2024 Divisional Round - Game Five

NLDS - Padres @ Dodgers

The Dodgers staved off elimination and embarrassment at the hand of their Southern California rivals in game four. It took standout performances from nearly the whole roster. Eight Dodger bullpen arms combined for the shutout, Mookie Betts and Will Smith homered, and now we have a winner-take-all game five on a Friday night in Chavez Ravine. It will be a duel between countrymen; Yoshinobu Yamamoto vs. Yu Darvish with a trip to the NLCS on the line. Yamamoto was lit up in game one and has struggled against the Padres all season, so expect a quick hook from Dave Roberts if trouble brews. Darvish has been sensational against Los Angeles in his career, but he carries an 0-5 record in elimination games heading into this game five. The Padres bats were electric to begin this postseason, but they have silent since Fernando Tatis Jr.’s blast in the second inning of game three. Teoscar Hernández has come up clutch for the Dodgers with star first baseman Freddie Freeman hobbled. Don’t be surprised if postseason stalwart Kiké Hernández plays a major role, as he often does in closeout games. This series has provided plenty of fireworks so far, what does this decisive game five have in store?

Audio clips from MLB.tv

LAD Radio 570 AM - Stephen Nelson and Rick Monday

SDP Radio KWFN - Steve Agler and Tony Gwynn Jr.

ALDS - Tigers @ Guardians

Cleveland won a wild game four thanks to the heroics of David Fry, who not only had a go-ahead, pinch hit two run homer, but also provided the necessary insurance run on a safety squeeze. Talk about versatility! José Ramírez seems to have bounced back from a rough stretch, while Steven Kwan and Lane Thomas have been racking up hits in this series. The Tigers have seen contributions up and down the roster, particularly from Parker Meadows and Jake Rogers. Their ‘Pitching Chaos’, as manger AJ Hinch coined, has gotten them to a win-or-go-home with their best pitcher, and perhaps the best pitcher in all of baseball, Tarik Skubal. The fireballing lefty hasn’t given up a run in nearly a month, and he only looks to be getting better in the playoffs. First year manager Steven Vogt will likely summon some ‘pitching chaos’ of his own in this one, as starter Matthew Boyd, a former Tiger, may only go one time through the order. Then it will be time to go to his ‘Four Horsemen’ - Smith, Herrin, Gaddis, and the final boss, Clase. If any one of them falter, who knows to whom Vogt will give the ball. An exhilarating finish to an incredible divisional round awaits on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in Cleveland.

Audio clips from MLB.tv

CLE radio WTAM - Tom Hamilton and Jim Rosenhaus

DET radio 97.1 - Dan Dickerson, Bobby Scales, and Andy Dirks

TBS television - Brian Anderson and Jeff Francoeur

As always, shout out to Baseball Reference and SABR for statistics, boxscores, background information, and much, much more.

Catch you next time,

P.C.O.