After a four-day layoff, the Los Angeles Dodgers return to the field for Game 1 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.
The Dodgers posted a 4-3 record over the Brewers in the regular season, most notably taking two of three from them on the road in July.
Clayton Kershaw makes his second start of the postseason, as he looks to build off a successful outing against the Atlanta Braves in Game 2 of the NL Division Series. He logged eight shutout innings on only 85 pitches, yielding just two hits with three strikeouts.
Kershaw faced the Brewers twice during the regular season, going 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in 12 innings of work (two starts). In each of those outings, the southpaw logged six innings pitched while yielding two earned runs or less.
In his career at Miller Park, the three-time Cy Young Award winner is 4-1 with a minuscule 1.40 ERA and 0.76 WHIP in 51.1 innings pitched. At the venue, he has accumulated 48 strikeouts against only nine walks.
Overall on the season, Kershaw went 9-5 with a 2.73 ERA, 3.19 FIP and 1.04 WHIP in 26 starts.
The Brewers counter with midseason acquisition Gio Gonzalez, who makes his first postseason start since 2017. The left-hander was 3-0 with a 2.13 ERA, 3.63 FIP and 0.95 WHIP in five regular-season starts for Milwaukee.
While Gonzalez didn’t pitch against the Dodgers during the regular season, he boasts an excellent track record over them. In six career starts, he’s 4-1 with a 1.89 ERA and 1.00 WHIP across 38 innings pitched.
Gonzalez has additionally faced Los Angeles in the postseason, making one start against them in Game 3 of the 2016 NLDS. As a member of the Washington Nationals, he yielded four hits and three runs in 4.1 innings of work, earning a no-decision for his efforts.
Matt Kemp, who gets the start in right field for the Dodgers, has had success against Gonzalez in his career. He has homered off him twice while going 8-for-24 (.333 batting average).
Manny Machado is also hitting .333 against him, going 6-for-18. Machado hit two big home runs for the Dodgers in the NLDS.
The biggest challenge Kershaw will face is likely NL MVP winner Christian Yelich. He is coming off an outstanding season, slashing .326/.402/.598 with 36 home runs and 110 RBI. He has a monster second half, leading all of baseball in just about every statistical category.
Yelich has also worn out Kershaw in his career. He has nine hits in 17 at-bats against him (.529 batting average) while homering twice.
Dodgers lineup:
LF: Chris Taylor
3B: Justin Turner
1B: David Freese
SS: Manny Machado
RF: Matt Kemp
2B: Kiké Hernandez
CF: Cody Bellinger
C: Yasmani Grandal
P: Clayton Kershaw
Brewers lineup:
CF: Lorenzo Cain
RF: Christian Yelich
LF: Ryan Braun
1B: Jesùs Aguilar
2B: Hernan Perez
3B: Mike Moustakas
C: Manny Piña
SS: Orlando Arcia
P: Gio Gonzalez
Want to get your content COMPLETELY AD FREE? Click here to follow us on Apple News!
