Dodgers a win away from return to Series

A year ago, the Dodgers battled to the seventh game of the World Series only to lose to the Houston Astros when Yu Darvish was pummeled.

Now the Dodgers are up 3-2 in the NLCS, a win away from a return to the Fall Classic and a date with Boston after Clayton Kershaw's gem on Wednesday. Kershaw held Milwaukee to one run on three hits over seven innings with nine strikeouts as he rode his slider and curve ball to a vintage outing.

His fastball didn't crack 92 miles per hour but his off-speed pitches had the Brewers lunging and leaning.

Pedro Baez, Caleb Ferguson, Ryan Madson and Kenley Jansen finished the final two innings and timely hitting by Austin Barnes, Cody Bellinger, Yasiel Puig, Brian Dozier, Max Muncy and Justin Turner propelled Los Angeles to a 5-2 victory.

The Dodgers send Hyun-Jin Ryu to the hill tonight against Wade Miley as Los Angeles looks to close out the NLCS in six games. A Milwaukee victory would force a deciding seventh game on Saturday.

Boston closed out Houston for a 4-1 series win and await the National League representative to start the World Series Tuesday.

Milwaukee came into the NLCS touting a strong bullpen, and they have delivered. However, the Dodgers' relievers have stepped up with Madson, Ferguson, Baez and Kenta Maeda playing major roles in the playoffs.

Brewers' manager Craig Counsell pulled the switcheroo on the Dodgers by sending Wade Miley out for the first batter then switching to right-hander Brandon Woodruff, a move designed to throw off the Los Angeles lineup with a last-minute change to a righty.

Woodruff gave up three runs on five hits in 5.1 innings and right-hander Joakim Soria was tagged for the final two runs.

L.A.'s platoon system, showcasing a deep bench, paid off Wednesday as Barnes, Bellinger, Puig, Muncy and Dozier had critical at bats. Look for right-handed hitters David Freese, Dozier, Kike Hernandez and Matt Kemp to make appearances against Miley.

Bellinger breaks out to even series

Cody Bellinger's 13th inning walk-off single to right field in the early morning hours here on the East Coast kept the Dodgers alive in the National League Championship Series.


 Down 2-1 in the NLCS against Milwaukee, another loss would have put the Dodgers in a deep, deep hole.


Instead, the 2-1 thriller knotted the series at 2-2 and gives Los Angeles a shot at advancing to the World Series for the second year in a row.


 Clayton Kershaw gets the ball today and will try to atone for his Game Two disaster when he gave up five runs on six hits and lasted only three innings in a 6-5 loss.



Kershaw will face off against Wade Miley, who held the Dodgers to two hits over 5.2 innings in the Game Two loss to the Dodgers.


In the critical Game Four, Dave Roberts used every player on the roster to outlast the Brewers, who have one of the deepest pens in baseball.


Rich Hill was masterful over five frames before handing the reins over to the pen, where Pedro Baez, Kenta Maeda, Ryan Madson, Caleb Ferguson, Kenley Jansen, Alex Wood, Dylan Floro, and Julio Urias pitched shutout ball to stifle the Brewers.


Bellinger got two of L.A.'s seven hits to raise his playoff batting average to .214, but his walk-off couldn't have come at a better time. L.A.'s other run came in the first inning when Chris Taylor drew a walk, moved to second on a Justin Turner ground out and scored on a Brian Dozier single to left.


L.A.'s defense was stellar with Bellinger and Taylor making circus catches and Turner making a great stab at third.

                                                                                 

Hurricanes, babies and the Dodgers

The juxtapositions we face in our lives can be stark and startling.

Take today, for instance.

A major hurricane is coming ashore a couple of hours away on the Florida Gulf Coast with our Tallahassee in line for major wind and rain later this afternoon. Because we live in a tree paradise, we will most likely lose power in a few hours.

Meanwhile, my daughter, her husband and newest grandchild are a few miles away in a hospital because the hospital is in a lock down due to the hurricane. They may let them come home tomorrow. For now, photos sent on a smartphone will have to suffice. I look forward to that new baby smell, one of the few aromas that exceeds the leather in a new car.

