NLCS Game 5: Cubs gain the upper hand, Dodgers’ season on the brink.

Pedro Baez slow

First base umpire Ted Barrett calls Dexter Fowler safe, having beaten a footrace with Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez (right), after pitcher Pedro Baez (foreground) failed to cover the bag. (Stephen Carr/Staff photographer)


The Dodgers will fly to Chicago tomorrow needing two wins to save their season, having lost Game 4 of the National League Championship Series 8-4 to the Chicago Cubs.

The photo gallery is here.

The box score is here.

Joe Blanton found himself on the wrong side of a game-altering home run for the second time in the series.

The Cubs got the start they needed from postseason ace Jon Lester. The Dodgers tried to give Lester a long night on the basepaths. For the most part, it didn’t work.

Speaking of unusual playoff tactics: The Dodgers’ organist provided the soundtrack to the Cubs’ batting practice.

This entry was posted in JP on the Dodgers, Playoffs, Postgame thoughts and tagged , , , , by J.P. Hoornstra. Bookmark the permalink.

About J.P. Hoornstra

J.P. Hoornstra covers the Dodgers, Angels and Major League Baseball for the Orange County Register, Los Angeles Daily News, Long Beach Press-Telegram, Torrance Daily Breeze, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Pasadena Star-News, San Bernardino Sun, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Whittier Daily News and Redlands Daily Facts. Before taking the beat in 2012, J.P. covered the NHL for four years. UCLA gave him a degree once upon a time; when he graduated on schedule, he missed getting Arnold Schwarzenegger's autograph on his diploma by five months.