Dodgers knot Series at 2-2

The Dodgers' 2017 World Series was on the brink.

After dropping a 5-3 decision on Friday night in a Yu Darvish meltdown, the Dodgers were staring at a 3-1 deficit going into last night's Game Four in Houston.

Enter Alex Wood, Cody Bellinger, Logan Forsythe and Joc Pederson.

Wood pitched 5.2 innings of one-hit ball, Bellinger broke out of a slump with two key doubles, Forsythe delivered a key RBI single and Pederson provided insurance as the Dodgers broke open a pitcher's duel with five runs in the top of the ninth inning enroute to a 6-2 victory to tie the series at 2-2.

Houston managed just two hits off Wood and relievers Brandon Morrow, Tony Watson and Kenley Jansen, both of them home runs. George Springer and Alex Bregman connected off Wood and Jansen for solo shots but that was all the Astros could muster.

Bellinger, who had been mired in deep slump, concentrated on going to left field in batting practice and delivered two key doubles for the Dodgers. Forsythe delivered a clutch scoring single and Pederson capped the ninth inning with a three-run dinger to right off Houston closer Ken Giles.

Pederson was hitting in the DH slot after spending most of the playoffs on the bench. Giles missed high and Pederson clubbed the homer into the right field bleachers.

Clayton Kershaw and Dallas Keuchel square off tonight in Game Five, with the series going back to Los Angeles on Tuesday for Game Six.

Darvish will try to get Dodgers back on track

After Wednesday's dramatic 7-6 extra inning instant classic loss to Houston, the Dodgers will try to regroup tonight in a critical Game Three at Minute Maid Park where Yu Darvish and Lance McCullers will square off.

For Los Angeles, the big question will be how a bullpen that had been nearly invincible will react to losing a 3-1 lead in the eighth inning and giving up six runs in the final four frames as the Astros potent offense came out of a slumber and ignited a home run derby.

Kenley Jansen and Brandon Morrow couldn't hold the lead in the eighth and ninth and Josh Fields got tapped for two homers late in the game as Houston pulled away for the win. A bright note for the Dodgers was a power surge that included homers from Joc Pederson, Corey Seager, Yasiel Puig and Charlie Culberson, who is carving out a role in the post season.

Pederson had all but been written off before Game Two and Culberson, an emergency call up for Corey Seager, is proving to be more than ready for the big stage.

Game Three in Houston tonight will be pivotal, as the Dodgers want to avoid going down 2-1 with two more games to play at Minute Maid.

Darvish has been lights out in the post season and the Dodgers need a big game from him tonight. Games Three through Five will also give Dave Roberts an extra bat in the lineup with the DH in the American League park.

Look for Pederson, Andre Ethier, Yasmani Grandal and Kike Hernandez to show up in the DH spot.

Kershaw shines on World Series stage

Clayton Kershaw has had a Hall of Fame career as a pitcher for the Dodgers.

Last night he stepped onto the World Series stage for the first time and it was not too big for him.

Kershaw held the Houston Astros to one run on three hits and struck out 11 through seven innings, earning a 3-1 victory in Game One.

Chris Taylor hit the first pitch of the game off Dallas Keuchel into the left field bleachers and Justin Turner hit a winning two-run homer to left off Keuchel in the sixth to give Los Angeles the 1-0 lead in the series going into Game Two.

Kershaw now has a 1.29 ERA in the 2017 playoffs -- so much for him not being able to pitch when the lights are bright.

Keuchel was Houston's ace until the acquisition of Justin Verlander and he pitched well, other than the home run balls surrendered to Taylor and Turner.

After Kershaw went seven strong innings and threw only 82 pitches he was ready to pitch the eighth inning. Dave Roberts knew better, bringing in Brandon Morrow for the eighth and Kenley Jansen for the ninth, neither of them giving up a hit.

Houston should have the edge tonight with Verlander going against Rich Hill but the Dodgers should challenge. L.A. has now won eight of nine games in the playoffs and are looking more and more like the team that went 43-7 in June and July.

Dodgers 2017: the making of a World Series season

The Dodgers won a league-high 104 games this year and at one point Sports Illustrated called them the best baseball team ever.

Within days of the magazine's publication, the team that went 43-7 in mid-summer fell from the stratosphere with a thud, playing .500 ball in August and September, at one point losing 15 of 16.

They finished on a high note, winning eight of 10, but the Dodger faithful still wondered which team would show up in the playoffs - the red-hot boys of summer or the doldrum Dodgers of August and September.

Arizona found out quickly and convincingly in the NLDS, getting swept in three games and wondering what happened to the team they had beaten six times a row and held an 11-8 season record over?

"Next Man Up" would be a good calling cry for these Dodgers.

Adrian Gonzalez went down early and rookie Cody Bellinger showed up to hit 39 homers and play a stingy defense at first base. Andrew Toles went down with a season-ending injury and Chris Taylor emerged as a centerfielder and rally starting leadoff man. Yasmani Grandal struggled at the plate and Austin Barnes won the full time catching job by the time the playoffs came around.

The Dodgers lost Corey Seager for the NLCS and Charlie Culberson was summoned from Oklahoma City to fill in. Culberson and Taylor platooned at short and the Dodgers didn't miss a beat.

Then there's Enrique "Kike" Hernadez. A versatile utility player, Hernandez got the start in Game Five and crushed three homers to lead the Dodgers to an 11-1 route.

