Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers mum on who will start Game 4

They had 14 baserunners in the first six innings Sunday afternoon but stranded 11 of them by going 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position – including 0 for 5 in three bases-loaded situations that produced no runs – and lost Game 2 of their National League Division Series to the Washington Nationals, 5-2.

The Nationals lead the best-of-5 series 2-1, with the Dodgers so far averaging 3.0 runs per game and hitting just.220/.304/.360 as a team. “Tomorrow we’ll wake up and this game won’t mean anything”. “We really, really, really needed those runs”.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts explained that he was hesitant to pitch the young Urias on the road in Game 5 instead of the more experienced Kershaw. “You’ve got to have a good bullpen to win and I believe we’ve got a good bullpen”. Solis in particular has been a revelation, tossing four scoreless innings across the first three games.

“If Mother Nature wanted to keep it in the yard, then I guess she would have”, the 2015 NL MVP said, “but the baseball gods overran her, I guess”. “It’s luck or whatever it is”.

“It’s exciting. I guess it could be maybe a little boring at times because they get everybody out”, Rendon said.

Editor’s note: The National League Division Series game between the Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants did not end before press time. Kershaw has gone at least six innings each time, allowing six runs (four earned) in 19 innings with 0.74 WHIP and 23 strikeouts. If you would like to discuss another topic, look for a relevant article.

Washington Nationals’ Jayson Werth hits a solo home run during the ninth inning in Game 3 of baseball’s National League Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Monday, Oct. 10, 2016, in Los Angeles. (General manager) Mike (Rizzo) and I were just talking about that. Bryce Harper delivered a one-out RBI single, and Rendon brought him home with his first career postseason homer. No other starter has even thrown a pitch in a sixth inning. “I never thought it was possible, and I still feel the same way”. Maeda made 32 starts in the regular season and will garner some rookie of the year attention, as his 3.48 ERA/3.58 FIP was more than anyone expected. An offense that ambushed normal Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen in the ninth is sort of relaxing, too.

When Carlos Ruiz cracked the Dodgers’ first postseason pinch-hit homer in Los Angeles since a guy named Kirk Gibson did it a generation ago, the hallowed stadium shook with the possibilities. The victory gave the Nationals a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series. The 1999 Houston Astros went 0-for-6 in a game.

Before the game, third baseman Justin Turner pointed out that, despite the numbers, the Dodgers had defeated Madison Bumgarner, David Price and Matt Moore – a trio of good left-handed starters – this season.

But the Nationals bullpen and plenty of left-handed pitching in their arsenal and threw two different southpaws at the Dodgers before relying on right-handers Shawn Kelley and Mark Melancon. Adrian Gonzalez, Yasmani Grandal, Josh Reddick and Joc Pederson have combined for eight hits in 43 at-bats-none for extra bases. “They haven’t done anything different, they’ve just outplayed us”.

“I know that he’s open to the idea of going on short rest but it’s something he hasn’t done”, Roberts said Monday. “Once I saw (Moreland) miss the pick, I felt like I had to take a chance right there”. “If that ball didn’t get out, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to do it”. Given how much the Dodgers’ bullpen worked in Game 3, it would seem to be a tall task to ask them to cover another five-plus innings.

With the NLDS tied 1-1, Game 3 becomes critical, as the losing team will then be facing elimination in Game 4.