First game: Nationals at Cubs, 1:00 PM PT, TV: TBS
The series is tied at one. Today the Nationals send last year’s Cy Young winner RHP Max Scherzer (16-6, 2.51 ERA) to the hill to face the Cubs’ LHP Jose Quintana (11-11, 4.15 ERA). Scherzer’s first postseason appearance this year has been delayed while his right hamstring healed, but he and the doctors say he’s healthy now. He’s got a 2.92 ERA in six career starts against the Cubs. Quintana came over from the crosstown White Sox in July and was 7-3 with a 3.74 ERA in 14 starts for his new team. This will be his first postseason start and the first time he’ll face the Nats. Scherzer has made 14 appearances in the postseason (12 starts) but only two for the Nationals.
Second game: Dodgers at Diamondbacks, 7:00 PM PT, TV: TBS
The Dodgers acquired RHP Yu Darvish (10-12, 3.86 ERA) with the postseason in mind, and now it’s here. He’ll face ex-Dodger now D-Back RHP Zack Greinke (17-7, 3.20 ERA). Darvish was 6-4 with a 2.44 ERA on the road this season, while Greinke was 13-1 with a 2.87 ERA at home. Darvish has made two postseason appearances in his career, both with Texas, and is 0-2 with a 5.40 ERA. Greinke has made ten postseason appearances and is 3-3 with a 3.92 ERA.
Today in baseball history:
- 1949 During the ninth inning of the Dodgers’ 10-8 loss to the Yankees in Game 5, the Ebbets Field lights are turned on, making it the first time a World Series game has been played under artificial lights. The first scheduled Fall Classic night game will not take place until 1971, when the Pirates host Baltimore for Game 4 at Three Rivers Stadium.
- 1966 For the second consecutive day, the Orioles win a World Series game, 1-0, in a contest decided by a home run when Frank Robinson takes a Don Drysdale pitch deep over the left field fence in the fourth inning. With the lone run being scored on a homer, for only the fifth time in the history of the Fall Classic, and the complete-game shutout thrown by Dave McNally, Baltimore completes a four-game sweep over the Dodgers.
Also, this is the anniversary of the Jeffrey Maier game in 1996 when he leaned over the wall and caught a Derek Jeter fly ball. It was ruled a home run despite clear evidence that he interfered with Baltimore outfielder Tony Tarrasco’s attempt to catch it.
In 2005 the Astros won the longest postseason game in history, beating the Braves in 18 innings on a Chris Burke walkoff home run to take the NLDS and advance to the NLCS.
Lineup when available.
NPUT
https://twitter.com/PitchingNinja/status/917709451536355328
The Dodgers are 8-0 in series-clinching games on the road.
Best-case scenario, given weather forecast: Nats and Cubbies play four long innings, then get rained out and have to play tomorrow, get started and then get rained out again and have to play on Thursday (when forecast is a bit better). Then play Game 5 in DC and fly across country to meet up with Dodgers on Saturday night.
Over four hundred comments! Is that a record?
If it isn’t it’s close. I’ll look later.
See above post.
Bellinger’s catch seen as Renaissance art
This one’s fun.
Check out the Dodgers’ Twitter feed for photos of the celebration.
Good long article about Roberts and his journey to the Dodgers job at ESPN.
Hearing Sandy’s in the clubhouse — how cool!
Just checked in. YES!
Just got up to check in! YES!!
— and you’re not dreaming!
I pinched my self to make sure!
So I’ll be at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, wearing my Jackie Robinson t-shirt.
Anyone else gonna be there?
Have fun Bob!! I’ll be there – in spirit!
Thanks, Dave.
I guess that means you won’t be there?
Sadly yes it does. I would love to see a Dodger game with you some day. I think we would have a grand time. But it won’t be this year.
That’s a plan!
I wish I could be there, Bob, to meet you and see the game. Keep our streak going at Dodger Stadium. RBI was there Friday night and I was there Saturday night. Perhaps others on this site were there also.
The Dodgers are 3-0 when I attend their playoff games.
If that streak continues after Saturday’s game, they should arrange for me to attend everything else this year!
I’ll vote for that.
They are 0-3 when I attend their World Series games.
I will be in Hawai’i, lunching with Link on Wednesday, but then heading to the Big Island. Will have to persuade my wife how important these games are.
I have to do the same thing with my wife, when I get another kayak.
