First Game:Cubs at Nationals, 4:30 PM PT, TV: TBS
The Cubs’ RHP Kyle Hendricks (7-5, 3.03 ERA) faces off against RHP Stephen Strasburg (15-4, 2.52 ERA) of the Nationals. Hendricks started Games Three and Seven of last year’s World Series. In the final game he went 4 2/3 innings, gave up four hits and two runs and left without the decision. Strasburg didn’t pitch last postseason and famously sat out the 2012 playoffs as well. He made his only playoff start in 2014.
Second Game: Diamondbacks at Dodgers, 7:30 PM PT, TV: TBS
The Diamondbacks used both of their aces in the Wild Card Game, so they’ll ask RHP Taijuan Walker (9-9, 3.49 ERA) to get them of on the right foot against the Dodgers’ LHP Clayton Kershaw (18-4, 2.31). Walker was 2-0 with a 3.24 ERA against the Dodgers this season in three starts. Kershaw was 2-0 with a 0.59 ERA against the D-Backs this year. This will be Kershaw’s 18th playoff appearance; it will be Walker’s first.
Today in Dodgers’ history:
- 1941 In Game 5 of the Fall Classic, Tiny Bonham goes the distance, limiting the Dodgers to just four hits to give the Yankees their 12th World Championship in franchise history. In one inning during the Bronx Bombers’ 3-1 victory at Ebbets Field, the New York fireballing right-hander will need just three pitches to retire the side.
- 1949 In Game 2 of the World Series, only one run is scored again, but Preacher Roe and the Dodgers win this contest at Yankee Stadium, 1-0. Gil Hodges’ second inning single drives in Jackie Robinson to even up the Fall Classic at a game apiece.
- 1959 The largest crowd ever to attend a major league game, 92,706 fans, watches a nail biter as White Sox hurler Bob Shaw beats Sandy Koufax and the Dodgers, 1-0, in Game 5 of the Fall Classic.
- 1963 The Dodgers complete a four-game World Series sweep of the Yankees as Sandy Koufax wins his second game, 2-1. Frank Howard leads the offense with a home run and a single, the only two hits Whitey Ford gives up, and New York’s first baseman Joe Pepitone’s error (loses a thrown ball in the white-shirted crowd) leads to the decisive run in the seventh inning.
- 1965“Hey, skip, bet you wish I was Jewish today, too.” – Don Drysdale, commenting after the game about his poor performance on the mound with manager Walt Alston. Sandy Koufax declines to pitch the first game of the World Series against the Twins because the game is scheduled on Yom Kippur, the most sacred of the Jewish holidays. As the Dodger southpaw attends shul and fasts on the Day of Atonement, Don Drysdale gives up seven runs in three innings in the team’s 8-2 loss at Minnesota’s Metropolitan Stadium.
- 1966 Jim Palmer becomes the youngest player to pitch a shutout in the World Series when the 20 year-old Oriole right-hander blanks Sandy Koufax and the Dodgers, 6-0. The contest will become more memorable next month when Koufax surprises the baseball world by announcing his retirement, making this game his last major league appearance.
- 1966 In the same Game Two loss to the Orioles at Dodger Stadium, Willie Davis establishes a World Series record by committing three errors in one game. The center fielder’s blunders come on two consecutive plays in the fifth inning, the first by losing a fly ball in the sun, then by dropping the next fly ball, followed by overthrowing third base.
- 1980 In the 163rd game of the season, 35 year-old knuckleballer Joe Niekro earns his 20th victory, going the distance to defeat the Dodgers, 7-1, in the winner-take-all contest for the NL West. With the win, the Astros hold on to capture their first title in the 19-year history of the franchise after losing a season-ending three game series to LA, (3-2, 2-1, and 4-3) that forced the one-game playoff.
Lineup when available.
