The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
So far, Dodgers unbeatable in playoffs
Darvish, Taylor help put L.A. one win from World Series.
CHICAGO — The Los Angeles Dodgers have a tough lineup, a talented pitching staff and a manager making all the right moves.
Yup, it’s beginning to look a lot like 1988.
Yu Darvish pitched sparkling ball into the seventh inning, Chris Taylor homered again, and the Dodgers beat the Chicago Cubs 6-1 on Tuesday night to open a 3-0 lead in the NL Championship Series.
Andre Ethier also homered and Taylor added an RBI triple in the fifth as Los Angeles improved to 6-0 in this postseason, setting a franchise record for consecutive playoff wins. Yasiel Puig had two more hits in another entertaining performance that included an impressive bat flip — on a long foul ball in the first inning.
“The focus has certainly been heightened in the postseason,” manager Dave Roberts said.
Looking for a four-game sweep and their 22nd pennant, the Dodgers sent Alex Wood to the mound Wednesday night at Wrigley Field with a chance to reach the World Series for the first time since Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda managed Kirk Gibson, Orel Hershiser and Co. to the club’s last championship 29 years ago.
Jake Arrieta, eligible for free agency after the season, pitches for the Cubs in what could be his final start with the team.
“I think we’ve won four games in a row before,” Chicago slugger Kris Bryant said. “Obviously, it’s going to be a tougher road. But it’ll make the story that much better. Can you imagine that?”
Los Angeles was eliminated by Chicago in the NLCS last year, but this is a different group of Dodgers. Their patient lineup is coming up big in key spots and the pitching staff is much deeper, especially since Darvish was acquired in a trade with Texas in the final minutes before the July 31 deadline.
Not even a return to Wrigley could get the Cubs back on track after a rough stay in Los Angeles. Chicago manager Joe Maddon juggled his lineup, inserting Kyle Schwarber into the No. 2 slot and benching slumping second baseman Javier Baez, but the defending World Series champions were shut down by another Dodgers starter and more stellar relief from the NL West champions.
“I really didn’t change much approach-wise from first inning until the end of the game,” Darvish said through a translator. “I just kept pitching the same way.”
Making their third straight appearance in the NLCS, the weary Cubs also hurt themselves with a couple of big mistakes. Carl Edwards Jr. walked Darvish on four pitches with the bases loaded and two outs in the sixth, continuing a rocky postseason for the reliever and leading to a round of boos from a frustrated crowd of 41,871.
A passed ball brought home another run in the eighth, and pinch hitter Kyle Farmer hit a sacrifice fly to make it 6-1.
Darvish departed after striking out Addison Russell in the seventh, pausing for congratulations from his whole infield before heading to the dugout. The Japanese right-hander allowed six hits, including Schwarber’s first-inning homer, in his second career playoff win — both this year. He struck out seven and walked one.
Tony Watson got two outs, Brandon Morrow worked the eighth and Kenley Jansen closed it out after Ross Stripling gave up two hits in the ninth. With Roberts pushing the right buttons, Los Angeles’ bullpen has yet to allow a run in the series.
The only four-game postseason sweep for the Dodgers came in the 1963 World Series against the New York Yankees. If Los Angeles finished off Chicago on Wednesday, the Dodgers would have five days off before hosting the Yankees or Houston Astros in the World Series opener.
“We knew today was the most important game, and now tomorrow’s the most important game,” Ethier said. “We’re going to come out and figure out how to get the job done again.”