The Washington Nationals have stunned the Los Angeles Dodgers to advance to the NLCS by winning Game 5 of the NLDS 7-3 in 10 innings at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers had a 3-1 lead into the 8th inning on the strength of home runs by Max Muncy and Kike Hernandez. Things took a turn for the worse for the Nats when catcher Kurt Suzuki had to leave the game after a pitch which hit his wrist ricocheted to his face. After Walker Buehler pitched 6 2/3 innings, Clayton Kershaw was brought in to face Adam Eaton who he struck out. But in the 8th, Kershaw gave up back to back home runs to Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto to tie the game.
Dodgers manager opted to use Joe Kelly instead of closer Kenley Jansen. This worked fine in the 9th, but not in the 10th. Howie Kendrick, who had committed his second error of the NLDS in the 3rd inning and had also committed a critical base running gaffe earlier in the series, became a Nationals hero when he hit a grand slam home run to give the Nationals a 7-3 lead. Jansen was left to mop up.
Meanwhile, the much maligned Sean Doolittle retired the Dodgers in order denying them a chance to win a third straight NL pennant. The Nationals will play in their first NLCS since 1981 when they were the Montreal Expos. That year, the Expos lost to the Dodgers courtesy of a pinch hit HR by Rick Monday. But that was way back when. In 48 hours, they will be in St. Louis to face the Cardinals in the NLCS.
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