#ThisTeam// Game 1:
Taylor CF
Seager SS
Turner 3B
Bellinger 1B
Puig RF
Granderson LF
Grandal C
Forsythe 2B
Kershaw P pic.twitter.com/TylutG1n71— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 6, 2017
NPUT
While I despise the wild card, on one level the current system is working – the mediocre teams that reached the post-season have had to burn through their pitching. putting them at a disadvantage in the division series.
I’m not worried about the Dbacks pitching. I worry more about ours. The Dbacks are a good hitting team, but they aren’t the ’27 Yankees. HRs by Marte and Mathis? Really? This is Kershaw pitching, with the boy genius Roberts managing.
Arizona is hardly a mediocre team. If it were, we wouldn’t be rejoicing at them burning through their starters.
True, they are in first if they are in the other divisions.
All the while having to play 76 games in the NL’s toughest division.
A team that doesn’t win its division is, by definition, mediocre.
Seems a bit rigid. Can’t imagine something as arbitrary as that dictating how I judge a team.
Like Hill on the hill in DS rather than Chase, where they tagged him for 6 earnies in 3.2 innings. Curve plays better in DS, where in two starts he let in 5 earnies in 16 innings (2.81).
Back on all the talk about the Dbacks having our number yada yada. Seems to me we were up in the season series 8-5 until the 6 games that didn’t matter to us?
Good game in that we won. Kershaw winning even without his best stuff should be good for his psyche. Still cannot fathom why Granderson and Grandal are in the lineup. Without them there, they probably score 2 or 3 more in the first inning. But we stopped the Dbacks bleeding, so there is that.
The series is tonight, if we beat Ray, they are done.
Statistically, that is basically true. Someone broke down the percentage of teams that win the 5 game series based on winning each individual game:
Win Game 1: 72% win the series.
Win Game 2: 74% win the series.
Win Game 3: 73% win the series.
Win Game 4: 77% win the series.
Win Game 5: Mathematically certainty!!
Cumulative, of course, would make more sense.
what is the % if winning both games one and two….but my point really was more that if we beat Ray, it will be like wrenching their heart out…
Kenleyness > Godleyness
Glad to see we won. Kershaw still having post season difficulties I see.
Almost seemed inevitable. The TBS narrative seemed off base, that Klayton was rolling along. Eck was pretty bad and obviously not familiar with Kershaw and his pitching. His slider, the out pitch, was constantly up. With the bottom of the order, Doc decided to keep him in, given the lead and I guess a desire to help Kershaw bury his demons. Having already stated that he wouldn’t be used in a possible 4th game, in any event, Doc wouldn’t have had much leverage in convincing Klayton not to go out there for the 7th.
Agreed. You can always see how a Kershaw outing is unfolding by how many swings and misses there are. Yes, he struck out alot early, but the pitch count was rising.
300 comments. Good work, everybody. Scooplew, over to you tomorrow for the next win.
All while I got a good night’s sleep. Earlier start time tonight thank goodness.
Check out Bryce Harper’s cleats for this evening’s game with the Cubs.
6:00 PM PT game tomorrow. The Cubs – Nats game is at 2:30 PM PT.
So many high-quality starters have been hard in the post-season this year. Unusual.
ERA of the aggregate starters is above 6, one of the TV guys said.
Well, three elite starters anyway, Sale (4 innings, 7 earned runs) , Kubler (2.2, 6) and Klayton (6,4). We got off rather lucky in that regard.
Kersh gets the W, but his ERA goes up, right?
Well he entered at 0.00 and it went up to 5.68.
His career post-season ERA, which was not good before tonight, increased.
That’s what I meant. I believe it was 4.55 and he went 6.2, giving up 4.
I think it is close to 5 in the post-season.
In retrospect, a bit of a sloppy game.
Happy with the bats.
Could’ve/should’ve had more, but that was the same in July.
We win!
Jansen takes things into his own hands!
Woo-HOO!
Makes the parking lot chaos a lot happier!
We park north of Sunset and walk!
There’s one “!”
Whew!
Gotta win 2 of 4. Hopefully two more in a row.
