10 to go
It all comes down to that, insofar as the Dodger players are concerned. Nothing less than 10 more wins will satisfy them. They want that World championship. It s just that simple. That s the goal and that s is all they are focused on. So, it was no surprise to see the Dodgers show up with their lunch pails and systematically dismantle the Nationals pitching. It was also no surprise to see
It all comes down to that, insofar as the Dodger players are concerned. Nothing less than 10 more wins will satisfy them. They want that World championship. It’s just that simple. That’s the goal and that’s is all they are focused on.
So, it was no surprise to see the Dodgers show up with their lunch pails and systematically dismantle the Nationals pitching. It was also no surprise to see Striker Buehler allow just 1 hit over 6 innings. The Nats aren’t chumps. They have the second-best offense in the NL to the Dodgers… and they make Striker work! Then the bullpen did their job. Adam Kolarek was evidently put on the roster to pitch to Juan Sota and he did his job. He may only face 4 or 5 hitters in this round, but if he does that, I guess it’s worth it. It certainly was last night.
Next, Maeda was filthy and then Machine Gun Kelly mowed them down in the 9th inning. I would have to say that last night’s game was a “pitchers’ duel” as the Dodgers only got 7 hits and the Nats got 3. But the Dodgers got 7 walks to go with those 7 hits so they manufactured most of their runs. Rookie Gavin Lux and Joc Pederson hit the only bombs for the Boys in Blue. The cool part was that neither player started the game.
Last night’s heroes were on the bench. I give a ton of credit to Robert Van Socyoc and his team and to Rick Honeycutt and Mark Prior. These guys knew that they would have to make the most with the least and they did. The Nat’s bullpen deficiency was really magnified. The Dodgers were patient and worked the counts. Of course, Patrick Corbin is a very good pitcher and so they had to work for what little they got.
Winning game one was huge but the Dodgers were subdued in their celebration – they want to celebrate after 11 playoff wins. That’s their plan. They are only focused on the “Next game!” They have been here before, only to stumble and fall. There will be no big celebration until their goal is realized.
It was a satisfying win, but the Nationals are not just going to lay down and die. Their starting rotation is good, even if the bullpen isn’t. Stephen Strasburg goes tonight and the silver lining for the Dodgers could be that Strasburg has logged 209 innings while Clayton Kershaw sits at 178 innings. Max Scherzer also is not 100%, but these guys don’t give up. The Dodgers are going to have to “take it.” They did last night – now they have to keep it up.
When the players execute, Dave Roberts is a genius – when they don’t, he’s an idiot! Are you starting to figure out that it’s the players, not Doc?
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Discussion (95)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Why go with Ryu in game 3? Here’s why:
It allows the Dodgers to bring Kershaw back in relief in Game 5 if necessary, plus, Ryu is very effective when he gets more than five days of rest (a Game 3 start would be on seven days’ rest). On six-plus days of rest, Ryu is 4-1 with a 1.18 ERA in eight starts.
That’s why!
Also check out Kershaw’s playoff splits between home and away! Enough said!
Haven’t checked the stats but by my not so great memory Ryu is something of a homer. And I do remember Kersh giving Washington fits in Washington in the past. Oh well, can’t get everything you want all the time.
Today’s lineup:
Joc (RF)
JT (3b)
Pollock (LF)
Belly (CF)
Muncy (1b)
Smith (C)
Seager (SS)
Lux (2b)
Kersh
That is one very strange lineup against a very tough right hander. Why are Seager (who is very hot) and Lux (who homered last night) hitting 7th and 8th while Pollock who hasn’t hit right handers well this year is batting 3rd and Smith who usually bats 7th or 8th is batting 6th.
A big WTF were you smoking to those who expected this year’s Kershaw to actually show up this October.
As if all of the sudden he’d become Bumgarner when it mattered most
Asking for a friend….why did we start CK and not Ryu? CK coming up small again on the big stage.
Several important Dodger hitters haven’t shown up yet – Bellinger looks bad in the post-season again. Turner looks like he hasn’t played in about 3 weeks – oh wait, he hasn’t. Pollock didn’t do anything yesterday.
Smith hit them on the nose yesterday; Muncy came up big.
Will Dodger hitters who disappeared the past 2 World Series show up this year?
Will Bellinger be the offensive version of Kershaw?
Be patient and hope that we can hold the fort until the offense kicks in. Gotta feeling that Doc might have a short rope on Kersh if he cant stop the bleeding.
Just sad to see Kersh fail once again in the post season. He just has no command of his fastball and it just gets punished. I just don’t see a solution with him going forward.
I’m very surprised at how impatient our hitters are. They’re lunging at every curveball that’s low.
It’s as if we’re already down 1-0 in the series, and 3-0 in this game, and the guys are pressing.
Strausburg is filthy tonight. Good pitching always stops good hitting and he is EXTREMELY good tonight.
Clayton struggled in the beginning but righted the ship. He hasn’t had control of his curve or fastball.
The Fresh Prince breaks up the Perfect Game. Now, make them pay!
Kershaw certainly hasn’t looked all that good, but there’s only one of him.
We have 8 hitters who have looked just as bad.
Well we didn’t do anything against Corbin last night either. The big issue with this team is we can’t hit elite pitching in the playoffs This is 3 post seasons in a row! The NL MVP is hitting like .150 and striking our three quarters of the time in the post season. Somebody has step up and produce!
Matt Beaty = Professional Hitter!
Then we shouldn’t even show up if we play Houston! An elite offense has to be able to put up runs against elite pitching!
We can do this!
Very good managed 7th inning by Dave Roberts with the pitching. Regular season OPS splits.
M.T. – They’re trolling and pushing your buttons..
Let it go…
I may also have been rendered stupider. Isn’t elite pitching also supposed to get out elite hitting?
If you’re rooting for the hitter, he’s a bum if he gets out and a clutch hitter if he gets a hit. And vice versa if you’re rooting for the pitcher.
Strasburgbis a guy with a 3+ era. You mean we can’t score three runs off him with the best offense in the NL! If we can’t do that against himnand Scherzer then pack up and go home!
Does Kelly only come in when we have a six-run lead in the ninth? If so, why is he on the roster? Can Urias only pitch to lefthanders? This looks like retrospect, but I would not have put May in for another inning, and certainly not left him in after the first two batters got on base. Does Roberts have any instinct for this kind of thing? This game is absolutely crucial, and assuming we now lose it, we are likely not playing any more home games this season. It is not best of 15, it is best of 5 . May did a nice job getting the one out in the 7th, that should have been it. You play 162 games to use a non-reliever rookie in the most important game of the year with a one-run deficit, and let him finish the inning when he is struggling?
“Then we shouldn’t even show up if we play Houston! An elite offense has to be able to put up runs against elite pitching!”
“Well we didn’t do anything against Corbin last night either. The big issue with this team is we can’t hit elite pitching in the playoffs This is 3 post seasons in a row! The NL MVP is hitting like .150 and striking our three quarters of the time in the post season. Somebody has step up and produce!
“Well we didn’t do anything against Corbin last night either. The big issue with this team is we can’t hit elite pitching in the playoffs This is 3 post seasons in a row! The NL MVP is hitting like .150 and striking our three quarters of the time in the post season. Somebody has step up and produce!”
Just thought I’d hang these Cassidy-isms out there to ferment…
Strasburg followed by Scherzer…Damn Sam… That aint right…