The Los Angeles Dodgers are just a win from tying the NLCS as the series is currently 2-1 in favor of the St. Louis Cardinals. Listen to Game 4 online for free as ESPN brings you the live radio stream as first pitch is a little after 8 p.m. ET.
The Dodgers might have built momentum after their 3-0 Game 3 victory over the Cardinals. Not only where they making solid contact, hitting balls to the gap, they capitalized on Cardinal miscues all night long. Specifically, the miscues came from center fielder, Jon Jay, who could only manage to get leather on the ball. At times, he and Carlos Beltran could not communicate and the Dodgers found themselves with an extra base-hit.
Mark Ellis, Adrian Gonzalez and Yasiel Puig all had extra base hits in the big fifth inning that saw the Dodgers plate two runs. Hanley Ramirez could not make if four consecutive hits, but he managed to move Ellis to third before Gonzalez sent a soft liner to right field. However, Ramirez got his in the bottom of the eighth, blooping a single over the head of second baseman, Colten Wong. Ramirez, who has a bad rib, finished the game 2-4, bringing back his bat to the Dodgers' lineup who has struggled throughout the series.
Magnifying the victory was the Dodgers' success against the Cardinals' ace, Adam Wainwright. It looked as though the Cardinals were surely going to win this one as the righty had allowed two earned runs in 16 innings pitched this postseason. Instead, the Dodgers won the game and made it a series.
On the mound today will be two wild cards; Lance Lynn for the Cardinals and Ricky Nolasco for the Dodgers. Lynn was bullied by the Pittsburgh PIrates in his first start this postseason. He gave up five earned runs in 4.1 innings, though striking out six Pirates. In a relief appearance in Game 1, Lynn pitched two innings, allowing a hit and a walk to the Dodgers. As a result, he was rewarded with the victory as Carlos Beltran sent everybody home with a game-ending liner to right field.
Nolasco, on the other hand, is a wild card because he has yet to pitch in the postseason. In fact, as a life long member of the Marlins' organization, prior to joining the Dodgers, Nolasco is in the postseason for the first time in his career. Not many were impressed by his struggles at the end of the season as the righty went 0-2 with a 12.75 ERA. It was a hurrendous conclusion to an otherwise fair 13-11 season.
