The Los Angeles Dodgers managed to stave off elimination on Wednesday and are looking to send the National Series Championship Series (NLCS) to a Game 7 with a win over the St. Louis Cardinals Friday night, as the Cardinals send rookie sensation Michael Wacha to mound in Game 6 of the NLCS.
The Dodgers bats came alive in Game 5 Wednesday afternoon, having struggled and only scored seven runs, having gone 6-for-33 with runners in scoring position prior to Game 5. First baseman Adrian Gonzalez sparked the offense with two home runs in the Dodgers' 6-4 victory, including antagonizing the Cardinals by wiggling his fingers impersonating the Disney character of Mickey Mouse in response to St. Louis pitcher Adam Wainwright complaining about the Dodgers celebrations being "some Mickey Mouse stuff."
Rookie Yasiel Puig, who has also been the target of the St. Louis Cardinals' ire after celebrating a home run that failed to leave the park, then celebrating again after getting a stand-up off the premature celebration, singled and scored off Zack Greinke's single into left field, going 1-for-3 for the night.
The Dodgers will need for Puig and Gonzalez to power the batting lineup with shortstop Hanley Ramirez playing with two broken ribs and center fielder Andre Ethier hobbled with an ankle injury. Puig's production has dropped between the National League Division Series - going 8-for-17 and batting .471 against the Pittsburgh Pirates - and the NLCS, where he has gone 5-for-19, batting .263 and driven two RBIs.
For the Dodgers to push the Cardinals to a Game 7, Puig has to be the spark-plug that turned the Dodgers season around. Since being promoted to the big leagues, Los Angeles is 66-38 with him in the lineup, 42-8 at one stretch in the season. In his 104-game rookie season, he batted .319, with 19 home runs, and a .925 on-base plus slugging percentage.
"He's quite a player," said Dodger manager Don Mattingly. "Has a huge motor and a ton of energy, a ton of excitement with the way he plays. But we have to be patient, keep teaching and take the good with the bad."
Puig and the rest of the Los Angeles lineup must contend with Wacha, the rookie who has taken the MLB playoffs by storm. Wacha has already out-dueled the Dodgers' National League Cy Young candidate, Clayon Kershaw, in Game 2 of the NLCS, and is sporting a 0.64 ERA in the postseason, allowing just six hits in 14 innings with 17 strikeouts.
"He obviously handles himself pretty well," said Kershaw, who will start Game 6 for the Dodgers and is 1-1 with a 0.47 ERA in three postseason starts, about Wacha. "I don't think nerves is going to be the issue for him."
TV Schedule
You can catch Game 6 of the Los Angeles Dodgers - St. Louis Cardinals National League Championship Series Friday night at 8:30 p.m EST on TBS.
Live Stream (video)
Live stream coverage can be seen on MLB.tv (subscription required).
Live Stream (audio)
Live stream coverage can be heard MLB.com Gameday Audio.
Live Score
Live scores could be followed by clicking here.
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