I’ll be there on Sunday. Keeping it going on our Linkmeister end.
The anniversary of Gibby’s HR!
Why are they wearing black tees with orange lettering?
Looks very SF.
What a three-game series!
Bring on Chicashington! Or Washingo!
YES!
Great team effort! Darvish was amazing!
All the pitching and just enough hitting.
This team!
Great pitch!
It was ball four, by a lot, but Goldy couldn’t hold back.
A Puig special.
Like I said, great pitch!
https://twitter.com/PitchingNinja/status/917709451536355328
I would’ve taken it, but I’m glad it didn’t end with a contested checked swing.
Wow. Are we the only team to sweep this level?
Yes.
Houston took 4 games to beat Boston.
Pool party time!
See ya later AZ!
To the pool!
Hope not.
Woo-HOO! ! !
Yeah!
We win!
K!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can’t you just hear Vin on this?
Nothing ever easy.
Slogan for the Dodgers.
A lot of deuces.
C’mon, KJ — get the K! Get the K! (repeat until pitch thrown)
Angst level is higher now.
To be the best…
No lack of drama here.
I’m clenching my teeth.
And this is only the LDS!
Don’t remind me.
With a 2-0 lead in games.
But, Goldie.
Talk about matchups — AZ fans want him up there and got it.
One more out.
Get Goldie out!
Pleeeeeasse?
🙂
The previous wish of not seeing Goldie didn’t come true.
Kelley almost fumbled.
DP would be so cool.
Half of that.
Such a dinky hit to miss two mitts.
Oh dear.
Tying run to the plate.
Goldie’s on deck.
Agh.
That all-important first out!
I think I am way more nervous than he is.
He’s where he wants to be.
And where we want him to be.
K-enley!
Lots of K-names on this team!
Butterflies.
K’mon, Kenley!
To be honest I think it should have been ruled a catch.
No way.
Actually I do. But thanks for checking.
Not sure Ive ever seen a play quite like that before.
What a throw!
I always like aggressive running . . . was it justified?
Great throw to get him.
After he dropped the ball.
So weird.
Do this Bellinger. Close it yourself. Release Baez from the bullpen!
Chafin in.
Insert some joke about chafing here.
Bye bye Bradley.
He did his job as stopper.
Luckily he didn’t bat.
Very strong outing.
Can pretty much guarantee that Bradley is not pitching tomorrow.
Just what I was thinking!
Let’s go JT.
Still Bradley!
Archie still in!
Hopefully his last time this year.
Kenta making management look like geniuses.
— as did Yu and Tony C.
And Justin
Dodger Bats: please open your satellite Insurance Department.
Fabulous outing by Kenta.
On to the 9th!
Maeda pumped up!
KK-enta!!!!!!
JT!
Eck–that play was so cool.
He loved it!
K-enta!
Bradley is the best thing going for the D-backs this game.
Hats off to him. Which is easier to say since we have the lead!
You can see he takes pleasure in pitching.
Very true.
Broken Arrow is where Jim Brewer was from.
Remember Vin telling me this. {sigh}
Bill Russell the Dodger too?
Pittsburgh, Kansas
Thanks.
Brad Penny. Warren Spahn longtime resident.
One. More. Run. Dodgers! Please and thank you.
Only one?
Well – for this inning anyway!
Maeda and Tony W for the 8th. Jansen the 9th. I can see a possible end game emerging.
Wish we’d score one more though.
Ha! See my comment just above this one!
That was easy.
Morrow forgot about yesterday (Sat.) — 6 more outs!
It would be so amazing if that was Goldie’s last AB.
Of course the real threats are hitters like Descalso and Matthias apparently.
Get Goldie now and hopefully don’t see him again at the plate this year.
Could be.
Three more innings is a lot, he says worriedly.
2.2
2.1
2.0
1.2
1.1
1.0
O.2
0.1
0.0!
Dang, with Dre in the on deck circle.
Doggone it!
Shoot.
C’mon, bullpen — 9 more outs!
Great pitch by Bradley in that spot.
Archie looking anxious.
And Rodney looks disappointed.
May both emotions be increased.
Or at least (or even) reversed!
Barnsey! You can steal player of the game here with another long one.
Playing all sides, huh?
Multi-player of the game!
As long as it is a Dodger I’ll take it. 🙂
Patience, Austin.
