The Dodgers essentially punted away game 4 of the NLCS on Wednesday night in a 3-2 loss to the Cubs. They ruined a chance to sweep and clinch their first National league pennant since 1988. Don’t worry though Dodger fam, they get another chance tonight with Clayton Kershaw on the mound. Of course when I say punted, I don’t really mean that. What Oscar said was correct. They took their foot off the gas by putting automatic outs Curtis Granderson, and Chase Utley into the lineup. Red-hot Austin Barnes and Logan Forsythe were on the bench and did not start.
I still love Utley, but let’s face it he doesn’t play much and it’s hard to hit when you don’t hit. He’s been ice cold this postseason (0 for 9) and has not gotten a hit. But there is no reason to ever play Granderson in a postseason game again. He’s a terrible hitter and the results (sombrero) were not surprising. Roberts went with career numbers and match-ups and it didn’t work out. Hopefully he puts in the regular lineup that’s helped get the boys in blue to within one game of the World Series tonight. Kershaw needs a lot of support.
Speaking of Kershaw, he’ll take the mound looking to get some redemption and exorcise those demons. I wanted a sweep but maybe this is better. Having Kershaw close out the series in Wrigley Field and putting to rest all of those stupid narratives that he can’t pitch in the postseason is just as good, if not better. Kershaw hasn’t been great in his two postseason starts this season. He’s allowed six earned runs over ten innings between one NLDS start against Arizona and one NLCS start against the Cubs. He’s struck out 11 and walked 4 over those ten frames. So hopefully we see the real Kershaw tonight. And we hope he can put all of those memories from last year’s NLCS to rest.
The Cubs will counter with Jose Quintana. The left hander gave the Dodgers some trouble in game 1 when he faced off against Kershaw. He allowed two earned runs on two hits over five frames while striking out four. The Dodgers will be rolling out their regular lefty killing squad lineup again. Charlie Culberson returns playing shortstop and batting eighth. Chris Taylor moves back to center field and Enrique Hernandez will be in left. Logan Forsythe is back at second base and Austin Barnes will be behind plate. Here’s the Dodger’s lineup for game 5.
Dodgers Lineup
#ThisTeam // NLCS Game 5:
Taylor CF
Turner 3B
Bellinger 1B
Puig RF
Forsythe 2B
Hernández LF
Barnes C
Culberson SS
Kershaw P pic.twitter.com/BRivzyIkfe— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 19, 2017
Chicago Lineup
Here is tonight's #Cubs lineup.
NLCS Game 5 preview: https://t.co/iReetvnkgl pic.twitter.com/ho2MCowtqN
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) October 19, 2017
Game time – 5 PM PST- TV-TBS
I have total confidence in Kershaw. I think this is the night the Dodgers do it. The Dodgers still have a big advantage being up 3-1. The Cubs have burnt most of their pitching staff and Wade Davis made nearly 50 pitches last night in game 4. Is this the night? Will the Dodgers finally do it? Tune in at 5 to find out.
If the Dodgers wrap it up tonight and clinch the pennant you can purchase official Dodgers National League championship gear by using this link here.
Go Blue!
I like tonight’s lineup much better than last nights. I still do not like Hernandez in a RBI spot like 6th in the order, but this team is lefty heavy in the outfield. JD Martinez would have been a nice addition. I think since they have seen Quintana already, they get to him earlier than last game. And I think Kersh is poised to have one of those seminal moments in a players career. It is time for him to throw the best game of his post season life. I believe he dominates the Cubbies tonight.
We good tonight. Roberts has extracted his head out of his ass and put a sensible and successful lineup out there tonight. I just want 6 solid kick ass innings out of Kershaw, then pull him and let the bullpen take over (no Baez, no Stripling however). I like what I’m seeing going into this game, tonight we clinch and get rest and ready for the WS.
Baez is not on the NLCS roster so he cannot be used. Stripling would be more of a mop up or long reliever. I still do not like light hitting Hernandez in any spot. I would rather see Ethier in there. I do not care how well Kike hits lefty’s, he has not done much the last couple of months.
Yeah, starting Kike is going badly.
JK
That’s ok. If he makes a liar out of me and they go to the series, I could care less. But for most of the season he has sucked. He finally is earning his money.
