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Dodgers turn to Kershaw to stave off elimination in St. Louis

Oct 7, 2014 - 2:26 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The St. Louis Cardinals try to punch their ticket to the National League Championship Series on Tuesday when they play Game 4 of the NLDS against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Busch Stadium.

It won't be easy for St. Louis, though, as it will go up against Dodgers left- hander Clayton Kershaw, who will be pitching on short rest following his Game 1 loss.

The probable NL Cy Young Award winner was cruising along against the Cardinals on Friday, but was unable to hold a five-run lead, as St. Louis scored eight times in the seventh and roughed Kershaw up for eight runs in 6 2/3 innings in a 10-9 win.

"There's always something to prove. This game is very humbling," said Kershaw. "I try not to look at all the numbers and all the stats, just try to go out and try to win a game for us (Tuesday). You try to stay on as even keel as you possibly can and just prepare for the next one."

Kershaw had given up seven runs in four innings in the decisive Game 6 of the NL Championship Series against the Cardinals last year. With the poor showing in Game 1, Kershaw became the first pitcher in major league history to give up seven runs or more in back-to-back postseason starts.

"Obviously after as bad as I pitched in Game 1, it wasn't going to be me going in there and say, 'I want the ball,'" Kershaw said. "But I was definitely ready for it and definitely wanted to do it, just waiting for the opportunity."

The postseason, though, hasn't been kind to the two-time NL Cy Young Award winner, as he is 1-4 with a 5.20 ERA in 10 games (7 starts). St. Louis has been even less friendly. In his last five starts at Busch Stadium, Kershaw is 0-4 with a 6.28 ERA.

Still, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly had no problem going to his ace, and for good reason.

Kershaw was absolutely marvelous for the Dodgers this season, as he led the majors with a 21-3 record, an .875 winning percentage, a 1.77 ERA and an 0.86 WHIP. He was also second in the NL with 239 strikeouts, three behind Johnny Cueto of the Reds and Stephen Strasburg of the Nationals, in 27 starts.

"He's back to business, it's Clayton Kershaw," Mattingly said. "I hate to say it like that. These kind of guys don't curl up and go away. You don't get to where you are, you don't win four ERA titles and end up going to win three out of the last four Cy Youngs -- could have won all four of them -- just by anything goes bad, you just curl up and go away. These guys go to work, they come back. They keep working and they keep going. So this is a different cat."

St. Louis grabbed the upper hand in this best-of-five set on Monday, as Kolten Wong's two-run blast in the seventh inning was enough to give the Cardinals a 3-1 victory.

"To finally contribute to this team and do something special is exciting for me," Wong said. "I let a lot of emotion out. It was an awesome feeling. I'm glad I was able to give us the lead."

John Lackey (1-0) struck out eight over seven innings and allowed just one run on five hits.

Matt Carpenter hit his third home run of the series for St. Louis, which is vying for its fourth straight NLCS appearance.

Carpenter, who had eight home runs over 595 at-bats this season and had never in his career gone deep in back-to-back games, became the just the sixth player to homer in the first three games of a single postseason. Also, all three of his home runs have come off of three different lefties.

He had homered just twice off of a left-hander in the previous six months.

With two home runs on Monday and six in the series, the Cardinals have tallied 10 of their 15 NLDS runs off the long ball. St. Louis ranked last in the NL with 105 home runs in the regular season.

Getting the call for the Cardinals on Tuesday will be righty Shelby Miller, who will be making his first postseason start after going 10-9 with a 3.74 ERA.

"I know I'll be nervous, excited," Miller said. "I feel like it's an awesome opportunity to get to pitch in games like this. My whole life I've been excited and been waiting for this kind of opportunity.

"I think the biggest thing is just take it all in and just fight for my teammates."

Miller lost his only start against the Dodgers this season and is 1-1 in five games (3 starts) against them with a 6.57 ERA.

Los Angeles took four of the seven regular season matchups between these clubs this season.

St. Louis and Los Angeles have met four times in the playoffs (1985, 2004, 2009, 2013) and the Dodgers won only one series, sweeping the Cards in three games in the 2009 Division Series.