Dodgers vs Braves, 5:08 PM PDT, TV: Fox
The Dodgers once more ask LHP Clayton Kershaw to be their ace and get them back to even in the series, which the Braves still lead 2-1 despite the bludgeoning they took yesterday. Kershaw is 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 14 postseason innings this year. The Braves hand the ball to yet another rookie (in nine postseason games they’ve started six rookie pitchers), a righthander named Bryse Wilson. This will be his first postseason appearance. He was 1-0 with a 4.02 ERA in six games in 2020, two of which were starts. It’s not expected that Wilson will be in the game very long, but he could be the reincarnation of Howard Ehmke. Who knows?
Let’s hope the Dodgers repeat yesterday’s first-inning exploits:
Today in Dodgers’ history:
- 1981 With Dave Righetti, Ron Davis, and Goose Gossage combining to shut out Oakland, 4-0, the Yankees sweep the A’s to capture their thirty-third American League pennant. The Bronx Bombers will face the Dodgers in the World Series for the third time in the past five Fall Classics.
- 1988 In his only plate appearance in the Fall Classic, a limping Kirk Gibson, appearing as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning of Game 1, sends a two-out, 3-2 pitch from relief ace Dennis Eckersley over the right-field fence, giving the Dodgers a 5-4 victory over the A’s. The round-tripper marks the first time a World Series game ends on a come-from-behind home run in the final inning.
- 2008 In Game 5 of the NLCS, the visiting Phillies beat the Dodgers, 5-1, to win their first pennant since 1993. Southpaw Cole Hamels, the series MVP, hurls his third postseason gem, and Jimmy Rollins starts the Philadelphia attack with a leadoff home run to start the game.
- 2017 Twenty-nine years later to the day, Justin Turner follows Kirk Gibson into franchise folklore when he hits a postseason walk-off three-run home run in the 12th inning of the LA’s 4-1 victory over the Cubs in Game 2 of the NLCS. In 1988, a hobbled Kirk Gibson, in his only Fall Classic appearance, came off the bench to hit one of the most memorable round-trippers in World Series history, giving the Dodgers a come-from-behind victory against the A’s in Game 1.
Lineups:
Braves:
Game 4. Let's get it!#MixItUp | #ForTheA pic.twitter.com/T8inJZKrrX
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) October 15, 2020
Dodgers:
Tonight's lineup at Braves:#NLCS | #LATogether pic.twitter.com/k1jv0MFQnW
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 15, 2020
NPUTs
WinnipegDave: I am late on this, but thanks for pointing out that Roberts has not been the manager for the last eight postseasons, only since 2016. This is his fifth; Mattingly had the prior three. But I don’t recall he mishandled pitchers, IMHO, as I feel Roberts has. The Dodgers have been to the postseason 12 times in the last 17 seasons, including this year. Little and Tracy took us there once each, Torre twice, Mattingly three times and Roberts five. In defense of all of them, we made the postseason, but unless we stage a huge rally in the 9th and win this one, we will need to win three in a row to make it to the WS.
Which is not impossible. But not at all likely they way they have been completely outplayed this series except for roughly 3 innings.
Beaty trying to pretend that didn’t happen. If he could, he would be whistling right about now. Although his skin is suspiciously pink.
Why PH for Hernandez? He’s as likely to homer as Beaty is, if not more.
Beaty’s a LHH.
Could we please get another freaking hit this inning
Turner got a hit this inning.
Another hit
I’m still asking. Lol.
You are asking a lot, Dave.
I’m listening to the radio while cooking and swearing. I have had a rotten day and this is not helping. Bad health news for my best friend, bad news on a project I’ve been working on for years, and now this. Only bright spot is (rule violation alert) Giuliani’s daughter is vigorously for Biden.
Thanks for sharing real life. It makes this game seem like the candy store is out of my favourite candy bar. Meanwhile the real world is hard at work being real.
Hope your friend and your project find the strength to get better.
