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Los Angeles Dodgers: NLDS Game 2 loss follows familiar script

By Jamaal Artis

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 04: Daniel Hudson #44 and Kurt Suzuki #28 of the Washington Nationals celebrate after the Nationals defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 4 to 2 in game two of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on October 04, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 04: Daniel Hudson #44 and Kurt Suzuki #28 of the Washington Nationals celebrate after the Nationals defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 4 to 2 in game two of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on October 04, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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If you wanted to paint a picture of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ postseason failures these last seven years it would be easy to paint by numbers.

Take one part Clayton Kershaw, use your paintbrush to paint some terrible offense, and then throw in a bullpen making it harder on the team. When you’re done you would have painted a craptacular image of what game two was like against the Washington Nationals for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Dodgers had a chance to step on the Nationals’ throats and put them in a 2-0 hole, except now the series is tied 1-1 with a real chance that the last Dodgers home game was played for the rest of the season.

Not Kershaw’s Fault?

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Clayton Kershaw had a chance to put the Dodgers on his back and get that 2-0 lead but instead, he struggled early, putting the Dodgers down 3-0 after two innings pitched and with the Dodgers bats unable to touch Stephen Strasburg, it was a recipe for a loss.

While Kershaw apologists will blame the offense, the reality is that Kershaw has not pitched well in the playoffs lately.

In four out of the last five postseason starts for Clayton Kershaw, he has not gotten passed the third inning without being touched up by runs. In those 12 innings, Kershaw has given up 10 runs and gone 1-4 in those five starts.

17K

No, the Los Angeles Dodgers didn’t strike out 17,000 times in game two, it just felt that way. The Dodgers struck out 17 times, setting a playoff team record for a nine-inning game. It looked like deja vu to last year’s playoffs as the Dodgers flailed all night.

The biggest culprits were Cody Bellinger, AJ Pollock and Corey Seager who combined to go 0-12 with eight strikeouts. The worst strikeout coming in the bottom of the ninth and the bases loaded with the Dodgers down 4-2 to end the game.

It gets no better for the Dodgers as they face Max Scherzer in Game 3 on Sunday.

Martinez vs. Roberts

In the eighth inning, both managers made decisions with their bullpen; one worked and then one didn’t. With the Dodgers down 3-2 in the top of the eighth, Roberts let rookie Dustin May stay in the game after giving up a leadoff double, when May walked Kurt Suzuki Roberts left the rookie in to extend the Nationals lead.

In the bottom of the inning, leaving nothing for chance, Nationals manager Dave Martinez called on his ace Max Scherzer to get as many outs needed to prevent a 0-2 series deficit despite Scherzer slated to start Sunday’s Game 3. When Scherzer struck out the side, Martinez looked bold as he created the bridge to the ninth and gave his bad bullpen some rest.

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For one night it looked again like Roberts was outmanaged by a bolder manager.

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