Los Angeles Dodgers: Left-handed sluggers will beat the Cards

The Los Angeles Dodgers scored nine runs to outlast the seven put up the St. Louis Cardinals and look to carry that offensive momentum into Friday.

The Los Angeles Dodgers continued Clayton Kershaw‘s career unbeaten streak when getting four or more runs of support and outlasted the St. Louis Cardinals, 9-7.

The Dodgers jumped on the Cardinals early and put three runs on the board in the first inning. LA kept putting runs on the board as the Cards continued to pressure the Dodgers. Los Angeles did not collapse and did not lose ground in the NL West race.

The Dodgers are still 1.5 games back of the Colorado Rockies in the NL West. If the team can win the next three against St. Louis there is a very good chance the Dodgers will be only half a game back or even in first by the time Colorado comes to town for a three-game set on Monday.

Winning at least two of the last three should be the primary goal. The worst-case scenario there would be that the Dodgers would be 2.5 back. Chances are they would be 1.5 back or even just half a game back.

The Rockies are heading to San Francisco to square off against the Giants, who have lost 11 straight. The chances of losing three more, especially as the Giants send Madison Bumgarner to the mound, seem slim.

This also has NL Wild Card implications as a win on Friday would put the Cardinals and Dodgers in a tie for the second Wild Card spot. If LA somehow manages a sweep, they would have a two-game cushion on the St. Louis for the second Wild Card spot.

While the goal is to win the division, having that cushion in the Wild Card is never a bad thing to fall back on.

The Cardinals are sending a right-handed pitcher to face the Dodgers, which means we should see some left-handed bats in the lineup, where we also think we are going to see some long home runs.

Sarah’s pick — Current streak 1: Joc Pederson

My pick for today is Joc Pederson. Pederson hasn’t been the best hitter in the Dodgers lineup but has been there when the Dodgers need him to be. Over his last 7 games, he’s hit 2 homers and is the only current Dodger to have hit a homer off of tonight’s starter for St. Louis, Jack Flaherty.

The Dodgers counter with Walker Buehler, who has been about as consistent as Kershaw this season and pitched well against the Cardinals earlier this season.

Jason’s pick — Current streak 2: Max Muncy

Every week or so Max Muncy will blast a home run into the seats and remind us that he is still a huge power threat despite cooling off in the second half of the season. And while Muncy is not the same player as he was in the first half, he still has that potential to send a ball into orbit.

Muncy last hit a home run on September 5 and has appeared in five games without hitting a home run. Muncy is due for another long shot and hopefully a big day to help lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to victory.

Even if it is his only hit of the contest, I genuinely and wholeheartedly think that Max Muncy is going to send a ball into the seats in St. Louis on Friday.