Roberts is the antithesis of Sparky Anderson. From Wikipedia: “During this time, Anderson became known as ‘Captain Hook’ for his penchant for taking out a starting pitcher at the first sign of weakness and going to his bullpen.” Isn’t he the only manager to win the World Series in both leagues?
To be fair to Kershaw, the Dodgers gave him one run on one hit the entire time he was in the game.
The MLB panel of writers falls mainly on the side of “Roberts and his other managers have left him in games too long thinking he’s still 22-year-old Kershaw, not 32-year-old Kershaw with 2,300 innings under his belt.”
Doesn’t help that relievers have let in 80% of inherited runners!
We got em right where we want em. See you tomorrow.
Guessing we made the overconfident at least.
Argh!
Well that was painful.
Actually, I started feeling numb a few innings ago.
Is that chant not a bit inappropriate in this day and age? Actually – any day and age?
We have too many guys on this team who would have had to buy expensive seats to get close to the likes of Garvey-Lopes-Cey-Russell-Baker-Smith-Monday-Yeager and the pitching staff we had in those days. Much of that nucleus won pennants in 1974, 1977, 1978 and 1981 and the WS in 1981. Just saying.
Get it all out of your system tonight Dodgers.
It’s baseball, Jake.
Can’t do it tonight. Tomorrow, yes!
That’s the spirit. In a bizarre way, I feel that the pressure will be off tomorrow. Who is pitching for us? May? Like Samsom, I hope he doesn’t get his hair cut off.
A joy watching him pitch.
I’m done, guys. Too painful to watch for me. Love ya’ and see ya tomorrow.
Not good when you have as many errors as runs, and almost as many errors as hits.
I hope the Dodgers win tomorrow. But they have been outclassed this series except for maybe 3 innings.
Beaty went into one there. My goodness.
Sloppy sloppy sloppy.
I know they care but it looks like they don’t.
There’s fight, there’s flight, and there’s freeze. That was a Beaty freeze.
Lol
Dodgers extremely disappointed and disappointing in every way.
Mookie has lost his mojo for three out of four games.
Just what I was thinking. I hate the freaking narrative of playoff performances but apparently he is akin to Kershaw (except Betts has been on WS championship team obviously).
His two best performances ever in the playoffs were this year in the NLWC and the NLDS. He hit .217 in the WS against us.
Yes. It’s just Game one, most of Game two, and today.
To Mookie’s credit, he is the first to agree.
I think not being able to complete the comeback in Game 2 is the thing that will haunt me if the Dodgers somehow lose this series.
I didn’t mind it nearly as much yesterday as I do today.
Yeah. I was the sourpuss even night of Game 2 that felt stung by it.
You were right.
Hopefully the Dodgers can still this series – but yeah, I might sadly be right.
Bit of a bridge too far, as Doc choose not to go with best of the pen and they got a couple more runs.
I don’t know what to say about this anymore.
Nothing polite.
Win Tomorrow!
Dodgers are quickly running out of tomorrows.
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
A lot of creeps doing a number on the Dodgers this series. jk. I don’t have anything against the Braves players. They have some very fun young guys.
They are much better than I thought. They were very much below my radar this year.
And just as I said not to do…
Floro, no more runs!
i feel like a deflated balloon
Turned the lineup over anyways.
nope
Apparently Dodgers don’t get to have nice things happen.
a 7-6 game would be nice here (i’d accept a single) baby steps
I like having Will Smith here.
How about getting within four this inning?
I’ll take any type of non-out here.
Just get a hit, Rios.
We need still need at least 2 (extra base) hits this inning.
Also want to see Mookie hit this inning. lol.
I want to see Will Smith v Will Smith…
Come on…
So frustrating.
Pollock just missed a HR.
Have the Dodgers ever come back and won one of the games where Kershaw/bullpen imploded? Maybe tonight they could finally do it.
