The Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta Braves continue the NLCS best-of-seven game series Thursday night. Atlanta still holds a 2-1 advantage in the series, but the Dodgers walloped the Braves in Game 3, 15-3.
First pitch is scheduled for 8:08 p.m. EST inside Global Life Field in Arlington, TX. The Dodgers are the favorite in Game 4 with their ace scheduled to make the start.
What to Know – Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles scored seven runs over the final three innings of Game 2 and parlayed that into an 11-run first inning in Wednesday night’s Game 3. The large lead allowed the Dodgers to rest some of their offensive starters and keep their bullpen usage to a minimum. Los Angeles is the top overall seed in the NL playoffs after amassing a 43-17 regular-season record.
Clayton Kershaw is expected to make his third start of the postseason after being scratched from his anticipated start Monday night with back spasms. Kershaw has thrown 14 innings over the postseason, allowing three earned runs on nine hits and one walk with 19 strikeouts. The left-hander was 6-2 with a 2.16 ERA in the regular season.
Corey Seager continued his assault on Braves pitching Wednesday night with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate. Seager homered twice, drove in three, and scored three runs. The outing doubled his home run total through the postseason and bumped his RBI total to 11 through eight games.
What to Know – Atlanta Braves
The Braves must bounce back after suffering their first loss of the postseason Wednesday night. Atlanta rallied off seven-straight victories to begin the 2020 postseason before the defeat.
Starting pitcher Kyle Wright lasted just 2/3rds of an inning, requiring the Braves to use numerous arms out of the bullpen. Atlanta is the 2-seed in the NL playoffs with a 35-25 regular-season mark.
Bryse Wilson takes the mound in the postseason for the first time in his career Thursday night. Wilson will also be making his first appearance of the postseason, with his last outing dating back to September 27th. Wilson, who usually works out of the bullpen, collected one save with a 4.02 ERA in six appearances during the regular season.
Atlanta has four batters with two home runs in eight games in the postseason. Travis d’Arnaud leads the way with a .346 average and eight RBI. Freddie Freeman has hit both of his postseason home runs in this series, one in the opener and one in Game 2.
The Pick is In
The Braves are expected to treat this game as a bullpen game while the Dodgers will have their 3x Cy Young winner on the mound. After the first-inning onslaught, the Dodgers were held in check, scoring only four more runs and none after the third inning.
Game 3 shifted all the momentum into LA’s favor, and this game should add to that. The Dodgers -1.5 is the smart play with a smaller wager on the over.
