Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
After sweeping D’backs, Dodgers scary in NLCS
Fast playoff start makes 1-16 slide a distant memory
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers’ 1-16 skid from late August into September seemed strange while it was happening. After spending all summer as the most resilient, resourceful team in baseball, the Dodgers suddenly stopped scoring the extra runs and earning the late-game breaks that had made them so dominant.
When the 104-win Dodgers swept the Diamondbacks and into the NL Championship Series with a 3-1 victory late Monday night, that late-season slump looked even more inexplicable.
The Dodgers have flipped their switch back on again, and that should worry every prospective opponent of this highpriced, high-powered dynamo.
After four days off, the Dodgers will host the opener of the NLCS on Saturday night. It will be their fifth NLCS in 10 years.
The Dodgers earned an extended break with their one-sided series victory over the Diamondbacks, one of the few teams to give them consistent trouble in the regular season.
“You look at the three games in the series, and they’re all team wins,” said manager Dave Roberts. “From the first pitch, there was a plan in place, and we executed. We were relentless every single pitch.”
The last four times the Dodgers played for the NL pennant in the last decade, they came up short of their first World Series since 1988. But the Dodgers earned their fifth straight RESULTS
Dodgers 9, Diamondbacks 5
Dodgers 8, Diamondbacks 5
Dodgers 3, Diamondbacks 1 NL West title, racked up the best record in baseball and then swept past the Diamondbacks to get back in position for their best shot yet at the Fall Classic.
“It’s just about doing your part,” closer Kenley Jansen said. “We were here last year, and you saw how close we got. It hurts. We’ve got to admit it. We know how good we are, and we know we fell short. We’ve been talking about this since January. From spring training, we’ve been talking about winning a championship. We know how hard it is, and we aren’t taking anything for granted. We’re going to keep grinding.”
The sweep allows Roberts to set his rotation in any way he chooses. Clayton Kershaw can start the NLCS opener Saturday on seven days’ rest, with Rich Hill, Yu Darvish and Alex Wood all rested and ready to take their turns.