[시사포커스 / 이근우 기자] The Los Angeles Dodgers are on the verge of advancing to the World Series for the second year in a row.
The Dodgers won a 5-2 victory against the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2018 Major League National League Championship Series (NLCS, 7 matches) held at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, USA on the 18th (Korean time).
The Dodgers, who had been pushed down to 1 win and 2 losses until the 3rd game on the 16th, went up to 13th game overtime in the 4th game, and 16 pitchers including the starting pitcher were put in both teams. In the end, the Dodgers win 2-1 with Cody Bellinger’s ending hit, and Julio Urias became the winning pitcher.
In the 5th game, Clayton Kershaw played 7 innings, 3 hits, 9 strikeouts, 2 walks and 1 run. Kershaw, who lost 9-5 this season, with an average ERA of 2.73 and missed the double-digit multiplier, made a debut in the second leg after giving the first starter to Ryu Hyun-jin in the division series as well.
Milwaukee starter Wald Miley, on the other hand, was beaten by throwing five balls against lead batter Bellinger and allowing an on-base walk. Brandon Woodruff, who started as the second pitcher, struggled with 5 ⅓ innings, 5 hits, 8 strikeouts, 1 walk and 2 runs, but was unable to provide much strength at the other line.
In the beginning of the third inning, Milwaukee advanced with Lorenzo Kane’s timely doubles from 1st and 2nd with a hit from Orlando Arcia and a Woodruff walk. However, as Kershaw did not allow any more runs, the defeat was thickened from the end of the 5th inning.
At the end of the 5th inning, Austin Barnes’ timely hit at the end of the 1st and 3rd base, Justin Turner’s hit in the 6th inning, and Manny Machado’s dead end. Puig scored an additional RBI.
At the end of the 7th inning, the Dodgers walked by Kershaw’s walk and Turner’s timely hit with Bellinger’s double at 1, 2nd and 3rd, and Brian Dozer’s ground ball at 1st 2nd and 3rd base widened to 5-1 .
Milwaukee managed to make up for one point with Curtis Granderson’s doubles in second base in the early ninth inning. Eventually, the Dodgers finisher Kenley Jansen made the appearance, and Mike Mustacus was struck out with a missed swing and made his second save in the postseason with ⅓innings.
On the other hand, the Dodgers advanced with 3 wins and 2 losses, leaving only 1 win until advancing to the World Series for 2 consecutive years, and the advance to the World Series will naturally fall into the hands of Hyun-jin Ryu in the 6th game on the 20th.