There are many points in the last eight seasons, including this one, to pinpoint Roberts’s failings. But things went from bad to worse in Game 4 of the 2018 WS vs. Boston. We had won the night before on Muncy’s 18th inning homer, a tremendous psychological boost, and now trailed in the WS two games to one. Hill led 4-0 and was pitching a one-hitter and had one out and one on in the 7th when Roberts pulled him. Supposedly, there was some miscommunication or misunderstanding between the two of them. The Dodgers then paraded Alexander, Madson, Jansen, Floro, Wood and Maeda to the mound over the final 2 2/3 innings. Each allowed one earned run except for Floro, who allowed three. (One of the runs was charged to Hill) We lost, 9-6. Kershaw got shelled the next day. Good-bye, World Series.
I agree with your example. I will point out Roberts hasn’t been manager for all 8 seasons.
Give me a break.
thats a start
Need about 8 more of those.
need lots of baserunners
Exactly.
Rally time!
Let’s go!!
The nightmare is finally over
Or it has just begun…
(For the Braves… muwahaha)
Good night everybody. I’ll watch the game alone from here and visit with everybody tomorrow
Feel free to still come back any time tonight.
The Titanic has better odds after it hit the iceberg.
Finally two outs.
The favorites, they said. They should win the World Series, they said.
Every year, disappointment.
Not over yet.
True.
This year is (was?) set up for them. Short season = Rested Kershaw in the playoffs. 28 on the roster = more weapons for the deepest team in baseball. But it might not play out like that.
Many have said they didn’t think Pederson and Hernandez would be back next year. I have doubts that Turner will be and I have doubts that Kershaw will be after his current contract ends after the 2021 season.
So, let’s win three more games and move on the the WS. I have’t given up on this one either.
We have absolutely no bullpen.
Good bullpen in a bad stretch at the wrong time.
Equals no bullpen.
I mean it has happened every year, 8 years in a row.
I fully agreed with you, WinnipegDave. A bullpen has to be able to mostly avoid bad stretches at any time, good or bad. Historically, dating back to early in President Obama’s second term, ours hasn’t.
Thanks Scoop.
A narrative that really doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. Dodgers have managed to lose for a variety of reasons.
But haven’t the Dodgers FO specifically tried to rebuild the bullpen each year because they themselves have seen it as the weak link in the postseason? Wouldn’t that mean it does stand up to scrutiny?
I mean that as an honest question and am willing to be swayed.
No, they are always trying to get a better pen. But WS loss to Bosox, for example, was that are hitters didn’t hit like they did during the season.
That’s true. But I recall Kershaw not getting pulled lots of time because of the problem with the pen. Or so I thought.
That has certainly happened as well.
This is demoralizing.
Unless this one completely turns around, what will Roberts’s sanguine perspective on the loss?
“I should have left Kershaw in”?
I hear the tomahawk chant.
The. Worst.
Nothing seems to work for the Dodgers.
That’s it. We are cooked.
Wind coming up again it looks like.
Cone on people. We got game left. Knock off the gloom and doom. Save it for Halloween.
If ever we needed a DP…
As he often is with Kershaw. Doc is the kind of guy who tries to get on an elevator as the doors are about to close. Of course, when we can get only one hit and one walk off a no-name, limited experience pitcher, that doesn’t help.
So frustrating.
And so familiar.
The heart break never ends I guess.
We are going to need oNe of those explosive innings-type things.
I think the Braves will be going to their pen now, but the question is how many runs will we be trailing by?
It’s very disheartening.
Doc late to pull the plug as usual.
As it turned out for sure but Kershaw was fine through 5 and outside of the ump helping him not walk the lead off hitter, the first hit of the inning was of feeble contact and the next one could have just as easily been a ground out.
But it always seems to be something.
I know, but then the Braves smell blood so it would make sense to change things up.
6th inning strikes again.
Weird how that is.
Oh fudge.
That should be it for Kershaw.
This inning could be the key to the season. We cannot allow any more runs.
Yep. Nope.
0-2 pitch to Freeman.
1-2.
Poor Kershaw can’t catch a break.
Can’t make those mistakes.
Just bad luck all around.
And that is why…
Quique shoulda held it.
I agree. Not worth it.
Oh, brother.
Probably a sprained wrist that could keep him from swinging a bat.
