Kershaw lifts Dodgers to 3-2 lead
Bradley, Red Sox bash Astros, move within one win of World Series
LOS ANGELES/HOUSTON (Reuters) – Clayton Kershaw used an old-school approach Wednesday as the Los Angeles Dodgers dispatched the new-age Milwaukee Brewers to move one victory away from their second consecutive World Series appearance.
Leaning heavily on his breaking pitches, Kershaw struck out nine over seven innings as the Dodgers earned a 5-2 victory, with the National League Championship Series now shifting to Milwaukee for Game 6 on Friday.
The defending NL champion Dodgers took a 3-2 advantage in the best-of-seven series as they aim to take part in consecutive World Series for the first time since 1977-78.
“To go back to Milwaukee up 3-2 as opposed to being down 3-2 is huge for us,” Kershaw said. “It’s a tough place to play. It’s a great team. And it’s been a battle every single game we’ve played them so far, and we don’t expect anything different when we go back. We’re in a much better spot now because of today, and I’m glad I was able to contribute today.”
Brewers left-hander Wade Miley will make his second consecutive start in Game 6. Miley started Game 5 but faced just one batter, walking Cody Bellinger on five pitches. He gave way to righthander Brandon Woodruff as the Brewers aimed to skew the percentages ever so slightly in their favor.
The Dodgers appeared to sense a bit of deception was approaching as manager Dave Roberts started left-handed hitters Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy. Neither started in Game 2 against Miley. The tip-off likely came when the Brewers stayed away from Woodruff on Tuesday in a 13-inning game.
“Well, obviously our lineup today was different than the other lineup when we faced Miley, so you’ve got to prepare for the unexpected,” Roberts said. “So I liked where we were at... it was very unconventional, but we were prepared for anything.”
The one-batter-and-done plan was the Brewers’ strategy all along. Brewers manager Craig Counsell admitted that he was in search of the Dodgers’ righty lineup when he made the plan to flip Miley for Woodruff early in Game 5. Miley said he had no qualms with the move.
“It’s not my job to question it,” Miley said. “We’re trying to get to the World Series, and the strategic side of it can be a pretty good idea the way they use their bench over there. I was in. Everybody bought in.”
In the ALCS, Jackie Bradley Jr. struck the decisive blow for a third consecutive game, and the Boston Red Sox inched one win closer to claiming the American League pennant with an 8-6 victory over the Houston Astros in Game 4 of the AL Championship Series on Wednesday.
Bradley belted a first-pitch change-up from Astros righthander Josh James (0-1) into the right field seats with two outs in the sixth inning, the two-run homer giving the Red Sox a 6-5 lead.
Boston held on to claim a 3-1 series lead before Thursday’s game at Minute Maid Park.
James had limited the Red Sox to one run after entering in relief of right-hander Charlie Morton with one out in the third inning. However, after recording two quick outs in the sixth, James surrendered a double to Christian Vazquez before Bradley pounced on James’ off-speed offering. The flame-throwing James averaged 99.4 mph over 23 fastballs.
The home run was Bradley’s second in as many games and his third game-altering extra-base hit in the series. He slugged an eighth-inning grand slam in Boston’s 8-2 Game 3 win and hit a third-inning, three-run double in the Red Sox’s 7-5 Game 2 victory.
Boston tacked on insurance runs in the seventh and eighth to set the stage for a series clincher against Astros ace Justin Verlander.