Editorials

Dodgers-Cardinals NLCS Game 3 X-Factor: Adrian Gonzalez

The Dodgers find themselves in an 0-2 hole before tonight’s Game 3 at Dodgers Stadium after spoiling great outings from their two aces over the weekend in St. Louis.

Despite the great pitching performances by Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers have been unable to give them the run support that they needed and have struggled on offense, especially with runners in scoring position. The team has scored just two runs in the two games combined while hitting just .063 with runners in scoring position, after scoring 26 runs in their 3-1 series victory over the Braves in the NLDS.



The Dodgers desperately need someone to come up big with RISP and even with Hanley Ramirez and Andre Ethier in the lineup, coupled together with Yasiel Puig scuffling in the series, Adrian Gonzalez will have to be that man.

Gonzalez has been the Dodgers’ most consistent hitter all year, batting .293 with 22 home runs and 100 RBIs during the regular season and .304 with one home run and four RBIs in the postseason.

In the NLCS, Gonzalez is just 1-5 with three strikeouts after he was taken out of Game 1 in favor of pinch runner Dee Gordon. With the scene shifting to Dodger Stadium for the next three games, Gonzalez will need to be the glue he’s been all season long to keep the Dodgers run going.

Against Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright, Gonzalez is hitting .250 with two RBIs in 16 career at-bats as Ethier has had the most success against the Cardinals ace. In his career at Dodger Stadium, Wainwright is 1-2 with a 5.16 ERA and was the losing pitcher in Game 2 of the NLDS.

If the Dodgers are going to have any chance of extending the series, Gonzalez is going to need provide timely hitting and end the dry spell hitting with RISP.

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In case you missed it, here’s the home run that sent the Dodgers to the NLCS!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJgp8vkSa3k

Staff Writer

Staff Writer features content written by our site editors along with our staff of contributing writers. Thank you for your readership.

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