I cannot relax, matter what!
“It’s the Dodgers, Jake.”
Definitely grateful for those two extra runs.
Come on, Kenley.
This is non-save Kenley.
Good point — there IS a big difference, isn’t there?
Weirdly so.
If he wants adrenaline, jump in front of a car before going to the mound.
Like A true Dodger.
Sub car for trolley!
On TV Eckersley said there was, although not so much in the playoffs.
Did he identify, if he was used in non-save?
Another member of the broadcasting team asked him straight out if it was harder to pitch in non-save situations, and he said yeah. He then said “not in the playoffs, though.”
Is Robbie Ray a righty?
Southpaw
Thanks. So Barnes catches. Who plays left?
Quique.
Anyone but Granderson.
Agreed.
Of course. I forgot about Hernandez. My bad.
Getting ready for RBI’s exclamation mark!
Wasn’t it JT who convinced Kenley to re-sign with LA?
Think I saw that in a mid-summer article on how Justin is a leader of the team.
Yes.
So the story goes.
Dodgers have still scored more than all the other NL teams tonight – combined.
These were July bats — scored in three different innings, all crooked #s.
May October be the new July. Only 3 losses spread out throughout the month. (Like one per series.)
From YOUR keyboard . . .
Pedro sighting looming.
Guerrero, I hope.
Morrow’s hold was huge.
Hope we don’t see Baez in the 9th, regardless of the score.
RBI must have had a little pep talk with JT and the rest of the team!
Breathing a lot easier now!
I think the better breathing spread east . . . at least to Vegas — I’m sure things are different in AZ.
We got this!
JT: I need some ring bling!
Ties Dodger record for playoff game RBIs.
Along with Pedro Guerrero (1981) and Davey Lopes (1978).
Woot! Triple for Seager.
Yahoo!
Non-save situation . . . I’m sure Kenley is ecstatic!
Corey!
“Hey, Puig — anything you can do, I can do at least the same!”
Corey is back!
Watching game at friends’ house in L.A., then going to tomorrow night’s game. This is nothing but nerve-racking. But I am confident RBI will get us the win.
Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy. As much as you can that is.
Tag team EF DS representation, all for wins, hopefully! (And I’ll be happy to take the tag next Saturday!)
Glad for the lead. Not sure how much drama I take take at 2 in the morning.
Hang in there Bob!
Yep. Barnes a better bet to get on base than Grandal.
This game will come down to Kenley in the 9th after JT plates 4 — the two free agent signings coming up big (hopefully).
And hopefully the free agent trifecta success tomorrow with Hill.
We would all be feeling rich!
(You put in the request for him to pitch as good as before throughout October.)
Good memory Bob!
Full disclosure: Credit goes to Link — it was a “quote of the day” I saw again recently.
Nah. I decline, thanks.
I’ve always wondered about those. Does Link randomly choose them or…?
Let’s talk about it later.
Sure thing boss. 🙂
Share with the class!
I’m not sure I know what you guys are talking about.
The quotes attached to “ALSO ON ELYSIAN FIELDS” at the bottom of each post.
The comments under the “More from Elysian Fields” section at the bottom of the page.
Jinx — you know the drill.
And you got the wording right. It is Also On and not More From!
Another full disclosure: cut and paste.
I have much to learn. 🙂
Oh! Those are randomly pulled. I have nothing to do with them.
From your computer to the scoreboard.
Corey-made DP!
Seager the day!
The pitcher’s friend…
Good grief.
I’m so glad the plan is to have Barnes in there tomorrow.
Dang it!
Waste not, want not.
They did. Hopefully they don’t.
Unfortunately, the less-than-grand twins followed Puig.
C’mon, Logan!
Or WP or PB or error . . .
Grandy, one of those deep groundouts to second will do it.
Hope he can bring this in.
I swear if that had been down the right field line he would have tried for home!
Puig has the tongue going tonight!!!
Puig! But sure that Doc wants to kill him for going to third.
