Los Angeles CF Joc Pederson drove in 2 runs Tuesday in a 6-5 win over Washington. The victory evened up their N.L. division series at 2-2 and forced a decisive Game 5.
Pederson's first RBI came with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 3rd, when he was hit by the sixth pitch of an at-bat against the Nats' Joe Ross, an 86.7-mph slider. The run boosted L.A.'s lead to 4-2. Pederson added an RBI double in the bottom of the 5th inning off Reynaldo Lopez to widen the Dodger's lead to 5-2.
Both runs proved critical. Washington evened the score at 5-5 with a three-run 7th inning. The Dodgers regained the lead for good in the 8th inning when Chase Utley stroked an RBI single.
Pederson, whom veteran Dodgers announce Vin Scully has called the franchise's best-ever center fielder, saved a run in the top of the 6th with a diving catch across his body.
Game 5 takes place at 8:00pm ET tomorrow night (October 13) in Washington on Fox Sports 1 and ESPN Radio. The winner will face the mighty Chicago Cubs in the N.L. championship series.
Dodgers: October 10
Washington beat host Los Angeles 8-3 in Game 3 of their N.L. division series. The win gave the Nats a 2-1 edge going into Game 4.
Dodgers CF Joc Pederson went 1-for-4 with a one-out single off Gio Gonzalez in the bottom of the 5th. He scored moments later on a home run by pinch-hitter Carlos Ruiz that narrowed L.A.'s deficit to 4-3. Neither team scored again until the 9th inning, when the Nats plated four runs.
Pederson and the Dodgers lost a challenge in the bottom of the 2nd. With the count 1-2, Pederson swung at a 93.7-mph fastball that clipped the knob of his bat and landed in the catcher's mitt. Home-plate umpire Ron Kulpa ruled it a strikeout, but Pederson said the ball struck his left hand before hitting the bat. The call stood.
Blue Jays
Kevin Pillar's Toronto, which swept Texas 3-0 in their A.L. division series, will fight Cleveland for the A.L. pennant and a ticket to the World Series. The Indians swept Boston in their division series.
Game 1 takes place 8:00pm ET on Friday (October 14) in Cleveland on TBS.