Two-out rally!
C’mon, Austin . . . just a good basehit!
C’mon, Yasiel! Do something tongue-wagging-worthy!
A double would be wonderful.
Quick, Dave, tell Belli he needs another HR to be player of the game!
OK. Mr. Bellinger. Do your thing.
Walk.
It’s a lesser thing but not a bad thing.
Hopefully the Wild Horse can chase him around the basepath!
I think Bellinger is trying to be player of the game today.
During the great streak, they would help with the glove, even if they didn’t with the bat.
Tonight, he’s doing with both.
Belli — again!
Bellinger having a great game.
I agree with the earlier note — that HR took a big weight off him.
If I remember right, I wasn’t impressed with the first outings by the Tonys . . . they have certainly changed my opinion since then!
It’s almost unbelievable that Tony C especially is on the playoff roster. But he has been great.
I thought he was a project for next year.
He almost got hit again – by Bellinger’s throw!
DP!!!!!.
Doctor DP!
DP from Tony C!
You asked and received!
Please no first pitch HR.
Or 2nd, 3rd etc.
Thanks for the clarification!
(Psst — ask for a DP)
Ahem. DP would be great
Dave! — Again!
Haha – that’s all you my friend! You, Tony C and Bellinger!
Crowd cheering “Yu” when Darvish left.
Wait. What’s that? They were booing?
Scary.
Sounds like Yu was shaken.
He looked very upset.
Definitely not on purpose, despite the earlier pitch.
Yikes. Hit him on the helmet.
Good move, Doc.
Go, Tony C.!
Got the knob.
They agree. Good!
Might have let his manager know so that he wouldn’t waste a challenge.
Waste not, want not.
Got the run back, Yu — go get ’em!
Only takes one Chris!
One strike, taken unfortunately.
Sorry that wasn’t clear. I didn’t mean you to take the pitch down the middle for strike three!!
Almost a WP.
No bunt attempt??!
I wouldn’t try to squeeze with Darvish.
In retrospect, it might have been worth a try.
I thought for sure — put it on the ground to the right side, not even necessarily a squeeze.
Oh well.
Really can’t handle the bat. Probably hurt himself in the process.
He did get a sac down the first time, though it was not exactly a thing of beauty.
Blind squirrel nut something, something…
Since Darvish was on a short leash, wonder why no PH?
That makes sense, but it sounds like the hook came because of the almost-HBP, then the scary HBP and Yu’s reaction.
Think Tony C. was already warmed to face Peralta and maybe Marte before Morrow was to come in.
Pitching change for Yu!?
Let’s get one more here team.
At least.
Yu can help yurself, Yu!
WP, PB, and E also accepted.
I briefly lost the video when my second monitor crashed – missed Descalso’s dinger but got it back just in time for Barnes’s.
Timing is everything.
You got to see the good, not the bad.
Puig douses Turner Ward.
Haha. Yep!
With?
Water or Gatorade.
Squirt bottle of water/Gatorade?
Double by Kiké!
A decisive double!
Joc leading the cheering section in front of the dugout!!
Zack was in for one batter and he gets an HR . . . again, nothing personal, but YES!!!
You called it! Or at least requested it!
Don’t wanna be greedy, but I requested a major meltdown . . . or at least a 3-run meltdown like Saturday’s 7th inning.
Barnes!!
Horsehide is out of the Barnes!
Open the Barnes door!
Barnes!!!!!!
Austin!!!!
Crazy catch!
Look forward to seeing the clip.
Folded over the fence like a giraffe.
Nice analogies!
Geoff Loney?
Like a Giant Sequoia doing a 180 degree flip.
Doc slow to catch Belli.
Wow!
Glad he wasn’t in enemy territory there.
Might as well have been.
Belli with the glove!
Stay strong Yu Darvish.
Helped by Belli, he heard you!
Since Belli and Yu heard ya, tell all the other bats to get going!
Descalso?
He has as many HR’S as Goldie.
Rats.
Yu is truly a Dodger playoff pitcher now, bit by the HR.
If you hang it up in the zone like that you deserve to get bit.
JT flashing the leather!
Greinke might be back in the 6th.
If he is, I hope he experiences some of the late-inning disaster all-too familiar to Dodger players/fans. (But nothing personal.)
I hear you.
First Low and away pitch he has swung at.