How close was the play at third?
Not that close, but close.
Perfectly described.
The Wild Horse goes 3!
Morrow!
6 more outs . . .
Need more runs, bats. Yes, more than 7!!!
At the game. We need this out! Am I being obvious?
Not at all! We want you to have maximum enjoyment.
Morrow coming in.
I like it — put out the fire now, don’t wait.
Righty-righty matchup dictated the change.
This is what I feared — besides the fact the lead is now two runs less, this does nothing for his psyche.
I honestly think it won’t affect his psyche too much.
Mine on the other hand… (Naha – I’m still good also.)
Everything I heard before the game talked about how Playoffs Kershaw is not the same as Regular Season Kershaw.
Gotta figure the opponents know it as well.
And Kershaw can’t help but know it.
Knows it for sure. And not that he doesn’t care because he always wants to pitch well. Just don’t think it will affect him. (Especially if they win.)
He’s only human . . . we’ve come to see that . . . don’t you think it’s in the back of his mind the next time?
Maybe but I also think that part of what makes him do great is ability to zero in on the present moment.
But it is a frustrating narrative to be sure.
Despite the narrative on TBS that he was rolling along, he was already struggling, so it’s not the case that he suddenly fell apart because of the inning per se. He is a great pitcher and the tendency of Doc and others is to keep him in, where they might have already yanked someone else. The lead played into that line of thinking.
Yikes.
Back to back HRs — pull him!
One more HR by Kersh!
Luckily all solo.
Luckily they have a lead.
93 pitches to start the inning.
Glad to get the leadoff quickly.
TBS says he is rolling along, but Twitter is all lite up with him only having his fastball tonight.
He’s had some nice curves throughout the night.
Except to Martinez.
Some curves – not all.
Well here we go. Stretch is over and the game flows on.
Really hope this is a quick, shutdown inning.
Interesting to see if Doc let’s Kershaw begin the 7th or not.
TBS seemingly not aware of the issue, so is anyone up in the pen?
Radio said last half inning that they were stirring.
Twitter says no one warming up.
I’m torn. He IS Kershaw.
But this IS the postseason . . . and I remember well what Santayana said.
Who do you go to to get it to Morrow to get it to Kenley (if needed)?
Tony C?
Sounds about right.
Going into bottom of lineup with mostly righties, maybe Stripling.
This is like the 2014 game.
Even before this inning, I was going to suggest pulling him after 6.
ANOTHER Kershaw HR.
Luckily the DP before it.
Nice DP!!!
Especially vs. Goldie!
Yes! Turner starts it off. Smooth even despite the error tonight.
Argh. Leadoff walks.
His second of the game, third total.
Mixed feelings with Kersh getting a hit here.
The crowd seemed to like it. 🙂
And my guess is Kersh will be happy too!
As long as it doesn’t affect him on the mound.
Yes I hear you. Fortunately there is a bit of breathing room.
True.
Just flashes of what you referenced from three years ago.
That was such a party, until . . .
I know. I still feel a bit wounded from that one too.
I was watching in a sports book and when things turned, suddenly people were shouting anti-Kershaw things . . . AND the smoke was getting to me, so I left.
I was at a lecture but following on my phone. I was stunned.
76 pitches, five innings.
Godley with 72.
Wonderful to see Vin at the game. Just weird not to see him in the booth.
Love seeing the Dodgers flying around the bases tonight.
May they fly high throughout October!
Leading to many high fives for the fans.
And a flag to fly high in Dodger Stadium.
Ha! Yes please!!
Puig doesn’t bust it open but not a bust at all — 7-1, Blue!
I will take it!
Please don’t let this be like 2014 vs St. Louis all over again.
Cody gets a gift to load the bases.
C’mon, Puig — lick whatever you have to for a hit here!
Keep the line moving.
Justin!
Turner in overdrive!
Justin bloops in another ribbie!
Seager just got called “Saeger” by TBS. Yikes.
This team!
Let’s go Seager.
