Win Or Go Home

So a 4 day absence from writing and what did we miss? Well, the Dodgers/Nationals series went from a 1-0 lead for the Dodgers to a 2-2 tie heading back to LA for Game 5. Let’s dig in!

Game 2 was… frustrating. The Dodgers sent out the best pitcher in the game in Clayton Kershaw to hopefully lock up a 2-0 series lead, but Kershaw’s October woes continued as he got rocked in the 1st and 2nd innings for a 3-0 Nationals lead. The Dodgers offense was eerily quiet, but that should be partly attributed to the brilliant pitching of Stephen Strasburg, who had Dodgers batters guessing all night. The Dodgers would claw back to make it a 4-2 game going into the bottom of the 9th, where they loaded the bases on Closer Daniel Hudson. With 2 outs, and the doubles leader Corey Seager up to bat, it looked like the Dodgers had some magic left in the tank to pull of the win, but Seager struck out on a low and inside slider to even the series at 1 game a piece.

The Dodgers hadn’t lost back to back games since the beginning of September, and in Game 3 they came into Washington ready to prove they wouldn’t let it happen again. Max Muncy homered in the top of the 5th to cut the Nationals 2-0 lead in half (they took said lead off a 2 run bomb by Juan Soto in the top of the 1st). Then, in the top of the 6th, the Dodger offense finally woke up, pounding Starter turned Relief Pitcher Patrick Corbin for 7 earned runs to blow it open 8-2. The game would finish 10-4, with the Dodgers taking a 2-1 lead and putting Washinton’s back up against the wall.

Outside of a 1st inning home run by Justin Turner, Game 4 proved to be equally as frustrating as Game 2 did, with the Dodgers offense suddenly going to sleep at the worst of times.

A well pitched game by Crazy Eyed Max Scherzer and a 3 run shot by Ryan Zimmerman silenced the Dodgers, as they would end up losing Game 4 by a score of 6-1. The series is tied. We’re going back to Los Angeles.

The Dodgers are no strangers to Playoff Rubber Matches. Just last year the Milwaukee Brewers took them to Game 7 in the NLCS. This team has what it takes to dig down, focus, and go out to do what needs to be done. Now we just have to see if they can execute their game plan against Stephen Strasburg, who all but shut them down in Game 2. Can they pull it off? We’ll find out tomorrow.

Talk to you in the next one!

Love,
Devin