Clayton Kershaw Had No Issues Over Not Getting Game 1 Start

The Dodgers where 10 games under.500 on May 16th after a 6-5 loss to the Miami Marlins.

Right-hander Dylan Floro induced Ozzie Albies, the only batter he faced, to end the game after left-hander Alex Wood allowed two-out singles to Nick Markakis and Tyler Flores in the ninth. He became the Braves’ first runner to reach third base in the series on Johan Camargo’s groundout to Kershaw. In seven postseason appearances, he is 2-4 with a 2.79 ERA.

“Never, to be honest”. It will be an important game for Atlanta as they attempt to bring back a relevant series to SunTrust Park. He was 1-for-4 with the homer and two runs scored. Atlanta pitchers are holding opponents to just a.229 batting average this season. The blast came after a regular season when Pederson had 25 home runs, including eight leadoff homers. “I’m going to go full throttle from the very first pitch in the very first inning”. Justin Turner began the first two months of the season trying to get healthy after breaking his wrist.

Muncy led the Dodgers with 35 home runs this season and was one of seven players to hit more than 20.

“I have seen a much better effort from our guys”, said Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts, taking the pragmatic view of his team’s plate approach in recent weeks. “I don’t really think of it like that”. “He got hurt quick, really. But I mean, sometimes a home run does the job”. “It’s just the result of a good approach”. “I just want my teammates to want me out there”.

Snitker’s overall assessment of his team? If it does and he has to pitch, then we’ll adjust and regroup from there.

“And I think guys now, since we have experienced it, they’ve been through a lot, they’ve come back a lot all year”, he said. Enrique Hernandez went 1-for-3 with a solo home run plus a walk. Hyun-Jin Ryu threw seven shutout innings of four-hit ball with eight strikeouts and no walks to record the win. That would leave Kevin Gausman and Julio Teheran as the likely starters.

Lefty Clayton Kershaw will start Game 2 for Los Angeles, and it’s the first time since 2009 that Kershaw didn’t open the playoffs for the Dogers. “It was nice to get the first game out of the way”.

Los Angeles can sweep the best-of-five series in Game 3 on Sunday in Atlanta, where the Baby Braves will be looking to score for the first time this post-season.

Anibal Sanchez (7-6, 2.83 ERA) will start tonight for Atlanta, while Los Angeles turns to Kershaw (9-5, 2.73).

“This year I’ve pitched with an extra day a lot more than in years past”, Kershaw said.

Statistics indicate pitchers are less effective the third time they face the opposing lineup. “Just because we started off hot, no one thought we would continue being that good and we did the whole season”. “But to not let it influence his mind or psyche, that doesn’t surprise me”.