He did!
More like Eager, given his always swinging at first pitch.
He did!
Jinx — you owe me a water.
Bob, were you able to get access to MLBTV feed?
I found the site but didn’t try to activate it.
Is it a one-time shot or could I use it tomorrow as well?
They give a week for free, and do not ask for a credit card until that week is up.
Great — I’ll give it a shot, but probably not tonight.
This was going to be a busy weekend for me anyway, and the tragedy made it busier — if I don’t get work done while listening, I will REALLY be behind.
Thanks!
Kershaw on pace to go (only?) another 2 more innings.
At this pace another three, since he is not pitching the fourth game, according to Doc.
So you think he goes around 110 pitches?
Why not?
You ask an excellent question there Bob. Why not indeed.
Uh, as long as he is effective…
Three more runs and maybe we go to Baez instead?
I would definitely take that. Or at least the first part.
Phew. Bellinger with the range!
Grandal has added a splash of red to his chest and leg protectors.
Love turning 2 there.
The two Grands are not helping.
Not yet, But they’re all MIA after Puig’s hit.
Bats think they’ve done their job for the night.
Or already think they’re facing Ray.
Time for another bat lick Yasiel.
Momentarily thought the ball licked him.
Worry, worry, worry.
They can assuage that with a couple of runs here!
One Brazilian praises another… https://twitter.com/porlando52/status/916488917565804544
Pitch count down to more reasonable level.
I’d prefer the pitch count rather than the run count.
C’mon, bats — get it back, and then some!
Kershaw’s bit by HR again
Solo happens.
And may that be the solo HR of the night for AZ.
Make that the series.
Hope RBI and ScoopLew are enjoying the game thus far.
So AZ has used 4 starting pitchers over the course of 1 game + 2 innings.
Thanks Colorado and thanks early Dodger outburst.
Dirty uniformed Belli can’t get close to Godley.
I hope they don’t need more, but it sure would be nice for the Dodgers to score in another inning . .. or three.
Nice hustle, JT — bring him in, Cody!
You are ahead of me.
Breaks the string of being set down . . . c’mon, Cody!
Okay, bats — 2nd verse, same as the first!
A little bit louder (crowd) and a little bit worse (for AZ).
Puig licked his bat before the double.
Whatever it takes!
Wonder what he needs to do for a HR?
Is there a time delay on the TV feed?
Compared to…?
Totally live vs. a delay to censor anything deemed censor-able.
Not sure.
So far the Dodgers have outscored all the other NL teams tonight – combined.
Wasn’t able to bring down his pitch rate much, though.
Kx3(5)-ershaw!
Doc prescribes a quick, shutdown inning, Kersh!
No comments from you folks on Turner’s HR? Are you all asleep?
I think you need to refresh Link. There were a bunch of comments.
Ah, that’s more like it.
The posts must’ve disappeared, cuz they WERE there.
40 minutes for a non-Baez inning — could be a record.
Pretty feeble swing from Kershaw. Oh well, he’s paid to pitch. Go mow ’em down, Clayton!
2 not-so grand batters.
Still time to make a positive difference.
Got to think so. Just their first plate appearances of the series.
Granderson makes the first out.
Still am hoping he’ll make a positive difference.
I would have been happy if we had said at the start of the game he was going to be our first out
Good start.
I think walker is not long for this game
And still no outs
Puig!
Puig brings in Cody!
4-0, Blue!
Just mentioned that our number 5 hitters this year are next to last in the majors I think the commentators said on batting average this year
Fairly rare for a #8 to bat 5th . . . Puig!
Normally with three runs in, and Kershaw pitching, I would feel pretty confident, but the seventh inning looms!
Oh, yeah.
With his injuries, tho, Doc may pull him quicker than Donnie did.
I have it live on TV over here. Have family visiting, so won’t be watching all the time. I will enjoy it while it lasts though
I have disowned my family and friends for the playoffs. Gave them plenty of warning. They are good with it.
