Only one of four Division Series went the distance in this year’s MLB playoffs, with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Nationals needing a winner-take-all Game 5 on Thursday night to determine their NLDS.
Dodgers vs. Nationals live stream, NLDS 2016: Time, TV schedule and how to watch Game 5 online
Winner-take-all series finale to determine the Cubs’ opponent in the NLCS
Photo by Harry How/Getty Images
Television coverage of Game 5 begins at 8 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1, with Kenny Albert on play-by-play, joined by analysts Harold Reynolds and Tom Verducci and reporter Jon Morosi.
The winner on Thursday in Washington D.C. will advance to play the 103-win Chicago Cubs in the National League Championship Series, which begins on Saturday at Wrigley Field in Chicago.
In 2015, three of the four Division Series lasted the full five games, with one four-game series, giving us 19 out of a possible 20 games played. This year both ALDS ended in sweeps, and the Cubs needed only four games to dispatch the San Francisco Giants. That means 15 out of a possible 20 games, with Game No. 15 on Thursday night at Nationals Park.
Max Scherzer takes the mound in Game 5, with five days rest after taking the loss in Game 1 by allowing four runs in six innings, including home runs by Corey Seager and Justin Turner. Scherzer, who won 20 games and struck out 284 batters in the regular season, thinks the home crowd will be an advantage for the Nationals on Thursday.
“Game 1 was unbelievable there in D.C. The fans were just going nuts from the first pitch,” Scherzer said after Tuesday’s game. “So the fact that it’s going to be Game 5, I mean, our fans really brought it in Game 1, so I can only imagine the atmosphere going into Game 5.”
The Dodgers, who turned to Clayton Kershaw on short rest in Game 4, will use a number of arms in Game 5. Rich Hill is expected to start Game 5 on short rest, though just how long he will last is up in the air. Julio Urias is also available, as is the full seven-man bullpen after Wednesday’s off day.
As of Wednesday night, the Dodgers still didn’t officially name their starter for Game 5.
“It’s going to be a collection of arms,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “You know, I think that we talked about Rich as an option, obviously. But so is Julio and how we want to strategize to win Game 5, we’re going to talk through it.”
NLDS Game 5 info
When: 8:08 p.m. ET
Where: Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.
TV: Fox Sports 1
Streaming: Fox Sports Go app or Postseason.tv
Radio: ESPN Radio
Vin Scully’s huge calls through the decades
See More:
