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The Chicago Cubs have a razor-thin margin for error as they attempt - panxing18 - 05-04-2019
CHICAGO — to hold onto first place in the National League Central down the stretch.So if there was a time when a team that has already experienced its share of injuries this season couldn’t afford another setback to its roster Jorge Posada Jersey , it’s now.Already in a difficult stretch when fatigue has become an issue heading into Saturday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds, the Cubs will have to play the remainder of the regular season without one of their most valuable bullpen arms. Article continues below ...Before Chicago won its third game in its last four with a 3-2 victory over the Reds on Friday, the team announced closer Pedro Strop will be sidelined with a moderate hamstring strain.“He’s been so big for us now,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon told reporters Friday, according to team’s official website. “To be without him for the next couple of weeks will be difficult.”As Brandon Morrow — who started the season as the Cubs’ closer before sustaining a bone bruise on his right arm — moves closer after not pitching since July 18, the Cubs will have to put a new reliever into the closer’s role. Maddon is confident he has plenty of candidates, but that replacing Strop’s confident contributions will be a challenge.Jorge De La Rosa picked up the save in Friday’s victory when he stranded the tying runner in scoring position to preserve the Cubs’ one-run win over the Cincinnati Reds. Now, Maddon will look for others to follow De La Rosa’s lead.“It’s going to be (about) who gets the last three outs based on what happens before that,” Maddon said. “And we’ll see how it all shakes out.”After being shut down by Matt Harvey early only to get to the Reds for three seventh-inning runs to capture the series opener, the Cubs will attempt to keep rolling behind Jon Lester, who will start in Saturday’s matinee. Lester (15-6 http://www.yankeesfanproshop.com/authentic-giancarlo-stanton-jersey , 3.57 ERA) had rediscovered his winning ways before he took a loss in his last start against the Milwaukee Brewers when he allowed three runs and struck out seven in 5 2/3 innings. Lester is 6-1 with a 4.18 ERA in 15 career starts against the Reds.The Cubs aren’t the only ones dealing with injuries to their pitching staff. On Friday, the Reds announced that right-hander Lucas Sims will miss the remainder of the season due to a muscle strain near his shoulder.Sims sustained the injury last weekend when he pitched 1 2/3 innings in relief against the San Diego Padres and allowed four earned runs and three hits before saying he felt some shoulder discomfort.Sims was a September call-up and had joined Cincinnati’s starting rotation. But interim manager Jim Riggleman told reporters Friday that the injury will prevent Sims from pitching.“These things seem to take a while,” Riggleman said, according to the Reds’ official website. “I don’t know how serious it was.”Cody Reed will take the mound for the Reds on Saturday. Reed (0-2, 5.08) will make just his fifth start of the year. He started the season in bullpen but was part of a shift when the Reds changed their rotation in August.Reed is coming off a no-decision against the Los Angeles Dodgers when he allowed three runs and struck out five in four innings. Reed is 0-3 with a 12.79 ERA in five career outings (three starts) against the Cubs. The Dodgers nearly pulled of a big comeback Sunday. They remain confident with Rich Hill on the mound Monday, looking to end the series. Clayton Kershaw would start a Game 5, if necessary."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections 2019 Spring TrainingProspectsCommentaryNews and NotesDodgers Game Previews2018 NLDS: Dodgers vs BravesDodgers look to end the series, Kershaw starts Game 5 if necessaryNew,31commentsByRyan Walton@RyanWaltonSBNOct8, 2018, 11:50am PDTShareTweetShareShareDodgers look to end the series Johnny Damon Jersey , Kershaw starts Game 5 if necessaryBrett Davis-USA TODAY SportsThe Dodgers couldn’t quite get that last hit to put them over the top Sunday night. Falling a run short of tying it in the ninth, the Dodgers had runners on second and third when the final out was recorded. The final four innings of the game produced several opportunities with runners in scoring position, ending with three straight in the final frame. Overall, from the sixth inning on, the Dodgers were 0-for-7 with two walks when given the chance to cash them in.But getting down 5-0 early on the road didn’t faze them, with the experience of a deep playoff run last season showing up in a big way.“The confidence that we have, we’re never out of any games,” said Matt Kemp. “We’ve been playing really good baseball, and we knew when we got down 5-0 in the second inning, there was a lot of time left to make up. We gotta chip away, and that’s what we did.”“Walker had that one tough inning Masahiro Tanaka Jersey , but after that he shut them down. So I mean we’re never out of any games, no matter how far we get down.”Even though they didn’t completely pull out the win Sunday, the Dodgers believed they were still in it because of the way they grind out at-bats as a team.“We do have a lot of guys that do have a lot of postseason experience,” said Justin Turner speaking to the media Sunday. “And there have been a lot of conversations with some of the guys in our room who haven’t been there before.”“But you know, I talk about us being prepared and built for the playoffs to our team because we did a good job all year long of offensively staying in the strike zone, taking our walks, and as a pitching staff, we throw more strikes than anybody.”In the first three games of the series, the Dodgers have been issued 20 walks by Braves’ pitching — nine on Sunday. Dodger pitching hadn’t given up any walks until the second inning when Walker Buehler couldn’t find the strike zone all the sudden, walking three.On Monday afternoon in Atlanta, the Dodgers will get another look at Mike Foltynewicz. The right-hander comes back on three days rest after making 50 pitches in two innings during Thursday’s Game 1.The same eight position players that played in the first two games are back in the lineup for the Dodgers Paul O'Neill Jersey , with Joc Pederson in the leadoff spot. This group of players has produced six home runs over the first three games.Not surprisingly, 16 of the 20 runs scored in this series by either club have come by way of the long ball.——Rich Hill takes the ball for the Dodgers Monday, looking to end the series before it can go back to Los Angeles. After making some adjustments to his windup after a conversation with Chase Utley to prevent tipping pitches, Hill shut down the Giants for seven shutout innings in his final start of the regular season.The left-hander is 1-1 with a 2.93 ERA in seven career postseason starts with the Dodgers.Game 5 possibilityThe Dodgers will do everything in their power to prevent the series from extending past Monday, but the question of who pitches Game 5 was answered today by manager Dave Roberts.It’s going to be Clayton Kershaw.“Clayton is going to get the ball in Game 5, if there is a Game 5,” said Roberts. “I think that we had our reasons why we decided on Game 1 versus Game 2. But if there’s a potential Game 5, we feel very confident that Clayton should be the guy taking the baseball.”Kershaw shut down the Braves for eight innings in Game 2 and would make the start on regular rest.