The Dodgers are in trouble, big trouble. After Yu Darvish allowed four earned runs over 1.2 innings and the Dodgers scored just three runs on four hits in their game 3 loss in Houston on Friday, they now find themselves down 2-1 in the World Series. They played a sloppy game, but had ample opportunities throughout the game.
The boys in blue are just 1 for 14 with runners in scoring position in the World Series and that has to improve if they want to win this thing. On top of all of that, Houston’s Yuli Gurriel (who hit a home run off of Darvish in the second inning of game 3) made an obscene gesture towards Darvish in the dugout and possibly faces discipline from MLB. If anything he deserves to be fined or suspended for such a disgusting act. We’ll see if MLB acts on this or not. (Update: they have not as Gurriel was suspended for 5 games in 2018)
The Dodgers have to get their bats going. Cody Bellinger struck out four times in the game 3 loss. Chris Taylor, Corey Seager, Justin Turner, Bellinger and Yasiel Puig were a combined 2 for 15 in game 3. Again the Dodgers have to start hitting and especially start getting production from the top of their lineup.
I don’t think the series is over. Just because you go down 2-1, doesn’t mean the series is over. It’s a seven game series and you still have to win four. The 2016 Cubs were down 2-1 to the Dodgers in the NLCS before winning three in a row. They were also down 3-1 in the World Series to Cleveland last year as well and won three in a row. What I’m saying is that it’s very possible the Dodgers could win three in a row and we’re celebrating the parade in downtown Los Angeles. They absolutely have to win game 4 or they face elimination.
And they absolutely have to get a good outing from Alex Wood, their game 4 starter on Saturday night. Wood has made just one start this postseason which was in the NLCS against the Cubs. He allowed three earned runs in four innings in that start. He has to go deeper than that tonight after the Dodgers burned up their bullpen on Friday. Dave Roberts said that everyone would be available sans Kenta Maeda who tossed 2.2 scoreless frames in game 3.
I am worried because Wood has hardly pitched over the last month, although he is certainly well rested. He must get a quick first inning under his wings and the Dodgers need to get an early lead. The Astros are 1 for 15 against Wood. He’s made just one career start against Houston. In that outing he pitched seven shutout innings.
Wood vs. Astros
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | OPS |
| Jake Marisnick | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .000 | .250 | .250 |
| Josh Reddick | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Jose Altuve | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| George Springer | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .333 | .333 | .667 |
| Charlie Morton | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Total | 16 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | .067 | .125 | .192 |
The Astros will give the ball to right hander Charlie Morton. He pitched five shutout frames in game 7 of the ALCS against the Yankees. Before that he allowed seven earned runs in 3.2 innings earlier in that series. He’s faced the Dodgers twice and is 0-1 with a 6.55 ERA. Chase Utley is 5 for 10 with a triple, home run and four runs batted in against him. The Dodgers are batting .292 (14 for 48) with 13 runs driven in and two home runs versus the 33-year old.
Morton vs. Dodgers
| Name | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | OPS |
| Chase Utley | 11 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | .500 | .545 | 1.545 |
| Adrian Gonzalez | 9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | .286 | .333 | .619 |
| Justin Turner | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .400 | .571 | .971 |
| Andre Ethier | 6 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | .600 | .667 | 1.867 |
| Curtis Granderson | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .167 | .167 |
| Yasmani Grandal | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .400 | .400 | .800 |
| Charlie Culberson | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Logan Forsythe | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Joc Pederson | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .000 | .333 | .333 |
| Alex Wood | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Total | 56 | 48 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 4 | 11 | .292 | .375 | .833 |
Dodgers Lineup
#ThisTeam // #WorldSeries Game 4:
Taylor CF
Seager SS
Turner 3B
Bellinger 1B
Puig RF
Forsythe 2B
Barnes C
Pederson DH
Hernández LF
(Wood P) pic.twitter.com/Si9w2zpnCz— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 28, 2017
Astros Lineup
World Series Game 4#EarnHistory pic.twitter.com/z6rEdFmqV8
— Houston Astros (@astros) October 28, 2017
The Dodgers have to get their offense going somehow. It should be an interesting game one way or another. Go Blue!
That Dodgers lineup looks identical to the lineup that got 4 hits last night. In fact, it looks like the same lineup that had our cleanup hitter produce the Golden Sombrero. But that can’t be, Roberts wouldn’t do such a thing with a lineup that is 0 for 357 with RISP, could he?
Here’s to turning it around tonight and tying up this series.
EDDINGEREDDingereddingerEdDINGEReDDINGEReddingeredDinger, good karma brewing, watch out for a break out tonight!
Does that mean Darvish himself is available tonight? I guess so.
I would play Ethier over Joc!
Joc is not close to the hitter Ethier is, even with Ethier missing most of the season!
And I don’t care if Joc has two hits in this series.
Joc cost us a very important run, in the game we lost, because he swung from his heels, on every pitch he got, and struck out, and left a important runner, on third!
But I do give both Joc and Kike credit, for getting on base last night, because they had better at bats, then any of our top hitters, at the top of the line up!
I just don’t trust Joc to be able to get a runner home that is in scoring position, because Joc continues to swing from his heels, on every pitch he gets, in these situations, after three years!
He still doesn’t get it!
I would have had Joc bunt in that situation, because Joc had recently put down a good bunt!
Where in the hell is Andre Ethier? And MJ, Joc is hitting .400 in the World Series. Hernandez is not even hitting .200. Kike does not hit RH pitching worth a damn, and Ethier should be in LF or the DH.
Michael
Joc has had only 5 official at bats, and he has struck out three times in his 5 at bats, and he has two hits, and only one RBI.
Joc can’t even be counted on, to put the ball in play!
And Kike is hitting 333 I’m this series!
And I would feel a lot differently, if I would have seen Joc adjust and cut down on his swing, when the runner was on third, with less then two outs!
But Joc instead, swung from his heels on every pitch, and he swung at two pitches, out of the strike zone, and cost us the most important run in this series, up to now!
I saw Kike adjust his swing, and he hit a ball to the right side, to hit a run on third home.
And Kike has only struck out once
Big whoopee, I would still use the lefty’s against the RH pitchers when Kike cannot hit righty’s Roberts is disrespecting a good player. Bellinger until that double looked way worse than Joc, and so has Seager.
2 for 5 is still .400 in anyone’s book and at least Joc has hit for power with a double and a HR…….Kike is not that good despite his great game in the playoffs…….I will take Pederson everytime….
Somebody called for a break out game for Ed Dinger.
My man, Ed Dinger!
He was absolutely dingerly…
Joc made me eat my words, good on him!
And that is why I like Joc Pederson. When he hits em they are no doubters.
Yes! Joc, Barnes and Pederson comes through! And great game by Forsythe and Wood!
Looking ahead, we’ve got Kershaw next and then Hill for Game 6 with an off day.
If it goes to 7 games, I think Kershaw gets the call again but you’ve pretty much got an all hands on deck situation with Darvish in relief.
I’d rest Turner for Game 5. His swings don’t look right.
Thank you Gurriel, for bringing all that bad karma to your team!
The results of the playoffs the last few years suggest you want to limit the exposure
of your closer in a long series. I hope the blown save the other night, and the two
tattooed balls he gave up tonight have management shelving the notion of six outs
for the “unhittable” Kenley. Might even consider giving him a day off (and I agree
J.T. looks a little lost).
Must eat crow about Joc. Was moanin’ and groanin’ about him being in the lineup
just before he hit the clincher:-). Well done, kid!