NLCS Bracket 2019: Game Time, TV Schedule and Odds for Cardinals vs. Nationals
Stephen Strasburg could put the Washington Nationals on the brink of qualifying for the World Series Monday.
Washington enters Game 3 of the National League Championship Series with a pair of road wins over St. Louis and a four-game postseason winning streak.
In his last outing, Strasburg limited Los Angeles to three earned runs. Although it was not his best performance, he kept the Nationals in the game, and they eventually won it against the Dodgers bullpen.
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St. Louis calls on Jack Flaherty, who had the best second-half ERA in Major League Baseball.
Mike Shildt's team needs a strong showing from the right-hander and its bats to wake up in order to make waves in the series.
NLCS Schedule
Game 3: Monday, October 14 (7:38 p.m. ET, TBS)
Game 4: Tuesday, October 15 (8:05 p.m. ET, TBS)
Game 5: Wednesday, October 16 (4:08 p.m. ET, TBS)*
Game 6: Friday, October 18 (8:08 p.m. ET, TBS)*
Game 7: Saturday, October 19 (8:08 p.m. ET, TBS)*
*If necessary.
NLCS Odds (Via Caesars)
Game 3: St. Louis (+116; bet $100 to win $116) at Washington (-126; bet $126 to win $100)
To Win Series: St. Louis +450; Washington -600
In six career postseason starts, Strasburg has given up five earned runs and produced a trio of double-digit strikeout performances.
If his Monday outing is as strong as that, the Nationals may have a chance to clinch their first-ever World Series appearance Tuesday.
The former No. 1 overall pick is 2-0 this postseason, and the Nationals have won all three games he participated in. In those games, Strasburg walked a single batter while conceding 11 hits.
If the 31-year-old keeps St. Louis from putting multiple runners on base in an inning, the Cardinals could remain quiet.
The Cardinals need some type of offensive spark to stay in the hunt for the National League pennant.
Jose Martinez possesses two of the team's four base knocks, and he has done so off the bench. Paul De Jong and Paul Goldschmidt are the only starters with a hit.
Martinez could break into the Game 3 starting lineup, but Shildt remains confident in his hitters, per MLB.com's Adam Berry:
"As far as doing anything different, we just need to get back. We've had the skills—the lineup is in place to provide that. We've demonstrated that with this lineup for 169 games. As it happened, for a couple of games when we haven't been able to get as many guys on, we just haven't had as many opportunities, but the skillset and the understanding and the game planning are all in place."
In their last meeting with Strasburg September 16, the Cardinals earned four walks and three hits over five innings. The Cardinals won the game with runs off Sean Doolittle and Hunter Strickland.
In that game, St. Louis pushed the right-hander's pitch count up to 99 and put at least one runner on in three frames.
If Goldschmidt and Marcell Ozuna revive their NLDS form, they could add early run support for Flaherty.
The 23-year-old hurler finished the regular season by giving up one earned run in his last three road appearances. In two road NLDS performances, Flaherty struck out 16 batters and conceded four earned runs.
St. Louis' Game 3 starter has to shut down a Washington order that produced 17 hits, four doubles, a triple and a home run at Busch Stadium.
If the Nationals replicate that at home, they could get to the third-year man and allow Strasburg to twirl another postseason gem in a victory.
If that occurs, Washington would have four games to close out the series, but if St. Louis wins Monday, it sets up Dakota Hudson to level the best-of-seven series Tuesday.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90
Statistics obtained from Baseball Reference
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