The Los Angeles Dodgers will again try Thursday to move within one victory of their first World Series berth since 1988 when they face the Chicago Cubs in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series at Dodger Stadium.
The pitching matchup will be a rematch of Game 1, with the Dodgers’ 28- year-old Japanese rookie right-hander Kenta Maeda opposing Cubs left-hander Jon Lester.
Neither figured in the decision when Chicago won 8-4 Saturday at Wrigley Field. Maeda allowed three runs on four hits in four innings in his first game against the Cubs while Lester allowed one run and four hits in six innings.
Maeda is 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in his two postseason starts and he acknowledged Wednesday that “I haven’t been pitching well.”
“I’m not going to be too careful,” Maeda said through an interpreter. “I’m going to be very aware of the hitters who are hot and who are hitting well. I think this time around I can … better imagine how I’m going to get these guys out. I remember how each hitter reacted to a certain pitch, so I’m going to base off that when I pitch again.”
To Dodger manager Dave Roberts, the key for Maeda is “getting ahead of the hitters.”
“If he can get ahead of the hitters and expand, he’s really good,” Roberts said. “But I think with any pitcher, if you start working behind and hitters start smelling blood, it gets to be a little tougher.”
Chicago defeated the Dodgers 10-2 Wednesday at Dodger Stadium, tying the best-of-seven series at two games a piece.
The Cubs took control by scoring four runs in the fourth inning — ending a streak of 21 consecutive scoreless innings — then put the game out of reach by scoring five times in the sixth, after Justin Turner’s two-run single in the fifth cut the deficit to 5-2.
Chicago got 13 hits off six Dodger pitchers and the Dodgers committed four errors, their most in a postseason game since Oct. 8, 1974, when they committed five in a 7-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates in Game 3 of the NLCS.
“It happens and obviously it’s more magnified in the postseason,” Roberts said. “We haven’t had a game like that in a long time. I think for us it’s one of those things you’ve got to brush off and get ready for tomorrow.”
Dodger 20-year-old rookie left-hander Julio Urias Wednesday became the youngest starting pitcher in Major League Baseball postseason history, allowing four runs and four hits in 3 2/3 innings and being charged with the loss.
“I thought he had really good stuff,” Roberts said. “Just that inning got away from us, but it was just the bunt base hit and a couple flares.”
The Dodgers had a chance to score the first run in the bottom of the second, but Adrian Gonzalez was called out at home plate by umpire Angel Hernandez when he attempted to score from second on Andrew Toles’ single, a called upheld upon video review.
“I was pretty certain that it was going to be reversed, but those guys in New York, they’ve got a job to do and obviously they saw it the other way,” Roberts said.
“I’m a big believer in momentum and certain plays. You look back tonight and some plays shifted the momentum. To get a lead would have been big for us.”
Former Dodger standout first basemen Steve Garvey and Eric Karros will throw Game 5’s ceremonial first pitches.
U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Kristopher Andrew Rouse of Murrieta will be honored as the military hero of the game. Rouse was deployed to Al Anbar Province in Iraq in 2008. He is now a program specialist with the Marine Corps Recruiting Station in Riverside.
The acoustic guitar duo Everett Coast will perform in the left-field reserve area and a face painter and balloon artist will be in the left-field plaza area from 3-5 p.m.
DJ Adam will provide musical entertainment in the right-field plaza and the Angel City Dixieland Band will perform in the right-field reserve area from 3-5 p.m.
Auto gates and stadium gates will open at 2:08 p.m. The Dodgers will conduct batting practice from 2:25-3:25 p.m. and the Cubs from 3:30-4:20 p.m. The first pitch is set for 5:08 p.m.
Fans are being encouraged to arrive early and to carpool or use an alternative transportation service. The Dodger Stadium Express will begin service from Union Station and the South Bay 2 1/2 hours before game time.
Game 6 will be played Saturday in Chicago. Game 7, if necessary, would be played Sunday in Chicago.