Justin Turner, Yasiel Puig and Taylor have wielded the hottest bats but the role players have stepped up, providing punch all through the lineup.

Then there's Kenta Maeda. A starter all season, Maeda was shipped to the bullpen for the playoffs and has emerged as a shut down middle reliever. Maeda, Brandon Morrow and Kenley Jansen, with spot help from Tony Cingrani, Tony Watson, Josh Fields and Brock Stewart didn't allow the Cubs to score in five games.

The starters, led by Clayton Kershaw, have pitched well, aided by the fact they didn't have to go longer than five or six frames with Maeda, Morrow and Jansen waiting in the wings. Manager Dave Roberts has had a short hook with his starters due to the fact his pen has been so dominant.

Yu Darvish, Rich Hill and Alex Wood have all pitched well, giving the Dodgers starting pitching depth they have not seen in years. No longer does Kershaw have to pitch on limited rest and carry the weight of the pitching staff on his shoulders.

These Dodgers are deep.

Houston will be a formidable opponent, no doubt, but these Dodgers should seriously contend
for the team's first title since 1988.

Dodgers win the pennant! Dodgers win the pennant! Dodgers win the pennant! Dodgers win the pennant!

Clayton Kershaw tossed six innings of three-hit ball and reserve outfielder Kike Hernandez smashed three home runs, including a grand slam, and drove in seven RBI as the Dodgers posted an 11-1 victory over the Cubs to win the National League Championship Series and earn their first trip to the World Series since 1988.

The Dodgers dominated the defending champs in a 4-1 series victory that came on the heels of a three game sweep of Arizona in the division series.

Los Angeles now awaits the winner of the American League Championship Series, where the Yankees hold a 3-2 edge over the Astros going into Friday's Game Six.

Kershaw, who has struggled some in the post season, exorcised his demons with a strong outing that was backed up by relief pitchers Kenta Maeda, Brandon Morrow and Kenley Jansen.

The Dodger bullpen set a major league record for scoreless innings, going the entire playoff without giving up a run.

Chris Taylor and Justin Turner were named co-MVPs for the NLCS but Yasiel Puig and Jansen could have easily won the award as well.

Charlie Culberson, who spent most of the season in Triple-A, played a stellar shortstop and went 3 for 5 at the plate, including a triple. Cody Bellinger also went 3 for 5 as the Dodger bats racked up 16 hits against Chicago pitching.

Cubs starter Jose Quintana, who stifled the Dodgers in Game One, lasted only two innings as the Dodgers  scored in the first two innings before putting up a five spot in the third inning.

Chicago forces Game Five

Chicago second-sacker Javier Baez hit two good pitches for home runs off of Alex Wood, catcher Willson Contreras added a third and Jake Arrieta pitched a strong game as the Cubs downed the Dodgers 3-2 last night to live another day in the National League Championship Series.

The Dodgers, up 3-1 in the series, got solo homers from Cody Bellinger and Justin Turner but fell a run short in their attempt to sweep the reigning World Series champions.

The Dodgers send Clayton Kershaw to the mound tonight in a matchup against Chicago's Jose Quintana, who pitched well in Game One.

Cubs closer Wade Davis held the Dodgers to one run in a six-out save last night but threw 48 pitches in the two innings to hold off Los Angeles. The Cubs say Davis, who had a seven-out save against Washington in the NLDS, will not be available tonight, putting more pressure on a fragile Chicago bullpen.

Wood, who hadn't pitched since September, gave up three homers but actually pitched pretty well. Contreras' blast was a no-doubter but credit Baez with taking two out-of-the-zone pitches off his shoe tops and driving them into the bleachers.

If the Dodgers cannot close out the Cubs tonight at Wrigley they will have two chances to get to the World Series in Games Six and Seven in Los Angeles, if necessary.

Dodgers edge ever closer to World Series

Yu Darvish pitched 6.1 innings of dominant ball, Chris Taylor homered and tripled for a pair of RBI and Andre Ethier made an appearance with a second inning jack to right field as the Dodgers downed the Cubs 6-1 last night to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the NLCS and bring anguish to Wrigleyville.

The Dodgers are now a win away from returning to the World Series for the first time since 1988 and they are doing it with a flourish.

The Dodgers have won six games in a row in the playoffs with a three-game sweep of Arizona in the NLDS preceeding their strong start against the defending champions.

Los Angeles has two tries to clinch tonight and tomorrow night in Chicago or face a return to L.A. with the Cubs now facing elimination in every game.

The Dodgers will send southpaw Alex Wood (16-3, 2.72 ERA) to the hill against Chicago's Jake Arrieta (14-10, 3.53 ERA) for Game Four.

The Dodgers used the same script as in the previous wins against the Cubs: strong starting pitching, timely hitting and a bullpen that doesn't give up much.

Tony Watson and Brandon Morrow pitched in the seventh and eighth innings before Ross Stripling came in for the ninth. Stripling surrendered two hits, the first off L.A. relievers in the series, so Dave Roberts called on Kenley Jansen to shut down the Cubs, which he did, getting Addison Russell to pop out and Tommy LaStella and Ian Happ on strikes to end the game.

Darvish, now 2-0 in the playoffs, is proving his trading deadline acquisition was a smart move. Darvish is 5-0 in his last five starts with an impressive 0.88 ERA.