Sean M. Haffey/Getty ImagesThe Los Angeles Dodgers probably won't return to the World Series if they again commit four errors and surrender
a home run to an opposing pitcher in Game 2 of the National League Championship
Series.Those improbable outcomes likely won't carry over into Saturday's
showing. Yet they nearly overcame these obstacles
Yovani Gallardo Jersey , as the Milwaukee Brewers' revered bullpen barely salvaged a dramatic 6-5 victory Friday.For the second day in a row, each squad
willcommence the game with a left-handed starter on the mound. Both of them kept
the opposition scoreless in National League Division Series sightings.After
horrid defense and a Brandon Woodruff homer undid Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers
will turn to Hyun-Jin Ryu, an unheralded ace over the past two months. The
Brewers will counter with Wade Miley, an innings-eater who has transformed his
career by overhaulinghis pitch arsenal. Dodgers vs. Brewers: Game 2
ScheduleWhen: Saturday, Oct. 13 at 4:09 p.m. ETTV: FoxLive Stream: Fox Live
TVTickets: StubHubSurging SouthpawsWade Miley will look to continue his career
revival in the NLCS.Dylan Buell/Getty ImagesAt first glance, Ryuvs. Miley
doesn't represent a superb pitching duel befitting the grand stage. After all,
Chris Sale and Justin Verlander clash later in the evening.While Ryu can't match
the pedigree of his superstar rotation teammate, the 31-year-old quietly
registered a 1.97 ERA and career-high 27.5 strikeout percentage in 15 superb
regular-season starts. He then opened the NLDS by scattering eight strikeouts
and no walks over seven shutout innings against the Atlanta Braves:ESPN Stats
amp; Info ESPNStatsInfoThis is Hyun-Jin Ryus 2nd career postseason start of 7
scoreless innings (2013 NLCS).The only other Dodgers to do it multiple times are
Sandy Koufax, Jerry Reuss and Orel Hershiser. l9GV2AopwdDominating in a Game 1
nod received over Kershaw marks quite a turnaround for someone left off last
year's postseason roster. Havingundergoneshoulder labrum surgery in 2015, he
hadn't made a playoff appearance since 2014 despite the Dodgers' winning the NL
West in each of the past six years.Following his latest gem
Eric Thames Jersey , Ryu has relinquished one run in his past four starts. He has also not given up more than three earned runs in a single turn this year, so
the Dodgers can at least count on a competitive outing.He's somehow not even
this matchup's most improbable Game 2 starter. Playing for his fifth team in as
many years, Miley posted an ERA north of 5.00 in each of the past two seasons.
That makes this season's 2.57 clip extra shocking when paired with a mediocre 50
strikeouts and 27 walks in 80.2 innings.A 37.1 hard-hit percentage and 4.66
skill-interactive ERA (SIERA) foreshadow a vengeful regression. Yet perhaps
those predictive measures don't appreciate the journeyman's adjustments.Miley
sidelined his fastball for a previously seldom-used cutter. The pitch's usage
skyrocketed from 11.5 to 41.8 percent, and opponents are hitting .190/.258/.303
against the offering.Buoyed by his new weapon, Miley accomplished exactly what
the Brewers needed in the NLDS by holding the Colorado Rockies scoreless for 4.2
innings at Coors Field. Their extraordinary bullpen yielded one hit the rest of
the way.Brewers manager Craig Counsell will hope to execute the same plan on
Saturday. He won't, however, have Josh Hader at his disposal after the shutdown
reliever recorded nine outs over46 pitches?? longer appearance than starter Gio
Gonzalez??o secure Game 1's victory:ESPN Stats amp; Info ESPNStatsInfoJosh Hader
made it difficult on the Dodgers in Game 1.He induced 15 swings and misses, tied
for his most in a game in 94 career outings (regular season amp;amp;
postseason).Haders 15 swings and misses are 2 more than any other reliever in a
postseason game in the last 10 seasons. qQxrzxaoyLBy using another starting
southpaw, Counsell is daring Dodgers counterpart Dave Roberts toagain sit Max
Muncy??ardly a necessary move since he managed an .891 OPS against fellow
lefties??nd Yasiel Puig. Their weighted runs created plus (wRC+) dropped from
117 against righties to a slightly above-average 101 versus leftiesduring the
season."There's going to be some kind of chess played this series, and that's
part of the fun," Roberts said prior to Game 1
Glenn Robinson Jersey , per The Ringer's Michael Baumann.Yet they have plenty of depth to deal with any adversary, especially after adding right-handed
infielders Brian Dozier and David Freese during the summer.Travis Shaw is the
only Milwaukee regular who's a major liability (66 wRC+) with a lefty on the
mound, but Counsell replaced the out-of-position second baseman for Hernan Perez
on Friday.Pick: Dodgers 5, Brewers 3The Dodgers can again field a nearly
all-righty lineup??ith exception to Cody Bellinger??hat saves Muncy, Puig and
Joc Pederson for big spots against Milwaukee's premier bullpen. With Woodruff
and Hader almost certainly unavailable, Counsell may think twice before again
turning to a righty so early.Yet Miley tallied the sixth-lowest strikeout
percentage (14.8) of any starter with at least 80 innings pitched, so the
Dodgers could force an early hook by jumping to a significant lead.Propelled by
major league-caliber defense and a strong performance from Ryu, look for the
Dodgers send the series back to Los Angeles even. It's impossible, however, to
feel overly confident about any prediction in a series wherein a reliever who
was batting from the left side took Kershaw deep.All advanced stats courtesy of
FanGraphs unless otherwise noted. SEATTLE (AP) — The Mariners have declined
their part of outfielder Denard Span’s $12 million mutual option for next year
in favor of a $4 million buyout, making the 34-year-old a free
agent.Span
http://www.brewersfanproshop.com/authentic-manny-pina-jersey , who exercised his part of the option, was acquired by Seattle last May in a
trade with Tampa Bay and became one of the Mariners most consistent hitters.
Span hit .272 with 15 doubles, seven home runs and 30 RBIs in 94 games with the
Mariners, often batting in the middle of Seattle’s order. He played 87 of those
games in the outfield, almost all in left field.Span agreed to a $31 million,
three-year contract with San Francisco before the 2016 season and earned an
additional $4.75 million in performance bonuses and escalators that raised his
earnings under the deal to $35.75 million.He was traded to Tampa Bay from San
Francisco last offseason and relished the chance to play where he grew up. But
with Seattle needing a left-handed bat after the suspension of Robinson Cano as
it tried to contend for a playoff spot, he was traded to the Mariners along with
reliever Alex Colome for a pair of minor leaguers.
