Although there are still a couple of days until the Cubs resume their postseason run, there is baseball to be player, and it will have a significant impact on the Cubs.
Tonight, for example, the Los Angeles Dodgers head to the nation’s capital to take on the Washington Nationals.
The Nats are sending their ace, Max Scherzer, to the mound in the clincher after he pitched (and lost) game one against Clayton Kershaw. Although he lasted just 6.0 innings and gave up four earned runs (on two homers), Scherzer didn’t walk anybody and struck five batters out. He is by far the best option for the Nationals and the very clear choice for the elimination/clincher game.
Opposing Scherzer is not, however, the Dodgers’ game one starter, Clayton Kershaw – who pitched in Tuesday’s Game Four, a must-win for the Dodgers. Instead, LA will send renaissance man, former Cub, lefty Rich Hill to the mound. Hill threw in Game Two (four days ago), but only made 82 pitches, so he should be good to go by tonight.
The winner of tonight’s game will head to Wrigley Field this Saturday, to begin the 2016 NLCS. I’m partial to the Nationals (in terms of a beneficial Cubs match-up), but I’m open to suggestions.
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Game Info
Los Angeles Dodgers at Washington Nationals (Series Tied 2-2) – 7:00 CT on FS1
Game Thread and Series Preview
No Series Preview for this one. Your game thread is down in the comments, so let’s have some good, clean (safe-for-work) fun, eh?
Starting Pitchers
Dodgers: Rich Hill (L): 2.12 ERA, 2.39 FIP, 3.36 xFIP; 3.91 K/BB
versus
Nationals: Max Scherzer (R): 2.96 ERA, 3.24 FIP, 2.37 xFIP; 5.07 K/BB
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Los Angeles Dodgers:
- Chase Utley, 2B
- Corey Seager, SS
- Justin Turner, 3B
- Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
- Josh Reddick, RF
- Joc Pederson, CF
- Yasmani Grandal, C
- Andrew Toles, LF
- Rich Hill, P
Washington Nationals:
- Trea Turner, CF
- Bryce Harper, RF
- Jayson Werth, LF
- Daniel Murphy, 2B
- Anthony Rendon, 3B
- Ryan Zimmerman, 1B
- Danny Espinosa, SS
- Jose Lobaton, C
- Max Scherzer, P