Pennant fever has swept across Southern California. There is only one known cure and that’s more Dodger baseball in October. The boys in blue will certainly oblige us. The Dodgers are taking baseball by storm and all of Los Angeles is buzzing. Understandably so. After Justin Turner’s historic walk-off blast that won game 2 for the Dodgers, they confidently strode into Wrigley Field with a 2-0 NLCS lead, and looking to step on the Cub’s throats for a 3-0 NLCS series lead.
The Dodgers did just that by silencing the Wrigley Field crowd with a resoundingly triumphant 6-1 win. The Dodgers are now just one win away from the World Series. Let that sink in for a minute. The Dodgers need to win one more to advance to the World Series for the first time in 29 years. It’s all happening guys and this is everything we’ve been waiting for our entire lives.
NLCS Game 3-Dodgers Lead Series 3-0
Dodgers 6 9 0
Cubs 1 8 2
WP-Darvish-1-0
LP-Hendricks-0-1
HR-Schwarber-1-Ethier-1-Taylor-1
The Dodgers and Cubs both shuffled their lineups before game 3. Andre Ethier was placed in the lineup batting fifth and playing left field, as Chris Taylor shifted to shortstop. Joc Pederson played center, and Chase Utley was penciled in at second. For the Cubs they placed ice cold Javy Baez on the bench and started Addison Russell at shortstop.
The Dodgers strangled the life out of the Cubs like a python. Darvish was fantastic tossing 6.1 innings of one-run ball. He stifled the Chicago bats all night with a devastating arsenal. Darvish walked one, struck out seven and made just 81 pitches. Darvish also drew a bases loaded walk becoming the first pitcher since 1977 to do that in the postseason.
One of the stories from game 3 was the return of Andre Ethier. The long time Dodger slugged a solo home run in the second inning that tied the game. Chris Taylor homered and tripled and Yasiel Puig collected two more hits. The Dodger bullpen was fantastic throwing another 2.2 scoreless frames. Kenley Jansen finished it off and the Dodgers are just one win from the National League pennant.
The game started off well for the Cubs. Kyle Schwarber smashed a solo home run in the bottom of the first to put the Cubs on the board first. That would be their only run of the game. Kris Bryant and Willson Contreras singled but Darvish recovered to whiff Anthony Rizzo and Jon Jay to end the inning.
The Dodgers would answer right back against opposing starter Kyle Hendricks in the top of the second. The right hander tossed 7.1 shutout frames against the Dodgers in game 6 of the 2016 NLCS. This year the results were much different. Hendricks would last just five innings allowing four runs on six hits and striking out five.
Captain clutch Andre Ethier (who has now played in 45 postseason games) pulls a home run over the chain link fence in right field to tie the score at 1-1. The Dodgers would take the lead in the top of the third when Taylor’s solo blast to center field stunned the Wrigley Field crowd. The Dodgers would never trail again.
The Dodgers scored again in the top of the fifth. Joc Pederson strokes a double just inside the right field line. Darvish’s sacrifice was not successful, but Joc would score when Taylor triples inside the third base line to give the Dodgers a 3-1 lead. The Dodgers would add another run in the top of the sixth when Puig reached on an error from Bryant and Ethier singled him to second. Maddon hooks Hendricks and brings in Carl Edwards Jr. from the Chicago bullpen. Austin Barnes walks to load the bases. Unfortunately Chase Utley’s ground out and Joc’s fly ball out is unable to get anyone home.
With two outs, up comes Darvish. Manager Dave Roberts decided to not pinch-hit for him. I can understand the decision. Darvish was pitching dominantly. The Dodgers already had a two-run lead. So Darvish showed bunt the entire at-bat, spooking Edwards, and he walked him to force in a run.
The Cubs played a sloppy game. The Dodgers could have scored more runs in the seventh frame, but Taylor was thrown out at the plate. Ian Happ misplayed a Cody Bellinger fly ball for a two-base error. After Justin Turner walked, Puig’s double play ball and Ethier’s ground out ended the inning.
