Dodgers fans are getting excited for Friday night’s NLDS Game 5 against the San Diego Padres – the final game that will determine who advances to the National League Championship Series.
With the series tied 2-2, it’s do or die for the Boys in Blue and the Padres. And the game that will decide their fate is here at home for LA, starting at 5:08 PM at Dodger Stadium in Elysian Park.
In Inglewood, locals were ready early Friday morning. Randy’s Donuts sold pastries glazed in Dodger blue with the iconic LA logo, which drew loyal fans like Murphy Robinson, who said he plans to wear a special outfit for the occasion.
“I’ve lived in LA for 65 years and that’s all I know: the Dodgers,” Robinson said. ‘And I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m from Louisiana and we didn’t have a baseball team.”
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The Dodgers forced a Game 5 in the series with an 8-0 loss to the Padres on Wednesday night.
Last week, LA kicked off the National League Division Series with a 7-5 victory over the Padres in Saturday’s Game 1 – gaining a lead that was quickly lost when the Padres scored the victory in Game 2 and Game 3 of the series. Going into Wednesday night’s game, San Diego led 2-1, but the Boys in Blue staged a comeback with Game 4 on Wednesday night.
“I’m proud. … Your desire has to be greater than your opponent’s,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told the Associated Press after the 8-0 win. “To see our guys go through what they went through and respond the way they did makes me excited about Game 5.”
Wednesday night’s comeback game featured an outstanding showing from star players Shohei Ohtani, who hit an RBI single, and Mookie Betts, who homered in both Games 3 and 4 of the series. But Betts told AP it was a team effort. “I’m not trying to win the game for us. And we have plenty of guys who can win games for us,” he said.
“We have a bunch of grinders, a bunch of fighters,” Betts said. “We knew it wouldn’t be easy.”
Friday evening’s match will also be a historic one.
Los Angeles will send right-handed pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto to start, while Yu Darvish will start for the Padres – in what MLB says will be the first Major League Baseball postseason game between two Japanese-born starting pitchers.
