12-12-2018, 08:23 AM
NEW YORK This is familiar territory for the Dodgers, the National League Division Series playing out for them exactly as it did last year in the macro sense, even if the details have been slightly different along the way.Lose Game 1 at home with Clayton Kershaw on the mound. Win Game 2 at home with Zack Greinke on the mound. Lose Game 3 on the road with Not Kershaw Or Greinke on the mound. Send Kershaw to the mound on three days rest for Game 4.MORE: Top NLDS photos | Kershaw says MLB 'bullied' into suspending Utley| Mets fans rain boos on UtleyThe result last year was a 3-2 lo s to the Cardinals, as the eventual Cy Young winner and MVP gave up a three-run homer to Matt Adams on his 102nd and final pitch. On Monday, Kershaw was asked whether he learned anything from Troy Tulowitzki Jersey that experience, going into his first start on short rest since that season-ending defeat.Not really, he said. I mean, I think, you know, the adrenaline takes over. You dont really feel tired or anything like that. Its the playoffs. So it doesnt really obviously, your routines change a little bit, different things like that, but as far as being prepared, being ready for it, Ill be fine come (Tuesday).As much as he has struggled in his postseason career, going 1-6 with a 4.99 ERA that includes three runs over 6 2/3innings while taking the lo s in Game 1 of this series against the Mets, you can never count out Kershaw. But Toronto Blue Jays Youth Cool Base Jersey if there is a real advantage for the Dodgers heading into Game 4 following their 13-7 drubbing at the hands of New York in Game 3, it is something unexpected.Three games of facing young Mets fireballers havegiven the Dodgers the chance to adjust their timing. In the past 11 innings, Los Angeles has scored 11 runs, including three in five innings against Matt Harvey on Monday night.Me and (center fielder Enrique Hernandez) were talking about it (Monday), and it definitely seemed like we were seeing Harveys fastball way too good, said Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal, whose two-RBI single in the second inning gave Los Angeles a lead it would relinquish in the bottom of the inning, never to reclaim the lead. You dont usually do that. But, then again, we faced (Noah) Syndergaard, who was 99-101 Jose Bautista Flex Base Scarlet Jersey the day before, and that kind of makes it easy easier, not easy. Definitely, you definitely get used to it.The Dodgers will face a fourth straight starter on Tuesday who is capable of bringing heat at 95-plus, rookie Steven Matz. The difference between Matz and the three pitchers who preceded himHarvey, Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom is that he is left-handed. Matz also has pitched a total of six times in the major leagues, for 35 2/3 innings, and not since Sept. 24. He did face the Dodgers on July 5 in Los Angeles, allowing only two hits and two walks with eight strikeouts in six scorele s frames.I get butterflies before every start, Matz said. You know, you want to go out there Marcus Stroman Jersey and do well. But at this point, Im taking the emotions out of it, treating it like any other game. You prepare for this point, so thats what Im going to do.Matz has his media answers down well enough that its impo sible to gauge how hes really feeling, but facing a rookie who thrives on high velocity, after three straight pitchers who thrive on high velocity, should make the Dodgers feel better about their chances.The one i sue is that this will be the fourth time this year the Mets have seen Kershaw, and New York did a good job in Game 1 of running deep counts to wear him down and eventually get him out of the game after113 pitches with two out in the seventh inning. Kershaw dominated the Braves for six innings in Game 4 of the division series two years ago after having thrown 124 pitches three days earlier, but the point for New York is to be able to wear him down again, and its lineup has come together to be good enough to do things like set a team record for runs in a playoff game, as happened on Monday night.Weve been doing a lot better, said catcher Travis dArnaud, whose two-run homer took a one-run margin to three in the third inning. You've got to give credit to K-Long (hitting coach Kevin Long) and Sixer (a sistant hitting coach Pat Roe sler, who Joe Carter Jersey wears No. 6), though. Theyve been with us all year and theyve been preaching, Trust the proce s. Trust the proce s and the results will come, and thats exactly whats been happening.It happened in a big way in Game 3. If it happens again against Kershaw, the Dodgers season will be over in four games in the Division Series, same as last year.