While the Los Angeles Dodgers were able to dispose of the Atlanta Braves in four games during the recent National League Division Series the St. Louis Cardinals needed a strong finish to get by an extremely talented Pittsburgh Pirates team. Dropping two of the series' first three games, the Cardinals earned a crucial Game 4 win that granted the club a return home for a decisive Game 5. Thanks to a brilliant pitching performance from ace Adam Wainwright and timely offense, the 2011 World Series champions are set to make another National League Championship Series appearance but in order to advance to another Fall Classic, the Cards will have to get past a loaded Dodger team that is headlined by phenomenal pitching.
Expected to send 15-game winner Zack Greinke to the mound in Game 1 of the NLCS, the Los Angeles Dodgers certainly feel comfortable sending a pitcher who would undoubtedly be a number 1 starter on any team in the league out for the opener. Due to the fact that L.A. ace Clayton Kershaw pitched in Game 4 of the NLDS, he was unavailable to start the series opener but with another ace on their staff in the form of the 29-year-old right hander and a hot offense headlined by Yasiel Puig, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly likes his club's chances to get out to a fast start.
"I was really proud of him last series," Mattingly said of star Cuban outfielder Yasiel Puig, who hit .471 in the NLDS. "A lot of good decisions from Yasiel this last series. He made a couple of hard turns at first where he didn't go, and it was the right play. I saw him hit the cutoff man a lot. We saw a patience at the plate for the most part through the series. Just really proud of him."
With a tremendous line-up headlined by Puig and first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, the Dodgers are a force to be reconed with, especially when you take into account the tremendous pitching staff the team has from top to bottom.
Looking forward to the challenge of facing the Dodgers, Cardinals outfielder David Freese - who launched a crucial two-run home run in the win over Pittsburgh - is excited about the match-up and the potential of moving onto another World Series.
"It's going to be a blast," Freese said. "It's going to be fun. St. Louis and L.A. going at it. Obviously, they're a great team. It's going to be huge. It's going to be a lot of fun."
NLCS Game 1: Dodgers vs Cardinals - DATE, TIME & TV INFO
DATE: Friday, October 11
TIME: 8:30pm, ET
TV COVERAGE: TBS
LIVE STREAM: CLICK HERE
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