The Dodgers are headed back to Los Angeles tied with the Chicago Cubs at one game apeice in the best-of-seven NLCS following Sunday's 1-0 win at Wrigley Field.
Thanks to ace Clayton Kershaw's gem and Kenley Jansen's six-out save, the Dodgers held the Cubs to two hits and enjoyed their 16th shutout this year. It was just the fourth time this year the Cubs were held to two or fewer hits in a game.
Here are three takeaways from Los Angeles' win:
1. Kershaw finally got his October narrative under control. Did Kershaw's two-out save in Game 5 of the NLDS finally jumpstart his postseason prowess? The three-time Cy Young winner hurled 4 2/3 innings of perfect ball before allowing two hits Javy Baez and Willson Contreras.
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Kershaw lasted seven innings in his first scoreless postseason start, striking out six with one walk and only two hits allowed. His postseason struggles are well documented — he was 3-6 with a 4.79 ERA in 16 playoff games (12 starts) — but Sunday's start could do wonders for Kershaw's confidence as he figures to get the ball in Game 6 (if necessary). Should the Dodgers need him in Game 5, his 84 pitches Sunday should give him enough time to be at full strength.
2. Adrian Gonzalez becoming Dodgers' Mr. October. The veteran tied Game 1 with a clutch, two-out, two-run single off Aroldis Chapman and came through with another big hit Sunday, blasting an 88 mph cutter off Kyle Hendricks out of the park for the Dodgers' lone run. Gonzalez, 34, has now hit at least one home run in each of the six postseason series he has played with the Dodgers. He sits fifth all-time on the Dodgers postseason RBI list (since 1958) with 20 RBIs.
3. Cubs hit Kershaw well, but couldn't get ball out of park. Yes, Kershaw allowed only two hits, but Cubs batters were making solid contact, blasting three balls to the warning track and just missing a home run by Anthony Rizzo that pulled just foul. Hendricks and the Cubs bullpen did a great job of keeping Chicago in the game, but Hendricks' one mistake proved to be the catalyst in the game.
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Highlight
With his second-inning homer, Gonzalez has now hit safely in 12 of his last 14 postseason games.
What's next
Game 3: Cubs at Dodgers, Tuesday, 8 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1 — Starting another southpaw in Game 3, the Dodgers will send Rich Hill (12-5, 2.12 ERA) to the mound looking to take a 2-1 series lead at Dodger Stadium, where the club was tied for the second-best home record during the regular season. Reigning Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta (18-8, 3.10 ERA) toes the rubber for the Cubs. Arrieta faced the Dodgers once during the regular season, firing seven scoreless innings with just two hits allowed and eight strikeouts.