Feel bad for Acuna. But really – another infield hit?
Dealing with unidentified merchants on credit card and nerves fraying from that to go along with this game.
That doesn’t sound good.
One is from Experian. Their automated system doesn’t recognize me so I can’t get it reversed easily.
Finally Bryce is finished, looks
like.
Is it May starting tomorrow?
Mookie. We need some magic from you this inning buddy.
We need some ruuuuns!!!
Yes pleeeeeease!!!!’
Nice inning, Kersh!
Bryce making us look bad.
Smoltz is in Smoltzy heaven talking about young Braves pitchers.
Not listening to him.
Good life move.
These look more hittable than the record would indicate so far.
Strike?!?!?!
Alright we should them the glove now lets show them the whatchamacallits.
Nice play, JT.
Good work JT!
Nice play Kersh.
I can’t settle down here. Stomach in knots, even as I push it on the elliptical. Where’s my endorphin rush?!?!?!
Two outs. One more and you can back off the elliptical. There you go.
Ok Kersh. Please don’t do the thing where you give up back to back HR’s. Or multiple HR’s in an inning.
Because you asked so nicely…..
That was well hit.
Ugh.
Nice snag by Seager.
Not in love with this stadium.
Es puro mier-coles…
Is wind blowing out to left field?
Left to right actually.
Thanks, I haven’t noticed the flags.
Not that I want to live and die with the long ball.
But Joctober please?!
Just about…
He delivered the long ball but to the wrong part of the park. I like that he has been going to center though.
How long do we think Bryce will go?
Seemingly forever.
He will want to avoid the 6th
Not much longer, I suspect.
Seager robbed three times in that at bat.
Too bad/good thing that was foul. Seager wasn’t running right away.
Come on. Sheesh. Two fouls just missing.
I guess that is one of the reasons it is called foul
I remember a time when a chicken was on the field and was being chased down next to the stands and Vin sain, “well, it is in foul ground”
No one ever needed to egg Vin on.
You didn’t really say that did you? LOL
Ha! DP!
Rios!!! (Sorry, late to get back in here. Elliptical posting!)
lets hope the dodger scoring keeps going round and round as well
Whatever direction the wind is blowing, it didn’t keep Rios from finding the seats.
Rios!!!
he has been rather valuable this year
Asterisks have just walked off in San Diego.
Crazy.
Ugly.
Charlie and Rick are spending this inning wondering why the roof is open.
Covid.
Someone should tell them. The rant continues this inning.
At least part of the reason anyway. Keep the fans healthy.
There shouldn’t be any fans, but it’s Texas.
Lucky hit.
Acuna Ozuna / Hakuna Matata
Kersh!
Acceptable inning.
Like it
Double Play!
What was the mound visit about?
I missed it. Not sure.
I didn’t notice that there was one. Must have been typing.
Got him.
It looks a little windy there.
Let’s go Kershaw. Give us a solid 5 or 6 innings please. Or a spectacular 7.
or a remarkable 9
Turner faced four pitches while Seager and Betts combined for 3.
Very over eager.
eager is Seager without the S
He wears it under his shirt.
Nice!
Worked yesterday.
Hmmm. Not starting well.
lofty expectations I expect
Hmmm. Easy does it, Blue.
What is this flock of butterflies that has landed in my belly?
Here’s hoping for another quick start. That will release the butterflies into the garden of joy.
From the great folk-music scare of the 1960s. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JyMGb-d8Io
Feeling nervous. Hopeful – but nervous.
Devil Rays have tied it in the eighth, with nobody out!
Will have to follow this one under the table. One of those dinner party things. I think I need to get new friends (they likely think the same thing of me). I mean who would schedule such a thing on a night like this!?
Same sort of following the game for me being a teacher at school, its now recess though
When I was a kid in school, we’d call in sick during the Series.
The nuns at my school had it on the radio!
We always had it on the radio in grade school and depending on the teacher, in Junior High School.
We’d sneak a transistor in and listen.
Does anybody notice when you disappear under the table?