Sports-related TRO . . . can become a cottage industry!
You guys are ahead of my MLBTV feed.
At least we’re bearers of good news.
That. Was. Crushed
Sounded like it — I may try to watch manana.
Do you have MLBTV? You can get free trial access through unblock-us.com.
I’ll give it a shot, thanks. I was going to go to one of the casino sports books.
JT! WOOT!
Adios!
JT!!!!
3-0, Blue!!!
Let’s go, Dodgers!
CT — nice start, including working up HIS count.
They made Kershaw work that’s for sure.
C’mon, bats!
Score quickly, score often!
KK-ershaw!
22 pitches
Get the K or double play!
0-2 turns to a walk . .. c’mon, Kersh!
Underway!
The Brazilian beats the Yanquis! Player of the game, after he also picked off the potential winning run earlier.
Cleveland win in the 13th
Spiders/Indians win 9-8 in the 13th.
In this piece about Jansen was mention that he was tutored in the minors by Charlie Hough. Why does that cause me to imagine how hopeless batters would be dealing with his cutter but also having to worry about a knuckleball?
Story doesn’t say this, but you almost know Kenley talked with Hough about it and likely attempted a couple… 😉
Good stuff here.
http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/257569622/dodgers-kenley-jansen-seeks-dominance-in-nlds/
Ha! Sure the FO told Charlie no knuckleballs.
“Hold that in reserve when you lose some velocity on your cutter, Kenley.”
Robbie Ray to start Game Two tomorrow. He threw 34 pitches and pitched 2⅓ innings in relief in the National League wild card game.
From TBLA–
In each of the last 15 postseason series for the Dodgers, their Game 1 outcome has matched that of the series, dating back to the 1988 World Series.
Beginning with Kirk Gibson’s dramatic home run off of Dennis Eckersley — now a television analyst for TBS in this series — 29 years ago, five times the Dodgers have won the first game of a series. They have won all five of those series.
Ten times they have lost Game 1, and they lost all 10 series.
https://www.truebluela.com/2017/10/4/16413108/mlb-playoffs-2017-dodgers-game-1-history
Is this an extreme of a tendency? Wondering what the numbers look like for all teams. If you win the first, al you have to do is split 4 or 6 to win.
Also, I do know they lost the first game vs the Mets in 1988 but won that series.
Yep. Think story mentions that it refers to since that time.
It does.
“During the Division Series era, the team that wins Game 1 of the best-of-five series has gone on to win the series 71 percent of the time.” — CBS Sports.
Well then… Hope they win tonight!
Time for the Clevelands to score against the New Yorks.
All of a sudden these high scoring teams haven’t done so over the past 4 innings.
Don’t care whether we face Nats or Cubbies, just want to play either one.
Strasburg’s performance is a scary reminder as to what could happen to Kershaw. Dominate but find yourself behind.
Need to learn from this and not let it happen!
Fair/foul on the grounder up third wasn’t reviewable.
Harper pulls a Puig. But announcers give him a break.
Instead of a hamstring?
Bat flip? Which dreadful Puig behavior did Harper copy?
Missed the cutoff man. Runner got to second (and just scored).
Horrors! But now they’ve gotten a second run, so no big deal, right? 😉
If Puig had been involved there would have been a lengthy admonishment and questioning of his character.
Dodgers’ lineup thoughts.
Strasburg’s throwing an interesting game here through four.
Indians tie up the game 8-8 on a Bruce HR.
*Spiders
Strasburg, on.
He looks really good. What’s the latest on Scherzer?
Game 3.
I expect that Dusty would have preferred to start him in Game 1 or 2. Gio’s had a good year, but he’s far less dominant than either Scherzer or Strasburg.
Some information for those attending the game tonight. https://dodgers.mlblogs.com/nlds-dodger-stadium-food-specials-e573eccb3f93
I vividly recall Big Frank’s homer off Whitey, which landed in the second deck down the line at Dodger Stadium – a rare feat.