Justin Turner leads the Dodgers to a game one win
The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks by a score of 9-5, in game one of the National League Division Series. Led by third baseman, Justin Turner and his five RBI's the Dodgers never trailed, and looked as good as they did during their historical run earlier this summer.
In the first inning, the Dodgers wasted no time, a leadoff single by Chris Taylor and a walk to Corey Seager brought Turner up and he blasted a three-run home run into the left field seats.
"He's the glue to this club" said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts on Turner's game one performance. Turner's home run in the first gave the Dodgers a huge lift, they sent all nine batters to the plate and scored four runs in the first inning, thus knocking D-backs starter, Taijuan Walker, out the game after just the one inning pitched.
On the mound for the Dodgers was their ace, Clayton Kershaw, and although he wasn't at his best, he limited the damage over 6.1 IP, with nine strikeouts, however he allowed four earned runs, all coming via solo home runs. "No excuses. I gave up too many home runs tonight," said Kershaw on his performance tonight. The four home runs made Kershaw the first Dodger ever to allow four home runs in a postseason game.
Following an AJ Pollack home run in the third, the Dodgers answered back in the fourth inning, the Dodgers loaded the bases, and shortstop Corey Seager plated a run on RBI single, Turner followed Seager with an RBI single of his own. Right fielder Yasiel Puig drove in his second RBI of the game after a ground out plated a run making the score 7-1.
After the back to back D-back home runs that knocked Kershaw out of the game in the top half of the seventh, the Dodgers were looking to add some insurance runs to their 7-4 lead.
In the bottom of the eighth, they did just that. A pinch hit lead off single by Austin Barnes was cashed in on a Corey Seager RBI triple, Turner followed with and RBI single that gave the Dodgers a 9-4 lead.
Despite not being a save situation, the Dodgers went to closer Kenley Jansen in the ninth to put the game away. After allowing a single and a walk, The D-backs put a run on the board on a Jake Lamb force out in which he reached on a throwing error by Seager. After the lone run crossed the plate, Jansen closed the door on the game after snatching a line drive hit straight at him by D-back left fielder David Peralta.
The Dodgers will send Rich hill to the mound for Game two of the NLDS. The D-backs will look to avoid falling behind 2-0 in the best of five game series and will lean on Robbie Ray, who was 3-0 against the Dodgers this season.