Ha Ha!! Michael with the reverse jinx on Kike!! Great job!!!
Kike in 6th better than cleanup. Remember the days when Roberts kept doing that?
Oh yeah…..glad that was not the case tonight….reverse jinx, I like that.
Also, when looking at our starters, the real order of our staff based on performance this post season has been:
Ace – Darvish (Outstanding and dominating batters)
#2 – Hill (Outstanding and dominating batters
#3 – Kershaw (sort of the story of all his playoff years, so it has been consistent. Waliking more batters this year and seems to be getting raked on first pitches)
So of our three studs, our weakest one is actually on the mound tonight. I keep expecting Kershaw to have that lock-down game each year and yet he never quite does it. He needs to change something up: maybe not be such a red-ass on game day, eat a different pre-game meal, don’t be so predictable with first pitches to each batter (waste a few dummy and keep em guessing), curse a little, something/anything.
I’m going back to my Ed Dinger good karma mode, watch and learn kiddies.
EdDingerEDDINDGEReddingerEDdingerEdDINGERedDINGER!!!!!!!!!
Yes, but dominant or not, Kershaw has been the innings eater for us. Wood didn’t do badly either (better than Kershaw in fact in a hostile environment).
Kershaw overthrows and turns into Pedro Baez and he lets his stress get the best of him.
27 outs. That’s all we need. Just 27 outs!
Someone should message Badger and tell him he can come back. I wonder how he is doing?
I trade emails with him now and then, he is doing ok,
Quintana done. We are seeing the ball real well tonight. As many said, this is a much much better lineup.
If we can hit Quintana and Hendricks, we can deal with Sabathia. And their ace Severino has been inconsistent. Assuming we win, I will continue to root for the Yankees for the WS.
18 outs to go!!!!
And I thought they were going to pinch hit for Kike.
I’m going to cry
Control yourself there Scott………
I don’t know if I can………
I hear ya buddy..been a long time coming, but it is finally here.
Are you watching kiddies? Are you learning kiddies? lol
Bellinger and Taylor, 5 for 5, Kike with the big OPS against lefties, if these three can stay hot, opposition pitchers are in a world of hurt. And Puig and Turner still hitting for average – they have been the rock of our lineup! (I’m a little worried about Barnes but a few days off should be ok for him ….)
And Kershaw is as relaxed as I’ve ever seen him. Look out rest of the league. A relaxed Kershaw is more dominant because when he overthrows his pitches, they stay straight and he basically turns into Pedro Baez. Everyone could see that except for Kershaw himself.
Kike hits one out against a leftie, and he has good numbers against lefties, and that is why he is on this team.
And Kike hits a grand slam, off a rightie!
Reaction: Blind squirrel finds nut.
Cody hit his last ball really hard last night, when he hit into that double play.
Kershaw at 89 pitches after 6th. Do we let him go through the 7th?
9 outs to go!
3 outs to go!!!!!
Feel sorry for the Cubs fans now. Their pitchers are just trying to get this over with ….
YF
Go read some of the comments by Cubs fans, that they made after the game!
Who on Earth would have thought of a scenario where Kike hits 3 HR in one game and drives in 7. What a night!
Artieboy
Kike’ did something to make his country proud!
Even if they can’t watch these games right now!
Kike and Barnes for Dee Gordon
Rich Hill for three prospects.
Chris Taylor for Zach Lee
Brandon Morrow for a minor league deal
Grandal for Kemp
Thanks FAZ!!
And a lot of credit also goes to Roberts, Honeycutt, Puig, Turner, Bellinger and Seager (hopefully)! And Taylor who remade his swing after his trade and with Turner’s help!
Hope Grandal gives us a 3 run game too in the WS!
Uh except for the Grandal reference not bad, but how about that Granderson deal…that worked out well……NOT!
Why even focus on Granderson? No, he hasn’t performed, but so what? The team’s going to the World Series, and and you still have to find fault. ….that’s a personality trait.
Too bad Badger isn’t around too enjoy this moment
(Can’t say I miss him)
He wouldn’t enjoy it. He can’t. The one thing I learned about that guy is that, deep down, he’s just angry and bitter. He can’t forgive. When you can’t forgive, when you hold on to resentment, you can’t be happy.
I hope he figures it out.