The eighth inning got weird. Logan Forsythe draws a lead-off walk against Mike Montgomery. Barnes single puts runners at first and second. Pinch-hitter Charlie Culberson swings and misses on strike three, but the ball hits Contreras in the arm and bounced into the Chicago dugout. Contreras got crossed up and the ruling is a passed ball and the Dodgers get a run. Kyle Farmer’s sacrifice fly plated the sixth run.
Darvish allowed three singles over the next 5.1 innings. With one out in the seventh, the Dodgers brought in Tony Watson. He does his job by getting Javier Baez to pop out and striking out Happ. Brandon Morrow pitches a scoreless eighth and Ross Stripling is brought in to pitch the ninth with the Dodgers up 6-1.
But Alex Avilla singles, and Albert Almora’s ground-rule double puts runners at second and third. Enrique Hernandez made a valiant dive on the play but the ball rolled into the ivy. Hernandez put his hand up to signify the play was dead. Both runners ended up at third base confused as one of them thought the play was still active.
Roberts wasn’t messing around so he immediately brings in the big man Kenley Jansen to close it out. He gets Addison Russell to pop out for the first out. Then he blows away Tommy La Stella for the second out. Finally he strikes out Happ for the final out. Dodgers win!
Think about how much smack the Cubs have talked about the Dodgers since the series began. Jason Heyward was sure the series would be tied. Chicago manager Joe Maddon stated the Dodgers were the same as last year. Now the Cubs are a lifeless demoralized club. The looks on the sad Cub’s fans faces were just priceless.
The Dodgers (6-0 in the postseason) can clinch the National League pennant tomorrow. They’ll give the ball to left hander Alex Wood. The Cubs will send Jake Arrieta to the mound as they cling to keep their season alive another day. First pitch is scheduled for 6PM PST. I can’t believe this is all happening. This is it! Our moment has finally arrived!
HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE
— Stacie Wheeler (@StacieMWheeler) October 18, 2017
Go Blue!
Let’s all channel Kobe tonight and finish the job tomorrow!
Brutus, you should really feel like a dumbass because you sure sounded off in the last day or so and sounded like a dumbass. You could not be more wrong with your takes.
Suggestion go back to just copy and pasting articles you read, at least that way you make an intelligent post. When you use your own stuff you really make a fool out of yourself. Head back to Molester Blog.
What’s the Molester Blog?
Yeah, this one you got 100% wrong, which is not unusual for you.
Which take was wrong?
Was it when I wrote about Cingrani and called him Cigaretti (a stupid nickname for me, I know, but I’m sure some moron thinks it clever) and intimated he’s worthless?
Oh, oops. That was your take.
Wait, was it when I wrote that the team may not win 100 games? Yeah, I got that wrong. Oh wait. That was another great prognostication of yours. Wow. Sorry to be you.
I did have that bad post when I even wondered if because “Mo” had left this team. That maybe Roberts shouldn’t be on the playoff roster. Oh no, that was also you. Jeez, you really are a “mo” aren’t you. (Note to Ed Dinger, in that context I intend Mo to mean “moron.”)
You know what I should have done or posted? I should have given up on Forsythe, maybe come up with a stupid nickname like Forshyte. That would give you something to call me on. But doing something that sophomoric and inane would or could have only been done by a 3rd grader.
Darvish did in fact “pitch like a demon” last night (someone dear to me predicted that).
Roberts pulled him to save him for the WS but I still don’t like it. I don’t see the Dodgers not going after him strong to sign him in the off season.
Ethier did what most of us suspected he would do. (I hope you put that in your little notebook Dave). He is our best option in LF, (hell he kicked ass in a big way) especially when our other option is Reddickson. Time for permanent banishment of Reddickson, no more, please knock it off Dave.
Joc even got a sniff. You have to love it when the blind squirrel runs into a nut once in a while.
Taylor, Dayammm. This guy is a baller. JT has been good but Taylor is possible the real MVP of this team this year.
Barnes, getting better and better every inning. Now don’t screw things up Dave, we still need five more wins, just leave it alone. Barnes is a baller and a determined toughie.
