NLCS Game 2: Dodgers beat Cubs
In a close Game 2, the Los Angeles Dodgers tied the 2016 NLCS at 1-1 with a 1-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs thanks to Clayton Kershaw.
After giving up eight runs to the Chicago Cubs in Game 1 of the 2016 NLCS, the Los Angeles Dodgers were staring down the possibility of falling into an 0-2 hole at Wrigley Field in Game 2.
Luckily for the Dodgers, Clayton Kershaw was more than ready to raise the figurative middle finger to all the narratives about his postseason struggles, getting his team through seven scoreless innings before Kenley Jansen stepped in to finish the job.
In a narrow 1-0 Game 2 victory, the Dodgers tied the NLCS at 1-1. The series now shifts back to Los Angeles, where the Dodgers will try to claim the advantage over a team that won 12 more games during the regular season.
Chicago finished the game with only two hits and no runs. According to ESPN’s SportsCenter, it was the first time the Cubs were shut out in a postseason game since 2003. Kershaw joined Babe Ruth as the only pitchers to beat the Cubs 1-0 in the playoffs.
The Dodgers scored the only run of the game in the second inning, with a solo shot from Adrian Gonzalez off of Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks going 390 feet to give Los Angeles a 1-0 lead.
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Los Angeles left a man stranded on third in the top of the ninth, giving the Cubs their opening for more late-game, curse-bucking magic. After all, three of their four postseason wins had come in the team’s last at-bat.
However, Kenley Jansen completed the six-inning save by striking out Dexter Fowler and Kris Bryant before Anthony Rizzo lined out to second to end the game.
Clayton Kershaw pitched seven scoreless innings, giving up two hits and recording six strikeouts. Hendricks pitched 5 and 1/3 innings, surrendering three hits, one homer and recording five strikeouts.
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Game 3 will be Tuesday, Oct. 18 at Dodger Stadium, where Jake Arrieta will try to help the Cubs bounce back and reclaim the advantage in the series.