The Milwaukee Brewers got to Clayton Kershaw for 5 runs over 3 innings last night, but it ended up being the run that they got off of Julio Urias in the bottom of the 7th inning that proved to be the difference as they held on to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-5 in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series.
Kershaw threw 74 pitches 53 of them for strikes in his 3 innings of work. He gave up 6 hits one of which was a home run. He struck out 2 while walking 2 and 5 of the 6 runs he gave up where earned.
The Dodgers staked Kershaw to a 1-0 lead when Manny Machado hit a lead off home run in the Top of the 2nd inning off of Brewers starter Gio Gonzalez. That was the one hit and the only run that Gonzalez allowed in his 2 innings of work as the Brewers went to their bullpen early as they’ve done through the playoffs.
Brandon Woodruff was the first of 6 pitchers to come out of the Milwaukee bullpen and not only did he throw 2 scoreless innings; striking out 4 he also tied the game with a solo home run off of Kershaw to lead off the Bottom of the 3rd inning. After the home run the Brewers loaded the bases against Kershaw with just one out. Hernan Perez gave Milwaukee the lead they’d never relinquish with a sacrifice fly to centerfield to make it a 2-1 game.
The Brewers where able to stretch their lead in the Top of the 4th. Kershaw started the inning on the mound, but after a walk two singles and an error that allowed 2 runs to score Ryan Madson came out of the Dodgers bullpen to replace Kershaw. Madson got the first two batters he faced out, but after Domingo Santana stole 2nd base Ryan Braun singled him home t make the Milwaukee lead 5-1.
The game stayed at 5-1 as both teams bullpen held down the others line up until the Bottom of the 7th inning. Urias came out of the Dodgers bullpen and was greeted by a home run off the bat of Jesus Aguilar to make it a 6-1 game.
Xavier Cedeno was on the mound to start the Top of the 8th inning for the Brewers and with a 5-run lead and a bullpen that had been lights out in the playoffs it looked as though this game was a lock for the Brewers, but the Dodgers had other ideas.
Yasmani Grandal led off the inning with a singled, but was forced out at 2nd base on a Joc Pedersen fielders choice. Joakim Soria came out of the Brewers bullpen and was greeted by a Chris Taylor single before recording the 2nd out of the inning on a strikeout. Max Muncy worked a walk to load the bases and the Brewers went to the bullpen again for Jeremy Jeffress. Machado singled to drive in 2 runs to make it a 6-3 game; Matt Kemp followed with a single of his own to drive in another run and make it a 6-4 game before Jeffress struck out Yasiel Puig to end the inning.
Jeffress has been closing games for the Brewers, but Craig Counsell decided not to stretch Jeffress into a second inning and instead turned to former closer Corey Knebel to close out the game.
Knebel got the first two betters he faced in the Top of the 9th on a ground out and a strikeout. With two outs Pedersen worked a work. That was followed by a Chris Taylor triple to make it a one run game at 6-5. With the game tying run just 90 feet away Knebel was able to get the final out with a strikeout of Justin Turner to pick u the save and give the Brewers a 6-5 Game 1 win.
After a Friday night game the Dodgers and Brewers turn right around and play an afternoon game on Saturday. Today’s game is set to start at 2:09 p.m. Central time. Hyun-Jin Ryu makes the Game 2 start for the Dodgers who’ll be looking to even the series while the Brewers will use Wade Miley as their starting pitcher.
The teams combined to use 11 relievers in last nights game; so it will be interesting to see how long they’ll allow either starting pitcher to go.
Can the Dodgers even the series this afternoon or will the Brewers take the first two games at home?
Now after his start I saw some people really getting on Kershaw. I actually saw one poll about if he or David Price was the worst post season pitcher. Now this is a quick turnaround which upset fans will do considering that Kershaw is coming off an outing where he pitched 8 scoreless innings against he Colorado Rockies in the NLDS.
Kershaw has pitched 133 post season innings and has an 8-8 record with 1 save and 1 hold. He has a post season ERA of 4.26 and has struck out 144 batters while walking 39.
The ERA is a little higher than most people would like for a pitcher like Kershaw, but he has taken a loss in four games than where decided by two runs or less. With a little offense Kershaw could have a 12-4 post season record and I don’t think people would be talking about him being one of the worst post season pitchers ever.
You’d have to think that as long as the Dodgers can win a game in the NLCS Kershaw will get another opportunity to make a post season start against the Brewers. Will he have the same struggles he had in Game 1 or will we see the Kershaw that spun a gem against the Rockies in the Division Series. You also have to wonder if the Dodgers can extend the series to seven games would we get a Kershaw start in a Game 7 on short rest?
Of course this all hinges on the Dodgers being able to beat a Milwaukee team that has won 8 games in a row to end the regular season and now have a 4 game winning streak in the post season.
Does the Brewers streak continue this afternoon? Or will the Dodgers find a way to end it?
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