NLCS Game Five, 2020

Posted on by

Dodgers vs Braves, 6:08 PM PDT, TV: FS1

The Braves have a 3-1 lead in the series. They send LHP A.J. Minter to “open” the game. He’ll be followed by several other bullpen pitchers. The Dodgers ask RHP Dustin May to hold the Braves down and hope their offense, which has been mostly absent in three of the first four games, can get untracked and send the series to a Game Six.

Today in Braves’ history:

  • 2001 Diamondback southpaw Randy Johnson strikes out 11 batters en route to throwing a three-hitter, beating Greg Maddux and the Braves 2-0 in Game 1 of the NLCS. The matchup at Bank One Ballpark matchup features starters who have combined for 457 career victories and have collectively won seven Cy Young Awards.

Today in Dodgers’ history:

  • 1949 Brooklyn does not renew Branch Rickey’s contract as president of the Dodgers. The ‘Mahatma’ will join the Pirates as the team’s executive vice president and general manager, with his son, Branch Jr., assuming the post of Pittsburgh’s vice president and farm system director.
  • 1985 In Game 6 of the NLCS, Cardinal first baseman Jack Clark’s dramatic come-from-behind two-out, three-run home run in the ninth inning stuns a sold-out Dodger Stadium. St. Louis wins the game, 7-5, and captures the National League flag.

  • 1988 At Dodger Stadium, Don Baylor becomes the first player to participate in three consecutive World Series for three different teams when he pinch-hits in the eighth inning of the A’s 6-0 loss to L.A. in the second game of the Fall Classic. The 39 year-old veteran played with the pennant-winning Red Sox in 1986 and the World Champion Twins in 1987.

Lineups:

Braves:

Dodgers:

406 thoughts on “NLCS Game Five, 2020”

  4. This game has turned around (no duh). Earlier in the game that ground ball would have found a way to get through the infield.

  10. Crazy series. Only 1 close game so far but total runs scored is 32-29 right now for the Dodgers.

  13. If you had told me before this series began that I’d be happy to be down three games to two, I would have said WHAT?!?

  21. Doesn’t mean I would pitch Jansen tomorrow night. Two nights in a row maybe a bridge too far.

  36. Tonight’s game shows me that the Braves don’t have a No. 5 starter, or at least one that they trust. They are going through pitchers, even when they were leading, as if they were down three games to one or as if this was the seventh game. Ynoa would have started had he not been used for so many innings in relief earlier in the series. We expected that the Dodgers would use plenty of relief pitchers once May demonstrated he was ineffective. Was it the nerves of a young, relatively inexperienced pitcher?

    • Hard to say. He has already had three good appearances during the playoffs, as well as a couple last year. Young pitcher, who had shown some consistently problems and he threw twice as many pitches as he has thrown during the playoffs.

  37. Belli just can’t seem to time things up. I hope he finds it if we keep going in this series.

  69. Showing the fastball, but striking them out with sliders. He had changed. Hope it works out.

  99. Crazy fact #2:

    The Dodgers have made the playoffs 14 times since last winning the WS in 1988.

    As far as I can tell, the “record” for most playoff appearances between WS victories (or before a first WS victory) is 15! By Atlanta! (This year is their 16th postseason appearance since winning in 1995).

  101. So the Braves would rather have a righty pitch to Pollock than a lefty to Joc. Is that why they switched pitchers? Didn’t work so far.

  102. Crazy fact # 1.
    The Dodgers could lose in the playoffs for 8 consecutive years if they fail to win the WS this year.

    As far as I can tell, the “record” for most consecutive years making the playoffs but not winning the WS is 10! By Atlanta from 1996-2005. Of course they won the WS the year before in 1995.

      • Change playoffs to postseason then. If that floats your boats. I use postseason and playoffs interchangeably.

  107. An act of desperation: Treinen’s ERA in the regular season was 7.89. It is 7.36 in the postseason.

  116. Well, they have gotten their 3, which I predicted. All we have to do now is get our 5 and shut them out the rest of the way and my prediction will bear fruit.

  121. Remember when we had clean innings from our pitchers? Remember that? Remember when our batters wore out their pitchers? Remember that?

  123. Correction to my pre-game predictions:
    Tonight: May gives us two bad innings, Kelly gives us four great innings, and we still win 5-3.

    • I just looked at gameday to see where the pitches were to Joc and he got screwed on two of the called strikes

      • It’s happened several times. Starting with the strike two called on Seager that meant he had to swing at strike three because it was in the same neighborhood.

  134. Roberts should be the assistant manager of a Woolworth’s. (Are there still Woolworth’s?)

  138. Oh god. I hear the chop. We should win just based on that – is there no justice in baseball?

  144. I don’t care about pitching matchups and length any more. Dodgers have to start hitting anyone and everyone that Braves bring in.

  145. Unfortunately I have to head back out to mow before the rain arrives, hopefully I’ll come back later to good news

  151. I’m unable to watch for more than one reason right now. A bit early to be peeking at Gameday but there it is…

  157. Predicitions
    Tonight–May gives us 6 good innings, Dodgers win 5-3.
    Tomorrow–Buehler pitches the postseason game we’ve been waiting for from him: Dodgers win 7-1.
    Sunday: Battle of the bullpens, Dodgers win 9-7.

  159. Win or go home
    Our backs are against the wall
    There are no tomorrows

    Did I miss any?

  162. My son asked me tonight if I thought Roberts’ job was on the line if the Dodgers lose this series. I told him no, that for sure he would get one more year.

    Any thoughts on that?

    • Deal runs through 2022. Complexion of the series seems to have little to do with him.

    • Friedman said he was totally surprised Roberts got flack last year so I would guess he would be surprised that talk is going around again. I think Roberts is safe.

  163. I’m hosting an across Canada zoom mtg tonight so I won’t be able to chat until that is over. Hopefully there are still meaningful innings left to play at that point.