NLDS & ALDS Games Three, 2016

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Nationals at Dodgers, 1:00PM PT, TV: MLBN

The Dodgers hand the ball to “rookie” RHP Kenta Maeda (16-11, 3.48 ERA) and ask him to hold the Nats at bay while they solve the lefthanded servings of Gio Gonzalez (11-11, 4.57 ERA). Maeda has never pitched in the postseason; he pitched for the Hiroshima Carp in the Japanese league, and it hasn’t made it above third place since 2000. He was the only Dodger starter who never missed a start the entire season, and the Dodgers were 19-13 when he took the mound. Gonzalez had a horrible year for him: he’d never had an ERA above 3.79 in his previous four years with the Nationals. The team went 14-18 in games he started.

Lineup when available.

ALDS Game Three between the Indians and Red Sox starts at 3:00PM PT and can be seen on TBS. It features RHP Josh Tomlin for the Indians and RHP Clay Buchholz for the Sox. See the previous post for further details about the pitchers.

NLDS Game Three between the Cubs and Giants starts at 6:30PM PT and can be seen on FS1. It features the reigning Cy Young winner RHP Jake Arrieta (18-8, 3.10 ERA) against LHP Madison Bumgarner (15-9, 2.74 ERA). Bumgarner is 5-1 with a 0.79 ERA in 68 2/3 innings over his last nine postseason appearances dating back to 2012. Arrieta’s gone 7-6 with a 4.44 ERA in his last 16 starts, and his last time out he allowed seven runs on 10 hits at Pittsburgh.

267 thoughts on “NLDS & ALDS Games Three, 2016”

  2. Giants win in 13th . . . can’t believe I stayed up to hear it . . .
    Their 10th straight elimination game victory.

    • Talk about history . . . the Giants’ 9th inning woes this year continue.
      Let’s go, Cubs!

  5. Wow — Giants have won 9 games in a row where they faced elimination. That’s already a record and — sad to say — they may add to that tonight.

      • That errant throw reminds me of their LCS game when the ball was touched by the fan, then there was an error by the shortstop, I believe.
        I know fans are conscious of it (I know several Cubs fans), I wonder if the players are aware of the baggage. With the media asking everything, I’m sure they are.

  8. Close play at 1st is reviewed and goes vs. Giants, even tho Cubs announcers (and, of course, just about everyone at AT & T) thought it would be overturned and give SF a runner. . . . Another sign the even-#ed magic is gone? (We hope . . . but stay tuned . . . )

      • Sure hoping.
        They had Bumgarner on the ropes and their announcers thought they should’ve scored more. If something happens tonight, they shouldn’t face Bumgarner manana, but he may come back for long relief if there’s a game 5.
        Both have history in play, but for the Cubs, it’s working against them. If that doesn’t come into play, I think they’ll do well in hopefully* 9 more games.

        *unless they face the Dodgers 🙂

  9. Cubs wasting chances as well.
    Believe they said their PITCHERS have driven in 6 of their 9 runs in these three games. On one hand, they’ve got good hitting pitchers. On the other, their players paid for hitting apparently aren’t in the clutch (sound familiar?).
    But bottom line: they have a chance to sweep tonight.

  11. Bumgarner is out for pinch hitter in 5th, still 3-1 Cubs.
    Hopefully the desired Giant bullpen shows up to pad the lead.

  18. No matter what happens tomorrow, this has been an interesting season – and therefore a successful one. The Dodgers continue to have a bright future.

  21. Through most of the year and the playoffs (minus Kenley today), the bullpen has been the facet of the game most dependable for the Dodgers.
    I never would’ve thought that after they were the weakest link last year.

  23. What a disaster in that ninth inning. I can’t imagine what they can say after this except “our backs are to the wall, gotta win two in a row.”

    So does Kershaw start tomorrow or do they continue to go with Urias?

    • You ARE trying to replace Dave as President of Optimist Club.
      But I sure hope you do get to use them!

  31. So let me get this straight. Our best in season trade acquisition in terms of playoff performance is… Ruiz??!

    • Some were more crushing than this.
      Doesn’t bode well to go into free agency on such a note . . . but it didn’t hurt Zack.

      • Playoff ERA of 1.74 in 11 appearances coming in, so hard to imagine any team giving this much consideration.

    • I at least wait for the final out, then SPRINT to my car (wishing I could leap steep stairwells in a single bound).

      • Remember way back in the day when you could park wherever you chose?
        I would strategically find a spot to get me onto my freeway as soon as possible.

    • Hope for extra innings for many reasons, not the least being a lessening of the traffic.

        • Forgot — one of the schools where I work has it off, the other one didn’t.
          Going down a couple years ago for the playoff was nice on Columbus Day.
          Even nicer because they won.

  58. We need to find a way now. Dodger hitters looked helpless against their closer yesterday.

  66. Finally able to check in. My mom in the hospital late yesterday with pneumonia and still hosting my dad and uncle for Thanksgiving today.
    Go Dodgers…

  74. Neither side hitting the cover off the ball today. Nats had the one big inning. Quite a few walks.

    • Dodgers with more 0-RISP (more for them).
      Silver Lining: they DO have 3 runs in spite of the lack of hitting in the clutch.

    • Announcers saying that sun to shade issue has benefited the pitchers over the past few innings and that the batters are lucky to see the ball.

  76. They’ve reverted to the pre-All Star Break offense . . . since clinching, really.

  87. These inside corner strike versus ball calls are driving me nuts. Completely inconsistent, and usually against us.

  89. unfortunately off to classes, so will have to wait around and hour and a half before I can check back in

  122. With six Ks in six official at bats, Bob Costas says that Espinosa is probably happy that he has been hit twice so far.

  123. It’s absurd that Dodgers and Nats are playing early game today. Cubbies and Gnats had all day yesterday to rest.

  137. I will now make a “Well, duh” statement: If we can’t beat a lefty like Gonzalez, we don’t deserve to advance to the NLCS. The only right-handed batters whom I think are capable of having big games for us today are Turner and Puig.

    • Every team has it’s strengths and weaknesses (well, except the Cubbies). Why harp on this weakness to say we don’t “deserve” to advance. If we lose today to Gio, but then win two games against their righties, surely we deserve to advance.