The Toronto Blue Jays celebrate after winning Game 5 of baseball’s American League Division Series against the Texas Rangers, Wednesday, October 14, 2015, in Toronto.
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The victor takes on the Chicago Cubs in the NLCS at home starting on Saturday.
Fittingly, the Dodgers’ season could either be prolonged or end on back-to-back appearances by Kershaw and Greinke, whose arms propelled them to a third straight NL West title and a franchise-record third straight playoff appearance.
Defense: Joc’s the best defensive center fielder on the team by far, but with Greinke on the mound, I’ll take the chance the long fly balls that require Pederson’s speed will be kept to a minimum.
Rookie shortstop Corey Seager is 2-for-12 in the series and has five strikeouts while veteran outfielder Carl Crawford is 1-for-11 in his three games.
“He’s just very impressive, you know, just very tough to square up”, Kershaw said. “I mean, he’s really a credit to the game, and so you’re really happy for him to be able to do that tonight”.
Greinke has pitched at least six innings in all 33 of his starts with a 1.66 ERA that led the majors.
That moves Kershaw into third most in one year by a Dodgers pitcher, with regular season and postseason combined. “But you’ve got to love the fact it’s coming down to Game 5 and everything is on the line”.
“He’ll paint the corners”. He went 4-0 with a 2.27 ERA in six major league starts this season, but the team saw enough to pitch him in the playoffs – in part because Matz threw gems to help clinch championships at Class A in 2013 and Double-A a year ago. Utley came in hard and slightly high, off to the right of the bag, his right shoulder colliding with Tejada’s left leg and upending him; in continuation, his upper inside right thigh, near the crotch, encountered Tejada’s planted right leg. The flying, skidding force of the slide breaks bone, down near the ankle. They’re both really nasty and they both are good hitting pitchers. “So my plan is just to pitch as good as possible and hopefully it works out”.
If Grandal can’t go, A.J. Ellis would start. He was drafted in 2006, according to the New York Post. They just have to get past the Mets and their young fireballer, Jacob deGrom.
DeGrom only allowed five hits and one walk on his way to earning his first postseason victory after stymieing the Dodgers’ hitters. He had 19 home runs in 2015 and is eight shy of 400 for his career.
DeGrom was brilliant in Game 1 on Friday, back when the story was still that Kershaw’s seventh innings in the postseason never end well. Previously, Collins had said Harvey wouldn’t be used in Game 5.
“I don’t talk to my team that much”, Collins said.
Briefly: Former A’s closer Jim Johnson was designated for assignment by the Dodgers, who claimed pitcher Brooks Brown on waivers from the Rockies. “But I think that we’re as excited as we were the other night”. I just missed it. Wished I wouldn’t have.
In Game 2, Greinke surrendered solo home runs to Yoenis Cespedes and Michael Conforto in the second inning, which ended up being the only runs he would allow over his seven innings pitched. Their pitching has actually been quite good in every game, but the decision to start Steven Matz in Game 4 and not Jacob deGrom on short rest was ultimately the deciding factor.
“Anything can happen”, Mattingly said.
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