SAN FRANCISCO — As the Giants fight for their own lives here at AT&T Park, their bitter rival advanced to see another day.
The Dodgers beat the Nationals 6-5 in Game 4 of the NLDS, behind Chase Utley’s game-winning RBI in the eighth inning. Los Angeles is one win away from a trip to the NLCS, as is Washington.
Pitching on three days rest, Clayton Kershaw struck out 11 batters in six and two-thirds inning, but allowed five earned runs. Daniel Murphy knocked in two runs in the seventh inning, ending Kershaw’s night and tying the game at five.
The Dodgers and Nats will fly back to Washington for a decisive Game 5 on Thursday. It’s expected to be Max Scherzer on the mound against Rich Hill, but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has not officially announced a starter. Given his back injury earlier in 2016, it’s highly unlikely Los Angeles will even use Kershaw in a reliever role on Thursday. But Hill already lost his Game 2 start in Washington last Sunday.
It’s hard to picture anything but the Cubs right now, but could you imagine a Dodgers-Giants NLCS? The ridiculousness we’ve already seen in the NLDS would without question be trumped. The country would also get a reminder at how contentious this Los Angeles-San Francisco rivalry is.
The Giants were 3-4 against the Nationals this season and 11-8 against the Dodgers. Los Angeles hasn’t reached a World Series since 1988.