Alex Avila | 18 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 6 | .231 | .444 | .752 |
| Ben Zobrist | 14 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | .167 | .286 | .452 |
| Leonys Martin | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .250 | .250 | .500 |
| Kris Bryant | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Tommy La Stella | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .500 | .667 | 1.167 |
| Willson Contreras | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Jason Heyward | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .000 | .500 | .500 |
| Anthony Rizzo | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .500 | .500 | 1.500 |
| Addison Russell | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Total | 50 | 41 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 18 | .195 | .340 | .584 |
Chicago will send right hander Kyle Hendricks to the mound as they try to get back in the series. Hendricks was great in the opening game of the NLDS against Washington throwing seven scoreless innings. However he scuffled in game five lasting only four frames and allowing four runs on nine hits. If you remember Hendricks pitched 7.1 shutout innings in last year’s NLCS game 6 against the Dodgers. He’s generally been a thorn in the Dodger’s side.
Hendricks is still a tough pitcher but he’s not as good as he was in 2016. His ERA rose from 2.13 to 3.03 and his hits per nine rate rose from 6.7 in 2016 to 8.1 in 2017. He’s giving up more hits this year and his walk rate has lowered as well.
This is mostly due to injury as he dealt with a hand injury earlier in the season. He didn’t face the Dodgers this year but in 3 career regular season starts he has a 2-1 record with a 3.15 ERA. He’s very tough at home. Hendricks is 19-9 with a 2.48 ERA at Wrigley Field.
The current Dodgers are hitting just .133 (8 for 60) against Hendricks with a .383 OPS against. The only extra-base hit is a Justin Turner home run and they’ve drawn five walks. The stingy right hander has struck out 18 and given up just three earned runs. Adrian Gonzalez homered off of him in game 2 of last year’s series and that’s about all he gave up.
Hendricks vs. Dodgers
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | OPS |
| Justin Turner | 14 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | .167 | .286 | .702 |
| Curtis Granderson | 11 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | .091 | .091 | .182 |
| Yasmani Grandal | 9 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | .000 | .222 | .222 |
| Joc Pederson | 9 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .000 | .111 | .111 |
| Chase Utley | 8 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .125 | .125 | .250 |
| Enrique Hernandez | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .250 | .250 | .500 |
| Yasiel Puig | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .250 | .250 | .500 |
| Andre Ethier | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | .333 | .667 |
| Clayton Kershaw | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .333 | .333 | .667 |
| Total | 65 | 60 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 18 | .133 | .200 | .383 |
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With a right hander on the mound will Andre Ethier get some reps? Will Austin Barnes be behind the dish again? Has Yasmani Grandal fallen into an abyss? All of those questions should be answered once lineups are released.
This should be the toughest test for the Dodgers in the series. The boys in blue will be looking to stomp on the Cubs throat. A win would give them an almost insurmountable 3-0 series lead. I would love to see the Dodgers clinch at home, but how cool would it be to see them celebrate at Wrigley Field in front of all the Cubs fans? Seeing the looks on the Chicago fans faces as the Dodgers are presented with the National League championship trophy would be priceless.
I WANT THAT……….
Oh wait, the curse is over. It’s still funny anyways. I can taste the World Series. Go Blue!
Hendricks is rested and yes he has given us trouble in the past. The difference this year is we have a line-up (if Reddickson and Grandull are on the bench) that will apply pressure from top to bottom, plus be very discipline and work the count. I don’t think that Hendricks has faced that Dodgers team before tonight.
Darvish has steadily improved under Honeybuns tutelage and I expect he will be even better tonight. It is Wrigley and Dravish has been prone to give up the long ball, but he has now been refining his craft for about 6 weeks, so we will see.
From Brutus the Brilliant: People love to make up stuff about:
Momentum, class, chemistry, grit, “playing the game the right way.”
You talk like someone who has absolutely no idea or experience with sports. When you are in a hole STOP DIGGING! You also talk like someone who just loves to cause a problem, give it a rest dude, you just sound stupid and petty. Your sniper bullshit comments are tired and boring, I’m sure there are some other sites that would welcome your presence (okay I doubt there are any sites like that, but there are some very sick people that might welcome you, I think you are familiar with at least one of them). Take your pettiness and stupid picky posts to a new home, you aren’t welcome here.
Nice.
He’s got you Blue. I saw that comment and wondered whether you’d respond.
Ethier starts today with Pederson, and Taylor at short. My guess is Grandal and Granderson starts tomorrow against Arrieta.
Go Dodgers!
Oh boy did he. He is so intuitive and a deep thinking. Yup, he sure did get me, lol.
Agree with YF.
Ha ha. Blue I think he means my prediction of Granderson and Grandal starting Game 4.
FYI we were two games from the WS last year.
