Dodgers vs. Cardinals: Game 3 Time, TV Info, Live Stream and More
The National League Division Series showdown between the Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals shifts to St. Louis for a crucial Game 3 Monday. The two teams split the first two contests in Los Angeles.
Here is a look at the essentials for the game before we dig into a preview.
Dodgers vs. Cardinals Game 3
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Date: Monday, Oct. 6
Time: 9:07 p.m. ET
TV Info: Fox Sports 1
Live Stream: Fox Sports Go
Preview
After Matt Kemp drilled what proved to be the game-winning home run in the eighth inning Saturday for the Dodgers, closer Kenley Jansen summarized the next step perfectly, according to The Associated Press, via ESPN.com: "Now we just got to get our rest in and try to beat the Cardinals at their place, just like they did here in the first game. Got to go there and steal one."
If the Dodgers are going to do just that Monday, they will need a solid performance from starter Hyun-Jin Ryu (14-7, 3.38 ERA) against playoff veteran John Lackey (3-3, 4.30 ERA).
The prospect of sending Ryu to the mound is somewhat concerning for the Dodgers considering he has not pitched since Sept. 12. He left the game against the San Francisco Giants after a single inning that day with a sore shoulder, which represented the second time he was sidelined this season with the same injury.
For what it’s worth, Ryu was impressive against the Cardinals in the National League Championship Series last year when he allowed zero runs in seven innings.
The Cardinals counter with Lackey, who only needs 3.2 innings pitched to eclipse CC Sabathia as the active leader in postseason innings pitched.
Lackey has been plenty successful in those contests as well. According to Lackey’s Baseball Reference page, he has appeared in 19 playoff games with a 6-5 record, 3.03 ERA, 1.298 WHIP and 78 strikeouts in 104 innings pitched.
He also hasn’t lost a division series game since 2008 and was part of two World Series-winning clubs (including last year’s Boston Red Sox).
Interestingly, Carl Crawford has had plenty of success against Lackey, as Steve Mason of ESPNLA 710 pointed out:
Lackey needs to find a way to shut Crawford down, especially since he has been one of the hottest hitters in baseball in the second half. In fact, Crawford hit .448 in the final month of the season and will look to carry that momentum over into Monday's contest.
Another aspect hanging over Game 3 is the importance of winning this one for the Cardinals. Otherwise, St. Louis will face an elimination game against Clayton Kershaw in Game 4.
The Cardinals may have beaten Kershaw once in this series, but doing so twice is asking a lot.
Another thing to watch Monday is the unfortunate fact for the Dodgers that the bullpen will take on extra importance with Ryu on the mound if he cannot go more than five or six innings off his injury. The bullpen gave up a critical homer to Matt Holliday in Game 1 and almost blew Game 2 when it allowed Matt Carpenter to tie the score with a two-run homer.
The thought here is the Dodgers bullpen cannot get the job done with Ryu largely an unknown right now. What’s more, the Cardinals also have the veteran Lackey going, and his experience will likely come into play in the tense moments in the later innings.
St. Louis will do what it has to do in order to avoid an elimination game against Kershaw and capitalize on home-field advantage. We may just end up with a Game 5 in this series.
Prediction: Cardinals 6, Dodgers 3
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