NLDS Game 4: Kershaw, Dodgers top Mets 3-1
With three Cy Young awards, an NL MVP, and five All-Star selections, Clayton Kershaw certainly has the tools to become a dominant ace in the postseason, much as he always is in the regular season.
After five consecutive postseason losses for Kershaw, including Game 1 of this year’s Division Series, the star southpaw hushed his critics to silence, pitching seven innings of three-hit, one-run ball over the New York Mets, while walking one and striking out eight. Chris Hatcher and Kenley Jansen would successfully close out the game for the Dodgers, setting both teams up for a decisive Game 5 in Los Angeles on Thursday.
Los Angeles capitalized on an early opportunity in the third inning off of New York lefty Steven Matz, who made his postseason debut in Game 4. A timely two-run, two-out double from Justin Turner gave the Dodgers a 3-0 lead, one they wouldn’t relinquish.
The Mets answered back in the bottom half of the fourth inning with a solo shot from second baseman Daniel Murphy, his second of the postseason, putting the Mets within two. Responding after the home run, Kershaw continued his impressive outing, getting Los Angeles through the seventh inning, an inning in which he has notoriously had trouble with in the postseason, yielding game-winning runs in each of his last three postseason starts.
A resurgent postseason outing from the Dodgers’ ace instills a sense of reassurance, as Los Angeles skipper Don Mattingly used Kershaw on three days’ rest in an elimination game for the second straight year.
The Dodgers’ victory brings the series back to Los Angeles, where the Dodgers will send Cy Young front-runner Zack Greinke to the mound, as they attempt to advance to the National League Championship Series for the second time in the last three seasons. New York will give ace Jacob deGrom the nod, who turned in a stellar performance in Game 1 at Dodger Stadium, striking out thirteen over seven innings, while allowing just five hits and one walk.
The winner of Game 5 awaits the Chicago Cubs in the NLCS, who closed out a series victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday. Home-field advantage will be granted to the winner of this series.