Cardinals vs. Dodgers: NLDS Game 1 TV Schedule, Preview, Prediction
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TV Schedule: Friday, Oct. 3, 6:37 p.m. ET, FS1
Team Matchup: St. Louis Cardinals (90-72), Los Angeles Dodgers (94-68)
Pitching Matchup: Adam Wainwright (St. Louis), Clayton Kershaw (Los Angeles)
We couldn’t have asked for a better matchup in Game 1 of the NLDS. Clayton Kershaw leads MLB in wins (21) and ERA (1.77). Adam Wainwright isn’t too bad himself, as he was second in the league in wins (20) and third in the NL in ERA (2.38).
So once again, we couldn’t have asked for a better pitching matchup. With that said, watch this game be a slugfest. With how dominant both pitchers have been this year, I highly doubt that one, though.
As good as Wainwright has been, I have to give the edge to Kershaw and the Dodgers. There is also the fact that the Dodgers are the better team when it comes to the offensive side of the ball.
Say what you want about that subject, but the numbers don’t lie. Los Angeles is sixth in the league in runs, while Saint Louis is 23rd (via ESPN.com). The Dodgers rock the third best batting average in MLB, while the Cardinals are 14th in that category.
Regardless, I expect this to be a pitching matchup for the ages. So that begs the question: Which hitter is going to step up and from which team? I’m going with Matt Kemp. He had 25 home runs and 89 RBIs this year. For what it’s worth, nine of those home runs and 25 of those RBIs came in the month of September.
The Dodgers are seeking revenge after being knocked off by the Cardinals in last year’s postseason, and they will get that revenge, at least in this game.
Prediction: Cardinals 1, Dodgers 2
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