And then there's the Dodgers, fresh off a 3-1 series win over the Braves, getting ready to face off against Milwaukee. The Brewers dispatched the Rockies in three straight and figure to be a hand full.

The good news for the Dodgers is that Clayton Kershaw, pitching in the second game, was masterful over eight innings and Hyun Jin-Ryu, who started the Atlanta series, was equally impressive.

Rookie Walker Buehler, the ace in waiting, had a rocky inning against the Braves in a 6-5 loss but he will be just fine against the Brewers. And then there's Kenley Jansen, who showed no ill effects of recent health issues as he shut down the Braves in the series finale.

With the bats, we started to see why Manny Machado was such a big investment. Machado hit a pair of dingers against the Braves, including a key three-run shot in the clinching Game Four. Max Muncy, David Freese, Joc Pederson, Matt Kemp, Justin Turner, Chris Taylor, Yasiel Puig and Yasmani Grandal had moments against Atlanta as the Dodgers seem to be peaking at the right time.

If the Dodgers can get past the Brewers, they will face either Houston or Boston in the World Series. The Astros might even be better than the team that won it all a year ago and the Red Sox just plowed through the Yankees with ease. That series will be fun to watch.

But for now, Milwaukee presents a real test.

October baseball. The playoffs. Hurricanes. New babies. This life is good.

Dodgers win the West, face Braves in NLDS

Walker Buehler had his coming out party as the Dodgers' ace last night, shutting down Colorado in a 5-2 win over the Rockies that gave Los Angeles their sixth straight NL West title.

Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy hit two-run homers and Buehler got the first RBI of his career as the Dodgers earned a spot against Atlanta in the NLDS starting Thursday at Chavez Ravine.

Buehler went 6.2 innings, struck out three and surrendered one hit in the biggest game of the year so far. Kenley Jansen pitched the ninth and gave up solo homers to Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story, but it was a case of too little, too late for the Rockies, who play in the Wild Card play-in game tonight.

The Dodgers went 5-2 against Atlanta this year, and if they get past the Braves, they will face off against the Milwaukee/Colorado/Chicago winner in the NLCS.

Hyun Jin Ryu will be on the bump Thursday in LA with Clayton Kershaw scheduled to go Friday. Games 3 & 4 will be in Atlanta Sunday and Monday with a Game 5, if necessary, back at Chavez Ravine on Wednesday, Oct. 10.

Former Dodger Charlie Culberson is the shortstop for the Braves, which have a lineup led by Freddie Freeman, Ronald Acuna, Jr., Nick Markakis and Ozzie Albies. All-Star Mike Foltynewicz, a righty, will be on the mound for the Braves on Thursday.

Ryu has been lights out since coming off the DL, posting a 7-3 record and 1.97 ERA. Foltynewicz is 13-10 with a 2.85 ERA.

Buehler has the title in his hands

The Dodgers host the Rockies today with the NL West division title on the line.


It figures to be a pitcher's duel, with rookie Walker Buehler facing off against Colorado's German Marquez.

Marquez has tamed the Dodgers twice at Dodger Stadium this season and Buehler is 0-1 against the Rocks with a 2.61 ERA.

The Rockies appear to have the edge on the mound.

The Dodgers erupted for 15 runs against the Giants to end the season in a tie for the division yesterday and are capable of busting out on offense -- but Marquez has been able to figure out the LA lineup on two previous occasions so don't expect a Los Angeles explosion.

If the Dodgers lose today they will play in the Wild Card play-in game tomorrow against the Chicago-Milwaukee loser for a trip to the playoffs.

Los Angeles, if they get that far, would play Thursday against either Atlanta or the Cubs-Brewers winner.

A well-rested Clayton Kershaw would take the mound Thursday. Kershaw, the finest Dodgers' pitcher since Sandy Koufax, is in a peculiar situation. He is a free agent after the season and the Dodgers have to decide whether to sign him to a long-term contract.

At 30, his fastball has lost 3-4 mph velocity and he can no longer overpower batters like he used to do. Though teetering on sacrilege to Dodgers' fans, I don't think they should open the checkbook for  one of the best that ever played the game. His back injuries and fading velocity have taken a toll.

Kershaw is now a good pitcher. He used to be a great one. It's time for the Dodgers to move on. Pursue another ace to go along with the rising Buehler, Julio Urias and other young guns.

Dodgers face Giants in must-win scenario

I guess it's fitting that the Dodgers face off against the Giants for the final three games of the regular season with everything on the line.

The Dodgers-Giants rivalry goes back to New York and the two teams genuinely despise each other.

Tonight, Hyun-Jin Ryu faces off against Madison Bumgarner in the series opener. The Dodgers trail Colorado by one game in the NL West and have a one-game lead over St. Louis for the second Wild Card spot.

These next few days are not for the faint of heart.

The Rockies have been on fire. Since losing three at Chavez Ravine last week, the Rocks have won seven straight, sweeping Arizona and Philadelphia. Now they host the Washington Nationals with a chance to win the division.

I bleed Dodger Blue, but if Colorado closes the season with 10 straight pressure wins ya gotta tip your hat.

The playoff scenarios are crazy. If the Dodgers and Rockies end the season in a tie for the NL West, there will be be a one-game playoff Monday in Los Angeles. At this point, the Dodgers, Rockies, Brewers, Cardinals and Cubs are all fighting for either a division title or a Wild Card spot. 

Going into this weekend, the Cubs hold a one-game lead over the Brewers for the NL Central title. The Cards are one game behind the Dodgers for the NL Wild Card. Chicago and St. Louis face off to end the season. The Brewers have locked up a trip to the playoffs, either as a division champ or a Wild Card team. Milwaukee faces Detroit.

When all the dust clears, we hope the Dodgers are still standing. According to MLB.com, the Dodgers have a 38 percent chance to win the division and a 90.5 percent chance to make the playoffs.

I think there is a 100 percent chance my blood pressure is going up.

Dodgers step it up at critical hour

Ah, the joys of a pennant race.

After chasing Arizona and Colorado for most of the season, the Dodgers breathed some hope into their 2018 chances this week when they edged into first place with a three-game sweep of the Rockies at Chavez Ravine on the heels of taking three out of four in St. Louis.

Clayton Kershaw got the call on Sept. 13 in St. Louis but Manny Machado was the hero, knocking in three RBI, including his 34th homer, as the Dodgers posted a 9-7 win.  

On Sept. 14,  the Dodgers shut down the Cards 3-0 as rookie Walker Buehler held the Redbirds to two hits over eight innings and Yasiel Puig hit a pair of dingers.

On Sept. 15, Los Angeles unloaded on St. Louis for a third-straight victory, 17-4, as Puig erupted for three home runs and seven RBI as the Dodgers pulled even with St. Louis for a wild card slot.

The hot streak cooled off on Sept. 16 when Adam Wainwright held the Dodgers to two hits over six innings as St. Louis salvaged a win in the series, 5-0.

Which set up the epic showdown with the Rockies this week. The Dodgers entered Monday a half game out of the division lead with everything on the line.

On Monday, Hyun Jin-Ryu pitched seven scoreless innings and held Colorado to four hits as the Dodgers posted an 8-2 win. Joc Pederson homered twice and Max Muncy added his 33rd dinger in the rout.

Tuesday, Kershaw went seven innings and allowed two runs on three hits but it was Chris Taylor who was the hero, hitting a walk-off homer in the 10th inning for a dramatic 3-2 victory.

Last night, Buehler held St. Louis to three hits over six innings and Puig hit a three-run pinch-hit homer in the seventh to guide the Dodgers to a 5-2 win and a 2.5 game lead in the NL West standings with nine games left in the season.

Puig has hit six homers in his last 18 at-bats.

The Dodgers close out their home schedule with three against the Padres this weekend followed by three at Arizona and three at San Francisco to end the regular season.


Buckle up. It may get rocky.