Yes we are a better team this year, just food for thought.
Yes, good point Artie, I think too much celebrating too early.
Nice article on the Dodgers blog about Ethier mentoring Bellinger today (by talking smack to the rookie – I could see how that would work as Bellinger’s got a happy go lucky type personality).
Ethier sure has matured, he used to get so upset at things. Now he takes things in stride and keeps his head. I’m glad he is on the roster, now if someone would remind Roberts that he is on the roster.
Looks like the spreadsheet spit out Bellinger in the 2 spot. Interesting! Did he hit second at all this season?
Ethier in the lineup and Utley in the lineup and (God Be Praised) Grandull not in the lineup. Bellinger batting second, he is very fast and I don’t blame Roberts for wanting our Red October batting 3rd (good thing he wasn’t batting third in the last game however).
Yeah – this lineup is really outside of the box. I like it! I think Bellinger may try to bunt for a hit.
Now stay away from swinging at the low sinkers. Outside of his last outing, Hendricks has been excellent for well over two months.
(The Yankees are on their way to tying that series 2-2(!). If they do, that will be an early warning to our guys to keep the pressure on and keep making good at bats.)
Kind of an unrelated post, but the Celtics’ Gordon Hayward is likely out of the season with a horrific leg injury in their season opener. (You see Danny Ainge, karma is a b*$@!, and I am sure half of Boston is now thinking, will the Isaiah Thomas trade usher in another curse like the curse of the Bambino?).
This is the season and this the team to end the curse of our own bad trades. (And if not this year, then next year!)
Puig just missed that one. Hope he stays disciplined.
Contreras with the bat flip after a single. No word from Darling on that one.
Ethier!!!
Barnes at bat quality is getting worse. I think it’s very likely we are going to see Grandal next game. I think Barnes is overthinking it.
Utley’s not doing much either. His bat seems way too slow now.
This umpire’s strike zone is horrible.
To quote the great Eric Stephen:
Chris Taylor is Ex-Zach Lee what the Dodgers needed tonight
Of all the posts, only 2 not by me, Ed or Yueh.
Where is everyone?
Maybe over on the other thread?
It’s ok – I think only I post during a game in this community. Others tend to post after the game.
I hope Roberts let Darvish go to 90 pitches tonight!!
I thought for sure Bellinger’s going to bunt there with Taylor at third. Wasted opportunity there. Bellinger needs to step up.
I hope we double steal here with Edwards.
Now I’ve seen everything. Roberts with the gutsiest call this off season so far, letting Darvish bat. Edwards should have shut his mouth.
That was gutsy!
Darvish with a nasty slider! He is on!
Double play!!
That was sweet!
Yu Darvish has as many post-season RBIs as Mike Trout, and more NLCS RBIs than the Nationals do in their history.
Yu Darvish has reached base against the Cubs’ bullpen as many times as the entire Cubs team has reached against the Dodgers ‘pen this series
Indeed!!!
Roberts going with his guts again. Darvish out and LH Watson in with two RH batters coming in. DO NOT WALK this batter!
Wow. Watson gets both and probably will get Zobrist next. Roberts IS ON tonight!
The Cubs bullpen sucks. Ok that’s not news. Just wanted to say it.
Great slider by Morrow!
Great pitching by Morrow. Just awesome.
Three outs to go!
That was awesome. Morrow strikes out Rizzo on 3 pitches. Kenta Maeda for the 9th. Let’s go!!
Puig and Hernandez just picking on their bullpen now. Sowing seeds of doubt in Maddon’s mind ….
Stripling???
What on Earth????
Should have gone with Maeda ….
Order has been restored!
3-0! Just one game away! Wow!!!
YES!!!
More Ethier please!! He is primed for this postseason!!
I wanted to wait until this game was over. Roberts was Lasorda-esque tonight. Great job from from Roberts – one of the best managed games in recent years, including pulling Stripling and going for the kill with Jansen – he’s now messing around and the message is loud and clear to everyone! This was his signature game, especially in how decisive it was from top to bottom.
He went with Stripling to start the inning because A. It was not a save situation and Stripling has not pitched since the AZ series. Get his feet wet. But he definitely made the right move pulling him. Is it just me or do the Cubbies look over matched? Their fans definitely had sour looks on their faces last night. All the elation of the HR by Schwarber went out of the building as soon as Ethier and Taylor went yard. I still think the TBS announcers are horse shit.
I see a lot of posts about every one on the team, but not one mention of the nice game Joc Pederson had. Set up Taylor’s RBI triple. Nice to see quality AB’s from the kid. Ethier should not be out of the lineup the rest of the post season period.
Well said Michael,
Joc battled nicely. If he can keep this up. If Forsythe can keep his play up the lineup will be both long and effective.