Home-field advantage in the National League Division Series may be decided by late Saturday afternoon. Both the Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Nationals begin play at 1:05 p.m. PT, with Washington’s number to secure homefield down to one.
The Dodgers look to do their part in living to fight another day behind Clayton Kershaw in what’s his final start before Friday’s Game 1 of the NLDS. Kershaw this season is 12-3 with a 1.65 ERA, 1.67 FIP and 0.71 WHIP in 20 starts.
Among pitchers with 125 or more innings this year, Kershaw leads the Majors in ERA, WHIP, strikeout-to-walk ratio (16.80), and opponents’ batting average (.182).
He’s allowed three runs (two earned) in 21 innings pitched over four starts since being reinstated from the 60-day disabled list.
Kershaw is unbeaten in his last six starts against the Giants, going 4-0 with a 1.34 ERA since Sept. 2, 2015. He’s a career 18-7 with a 1.58 ERA against San Francisco, including a 10-3 mark and 1.30 ERA at AT&T Park.
Kershaw is opposed by rookie Ty Blach, and it’s no accident Giants manager Bruce Bochy sends another southpaw to the mound. Against left-handed pitching, the Dodgers rank last in the Majors in on-base percentage (.294), slugging (.339), wOBA (.279) and wRC+ (75).
But, Los Angeles is 22-22 in games started by a lefty, which manager Dave Roberts views as the most important statistic. The Giants will complete the trifecta with Matt Moore on Sunday, making it the fourth straight game the Dodgers face a left-handed starter.
Blach has allowed two runs on five hits, including one home run, in nine innings pitched over three games (one start) with the Giants. He’s gone three innings in each of his games, and allowed both runs this season as a starter.
The 25-year-old went 14-7 with a 3.43 ERA in 26 starts with Triple-A Sacramento. Blach faces a Dodgers lineup that features plenty of everyday players. Most notably, Adrian Gonzalez, Joc Pederson and Chase Utley return after each sat in the series opener.
Dodgers lineup:
LF: Howie Kendrick
3B: Justin Turner
SS: Corey Seager
RF: Yasiel Puig
1B: Adrian Gonzalez
C: Yasmani Grandal
CF: Joc Pederson
2B: Chase Utley
P: Clayton Kershaw
Giants lineup:
CF: Gorkys Hernandez
1B: Brandon Belt
C: Buster Posey
RF: Hunter Pence
LF: Angel Pagan
SS: Brandon Crawford
3B: Gordon Beckham
2B: Joe Panik
P: Ty Blach
