After two games, the 2018 NLCS is tied and what a pair of exciting games it has been. In game one, The Brewers knocked around Clayton Kershaw and chased out of the game him early. Kershaw’s final numbers for the night? Three innings pitched, six hits, two walks, five runs, 74 pitches thrown. However not all hope was lost for the Dodgers. Trailing 6-1 in the eighth inning, they picked up three runs when shortstop Manny Machado singled to left center, scoring Joc Pederson and Chris Taylor. Matt Kemp then singled to center, scoring Max Muncy. They picked up another run in the ninth inning when Chris Taylor tripled to right field, scoring Joc Pederson. The Dodgers’ comeback came up one run short as Corey Knebel settled down on the mound, and finished the game with the Brewers winning 6-5.
Game two started out the same as game one, with Milwaukee jumping on Dodgers starting pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu early on a pair of home runs by Orlando Arcia and Travis Shaw. However, game two tells a much different story late. Two of the Brewers best relievers, Corbin Burnes and Jeremy Jeffress fell apart in the seventh and eighth innings. After Cody Bellinger singled to score Max Muncy, Knebel loaded the bases and walked in run two. He was replaced with Jeremy Jeffress who got through the rest of the seventh. In the eighth though, following a Chris Taylor walk, Justin Turner hit a home run to left field, giving the Dodgers the lead. Kenley Jansen picked up the save in the night.
Right now the Dodgers have to be very feeling relieved. Since the Brewers smacked Clayton Kershaw around in game one, it gave the team the confidence it probably needed. The Brewers have to take a deep breath, and relax. They only need one win in Los Angeles and they have the best bullpen in the league right now. A solid bullpen can help the team with road wins in the postseason.
For the Dodgers, up until game time today, we wondered if after only throwing 74 pitches in game one, Clayton Kershaw would ask Dave Roberts for the ball in game three. That way, he can pitch game seven on full rest if it goes that far. Either way, if this series goes seven games, we will see Kershaw two more times. So the Dodgers have to be thinking that in one of the three games Kershaw doesn’t pitch, they need to get closer Kenley Jansen the lead one time.
For the Brewers, the question now is, do they hope lightning strikes twice facing Kershaw, or do they focus on the three games he won’t pitch if it got to seven? If they focus on the latter that means Ryan Braun and Christian Yelich are going to have to figure out how to time Walker Buehler’s 99 mile per hour wipeout fastball and knock it out of the park once or twice. If they don’t face Buehler then they will face the curveball specialist Rich Hill who the Brewers don’t match up well with either. Whatever way you want to look at it, this is shaping up to be a great NLCS.
