NLCS 2013: St. Louis Cardinals at Los Angeles Dodgers Game 4 preview
By Bryan Rose
Who: St. Louis Cardinals at Los Angeles Dodgers
Where: Dodgers Stadium, Los Angeles
When: 8:07 PM, ET – TBS
Series record: 2-1, St. Louis
With St. Louis’ Adam Wainwright on the mound and the Los Angeles Dodgers staring a 0-3 series deficit in the face, something had to change.
That something was Dodgers starter Hyun-Jin Ryu who out-dueled the 19-game-winner Wainwright for seven innings, shutting out the Cardinals en route to the Game 3 victory.
Hoping to tie the series up for Los Angeles in Game 4 will tentatively (and I stress tentatively) be Ricky Nolasco, who is scheduled to take the mound as of right now. Dodgers manager Don Mattingly suggested that had Los Angeles lost Game 3, they would have started Zack Greinke in Game 4 on three days rest. That still could be the case, but Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal says that he believes Nolasco will take the mound which will leave Grienke and Kershaw for Game 5 and 6 (if needed).
As for Nolasco, who the Dodgers acquired prior to the 2013 trading deadline, he has had no trouble with the Cardinals at all this season posting a 0.75 ERA in twelve innings of work. Nolasco has also been fantastic at home with a 2.48 ERA in seven games at Dodgers Stadium.
Meanwhile, St. Louis will give the ball to Lance Lynn who will do his best to extend the Cardinals’ series lead to a commanding three games to one. Lynn has been dreadfully woeful on the road, sporting a 5.15 ERA away from Busch Stadium though did have his best road start of the season at Dodger Stadium, throwing six innings of shutout ball in his lone start against Los Angeles.
Both Hanley Ramirez and Andre Ethier, who were game time decisions for Game 3 (and played) are expected to play in Game 4 as well.