NLDS Game 4 Recap: Kershaw Crosses Hurdle, Dodgers To See Game 5
With the Chicago Cubs having punched their ticket to the National League Championship Series on Tuesday, the New York Mets looked to do the same by defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of the NL Division Series at Citi Field.
Steven Matz began his start on the right foot, retiring the side in order in the first inning. Meanwhile, Clayton Kershaw, starting on three days’ rest, issued a full-count walk to David Wright with one out, after retiring Curtis Granderson on a full count.
Kershaw retired Daniel Murphy and Yoenis Cespedes to get out of the first inning unscathed. Corey Seager worked a one-out walk in the second inning, but he was stranded by Yasiel Puig and A.J. Ellis. Kershaw was sharper in the bottom of the second, retiring all three batters faced, including the last two by strikeout.
Kershaw collected the game’s first hit by smacking a Matz curveball to left-center field in the third inning. Kiké Hernandez grounded into a force out, with Kershaw getting erased at second base, but a Dodgers’ two-out rally followed.
Adrian Gonzalez dropped a bloop RBI single into center field, then Justin Turner extended the Dodgers’ lead to 3-0 with a two-run double down the left field line. The Mets went down quietly in the bottom of the third.
A.J. Ellis lined a base hit out of Wilmer Flores’ reach in the fourth inning, though Matz went on to retire the next two batters to get out of the inning. Murphy broke up Kershaw’s no-hitter with a one-out solo home run in the bottom of the fourth and cut the Dodgers’ lead to 3-1.
The home run was Murphy’s second of the series off Kershaw. The Dodgers’ ace limited the damage, and quieted the Citi Field crowd by retiring the next two batters.
CONTINUE READING: Clayton Kershaw Crosses Hurdle, Kenley Jansen Works Out Of Trouble