Hard to hold up when the ump gave Zach the two previous pitches, especially the second strike
I will watch the rest tomorrow. Night all.
Hope you awaken to great Dodger news!
Several of your hopes came through last night
Down and away and he sends it deep to opposite alley.
Waking up the big man!
Belli bomb!!!
Guess we can keep Belli in the 4 slot…
Yeah!
And hope the next consideration on any lineup is Saturday
Codified!
BELLI!!!!
Time to ring some bells Cody.
You called it!
Great call, WinnipegDave!
Blind squirrel and nuts!
Called it!
Too many opportunities for the Dodgers, no opportunities for the Dbacks, and yet it is 1 – 0. Gotta score some runs in the top of the fifth and chase Zack,
Kudos to Honey.
Yu got that right.
Was just talking to a friend tonight on how Honey is an unsung hero for the Dodgers. I believe since he came to LA, their pitchers have the best ERA in all of baseball.
And he has been around for a long time.
Didn’t think he went around but pretty clear he did on the replay.
What an impressive inning by Darvish!
He is proving to be the support for Kersh FO wanted.
Now how about some support from the bats?
45 through 4.
These guys always dangerous, if only with solos.
Best I have ever seen Yu as a Dodger.
Thank yu
Tee hee.
Gold with Goldie!
To lead the pool plunge? https://twitter.com/MLB/status/917583708630208513
Goldie always scares me.
That’s because he is scary.
Stay dialed in Darvish.
I’d feel so much better with a few more runs under our belts.
Phooey..
Phooey indeed.
Rats was used.
I’d be down with a 4 run inning.
Forgot it was bottom of the order.
The bottom did well Saturday.
It was a better bottom – Puig was there with Barnes and Forsythe.
Grande alone makes your point.
Oh Yu!
Seven pitches.
30 through 3.
So the New Yorkers are very much alive in their series against the Clevelanders.
Hiss.
I told my son today that the only way I would cheer for AZ this year was if the played the Yanks in the WS.
Really hope that does not come to pass.
Now that Chip Hale and Miguel Montero are no longer part of AZ team, I don’t have an issue with the Dbacks.
Get back out there Zack.
Yu go, Darvish!
Too bad they couldn’t capitalize but I still like how they are working it.
Not sure where the pitch to Austin was, but after Zack just issues a walk to load the bases, if it wasn’t in his all-time favorite sweet spot, that pitch should’ve been taken.
Pretty good pitch to hit, but I agree.
Rats.
All three outs came on the first pitch.
They must’ve looked REALLY good . . . because the results weren’t.
Not bad pitches to swing at, as far as I could tell.
Keeps Greinke honest with the first pitch.
Barnes up in a big spot.
Two hitters with one pitch outs this inning.
But two walks too.
So half of them are listening to the game plan.
If this series advances, Belli’s gotta be dropped in the order.
But hopefully it’s a moot point.
Unlikely.
Bellinger could get another RBI with a ground out.
Coulda
JT! 1st & 3rd, 1 out . . .
One pitch, one away.
Cory makes up for that
Guessing that Zach might try a different approach with pitch count mounting?
Attacking with fastballs.
2nd time around — start piling on, bats!
Attaboy Darvish!
Yu on.
23 pitches through 2.
More than double that for Zack.
Yu sounding good!
Greinke might only go 2 more innings at this rate.
Yu annoyed him with his foul balls. Good game plan. Not swinging at lower pitches.
Middle relief is part of the Snake’s soft underbelly.
50 pitches now for Grienke.
Another great at bat. (I’m watching in Mejico.)
*Méjico
Gracias.
Still in Vallarta, but with TV tonight?
Si.
A lot of early fly ball outs against Greinke.
If the Dodgers win today, can we say they split the season series 11-11?
Yes. But I like the games the Dodgers won more.
You can pretty much say whatever you want.
Everybody’s favorite at bat.
Stay sharp Dodgers!
Much easier inning than Zanke had.
Marte ended that a little tenderly.
Replay at top of inning showed that. I missed it live.
Pay attention!
I was typing
How late you going tonight?
Not sure. I am wide awake right now.
Fairly easy inning for Yu.
Great start Yu
Smart bunt by Ketel.
Well-executed.
Woohoo. I have Dodgers’ radio as well as national TV. In that Indians – Yankees game I’ve had the Yankees’ broadcasters, Sterling and Waldman, and I don’t like their style at all.