Bellinger, man maybe you can even say his glove is even better than his bat (his glove never goes in a slump).
Utley has managed to leave the building, so far. I think he still has something to contribute in the WS.
Turner, vacuum and monsta batter. He has the Cubs scared to death.
Puig, Hello Wild Horse, what’s the dude batting in the postseason, must be over .500 (I’m not even bothering to look it up). He also has the Cubs scared to death.
Bullpen, wow wow wow. I’ve not been a big fan of Watson, but even he has been caught up in the flow. Never been a big fan of Stripling, that hasn’t changed. Morrow is vicious and Jansen maybe one of the best of all time (and he isn’t on the juice like Gagne).
Forshyte has almost become Forsythe again. If you are going to get hot, it might as well be on the biggest stage.
That Old Mo is back! That guy is an elusive guest but man is he always welcome at the table. (never mind Brutus, you’ll never get it, just move on with some other dimwitted post of yours, Dufus might be a better moniker for you Brutus)
How pumped up do you think Alex Wood is going to be tonight with a chance to close it out? Wow! Okay, who do you want to face in the big Dance? The Evil Empire? Or the Astros with their excellent 1-2 tandem of Kuechel and Verlander? Funny how that terrible September swoon is long forgotten with the stellar play of the team over the last couple of weeks. They are hitting on all cylinders. J.T. and Taylor have my vote for NLCS MVP, although I would bet Jansen gets some votes for sure. Actually they should give the award to the entire BP. They have threw a no-hitter over their first 9 innings pitched. Myself, I want to face the Yankees and renew the rivalry. I think our pitching can nullify their bats. They have a lot of big swingers. The Stro’s on the other hand, are more contact hitters and small ball types even though they have some power in the lineup.
It’s a little early to start handing out MVP trophies. The Dodgers still need to win the WS.
I’d rather the Dodgers face the Yankees. I think Houston has a better constructed team…a lot like the Dodgers, actually. The quality Dodger pitching will exploit Judge’s inexperience and he’ll have a bad series against the Dodgers.
I was referring to the NLCS MVP award. That will be awarded after the series. The Championship series and the WS give out awards.
Utley’s bat seem slow but he did advance the runners in that fateful fifth inning without striking out. Good things come from productive outs.
Someone really must do a split screen short video with Morrow and Edwards side by side. I actually wouldn’t mind getting Edwards – the kid has got electric stuff. I bet Roberts and Honeycutt could turn him into a monster.
Everyone has to remember Utley hasn’t had many starts, but your right YF, Utley got the runners over.
I wouldn’t have minded if Darvish finished the seventh, because he was pitching so well.
Darvish is a competitor he said when he was up at the plate on his last at bat, that he thought maybe he could get something happen, or get hit by a pitch to get the runner from third home.
Taylor has a really good game, and Ethier’s HR on the first pitch was big, because he gave the momentum back to the Dodgers, and stuck it to the Cubs, after they had just scored.
I guess us fans are right once and a while, but I think they started Ethier in this game, because Hendricks doesn’t have high velocity.
And I think the Dodgers were afraid Ethier hasn’t had enough at bats, to hit a high velocity pitcher, but I don’t know if that is true.
Even Joc had a good night at the plate!
Everyone on the team made there own contribution to this win.
Morrow was great again, and Kenley took charge after Stripling and Kike let the ninth get out of hand.
I was surprised that Kike dived for that ball with the big lead, but he was just trying to do to much, he just needs to learn for what he did.
Darling didn’t even get a chance to say to much about the Cubs, because the Dodgers have the momentum in that game, after Ethier hit his first pitch out!
The umpire was very good last night, he didn’t give Hendricks strikes, at the ankles, like the ump did last year, when we faced Hendricks in the post season.
MJ-you are right when you say everybody had a good game. Bellinger made some nice defensive plays. The theme of the play off up to now is that everybody is doing their job. They are not swinging at bad balls. They make every at bat count. They are playing good defense. The pitching cannot be any better. If this continues, we will be hard to beat.