ST. LOUIS — The Dodgers are down in the series, banged up and on the road, but somehow seem to have the momentum in this NLCS.
It’s the old logic of winning your previous game then sending your stud — and maybe the top ace in the major leagues — to the mound for the next one.
So the Dodgers will try to forget Hanley Ramirez and Andre Ethier are hurting, or the fact they lost two games at Busch Stadium last weekend. They have Clayton Kershaw ready to take the ball for Game 6 of the NLCS on Friday, the best ammunition they could ask for in trying to even this series.
Any Kershaw is good, but a motivated one is probably better. The lefty lost a 1-0 duel to rookie Michael Wacha in Game 2, adding a level of intrigue to the rematch. But it’s a rematch that didn’t become guaranteed until the Dodgers had beaten the Cardinals 6-4 on Wednesday, a game in which they tied a postseason franchise record with four home runs.
“I just always assumed I was going to pitch Game 6,” said Kershaw, whose Dodgers trail 3-2 in the series. “I didn’t really change my opinion too much as the game went on [Wednesday], but it was definitely fun to see some home runs fly out. It was a lot of fun and hopefully we saved a few more for [Friday], too.”
If the Cardinals are tight, it’s understandable considering they lost last year’s NLCS after grabbing a 3-1 lead in the series against the Giants. The Dodgers are the team playing as if it has nothing to lose, and that was on display Wednesday with Adrian Gonzalez’s Mickey Mouse ears gesture after hitting a home run against Joe Kelly. Two days earlier, Adam Wainwright had characterized Gonzalez’s celebration on the bases as “Mickey Mouse.”
“What you see from our guys is really the kind of personality we have,” Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. “We talk about wanting to have fun when we play and we play the game the way you would play in Little League, but then we get down to business.
“We know there’s a lot at stake. We’re not trying to get in anybody’s heads. We’re trying to win games and I think that is the biggest thing.”
Ramirez, who has a hairline fracture of the eighth rib on his left side, was removed early from each of the last two games. Ethier has battled left ankle problems, but has improved to the point Mattingly decided to leave him in center field late in Wednesday’s game.
But Ramirez, who is batting .167 in the NLCS, is the bigger concern.
“He’s just going to have to be honest with us and we have to make that assessment,” Mattingly said. “I don’t need a hero from the standpoint that ‘I can go out there, but I know I’m not going to be able to do anything.’ We won’t play him like that. He’s got to feel like he’s going to be able to do something.”
The Cardinals want to end the series Friday instead of taking their chances on a Game 7 that would send their ace Wainwright against Hyun-Jin Ryu.
“I believe in momentum,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. “I believe that we had the momentum shift [Wednesday]. We had the bases loaded and nobody out [in the first inning]. We had some positive things going and it turned real fast. So you’re always trying to ride that momentum somewhat.”