Are you getting Steinered?
Not sure. I’m watching, not listening. But TV doesn’t go everywhere in this house. Only three sets. 😉
Update: Yep. Charlie on p-b-p, Mo on color.
I seem to remember that Greinke wasn’t enamored of Puig’s antics when Yasiel got to the Dodgers.
He said a few Dodgers were easy outs and those players have had success against him after he moved to AZ.
We are funny sometimes.
Borg collective.
Great at bat. Running up the pitchcount is a nice consolation prize for the out.
10 pitches to get Yasiel out.
A good at bat for Puig.
Nice AB by Puig.
Hit it too hard.
Goldie, not perfect.
Dodgers get one! Two out.
Goldschmidt was only schmidt on that play.
1-0!
Wake up the sleeping giant.
Wow! Outside.
By quite a bit.
2 on, no out.
Seager hits Greinke like a drum. Let’s go!
Greinke was all in with the Dodgers drafting Seager. And now, here we are.
Double of the wall!
Love me some CT!
That pitch was sure teed up for Taylor.
Barnes in over Grandal. Both surprised and pleased.
I plan on waking up a few times tonight to check the score.
Nice that the angst level for this game is only at about 5.5 out of 10. Maybe 6. It is the playoffs after all.
“Well, it’s Greinke, so it’s gonna be hard. I hope Darvish can hold them as long as Greinke holds us.”
Why is the game delayed? Any word?
Nevermind – I thought it was supposed to start at 8pm CST. See now it starts at 9.
Wins by the Sox and the Yankees yesterday had an effect on start times.
Thanks Link.
Couple pretty good reads..
http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/20926457/dodgers-learned-ever-want-disappoint-chase
http://m.mlb.com/news/article/257903392/d-backs-zack-greinke-doesnt-reveal-strategy/
That Greinke story (the second one)…I’m still laughing.
Love Joe Posnanski – especially his PosCast with Michael Schur.
Thanks for the link to the Jeter “home run,” Link. I remember hearing about it but don’t think I ever saw it.
They should’ve started instant replay immediately after that (okay, at least the beginning of the next season).
Cubs win! Cubs win! 2-1 lead in NLDS!
I’d rather us face the Cubs if we get past the D-Backs. The Nats’ starting pitchers scare me.
Whoever wins, I’d like to see it go five and burn through the winner’s bullpen – to the point where a position player has to take the mound.
Cubs win!
Dusty’s destiny, to be a scapegoat, seems pre-ordained.
Scherzer has had an interesting game thus far, but with all the errors on both sides it ain’t perfect.
From the ALDS thread: I enjoyed hearing Joe Davis call that (Houston-Boston) series. I wonder if he is on tap for any LCS announcing?
Doesn’t look like it. Smoltz and Buck are on FS1/Fox for the ALCS and World Serious, and the NLDS is TBS. Davis works for Fox, so he wouldn’t appear on TBS.
1966 was a painful year, not so much for losing the Series as for losing Koufax as an active player.
Yep. I wonder if he ever wonders what today’s sports medicine might have done for his arm.
I’ve often wondered that as well.
I met a woman whose son is a pitcher. He was drafted but turned down the offer of $160,000 . . . more (in actual money) than Sandy ever made!
How you figure? He made $125K in the 1966 season alone after the holdout/strike he and Drysdale enacted. See bottom of page.
“Actual money” may be the wrong phrase. I saw a site which said he was the highest paid player in ’66 at $130,000 . . . http://sabr.org/research/mlbs-annual-salary-leaders-1874-2012
So whatever phrase I’m looking for, his # was higher than Sandy’s was, 50 years ago. (And this is a kid out of college, not **Sandy Koufax.**
Yeah. Beyond the improved medical techniques, I imagine he’s thought a LOT about the money he missed by pitching before the union was strong and before free agency arrived.
Still, I suspect that Sandy’s had a comfortable retirement.
I think “ever” was what confused me. “More in a single season” would have conveyed it to me.
Gonna fire my editor!
Since I’m sitting corrected anyway, is “actual money” the phrase I want in comparing salaries 50 years apart? If not, what is?
And why can’t the game be starting now so we don’t have to wait 2 1/2 hours more?
“Comparable?” “Gross dollars?” Heh.
That 1966 Series was very painful, and started a free fall that lasted several years.