There was little for the Dodgers to have fun on Wednesday night time.

Tony Gonsolin and Dustin Could succumbed as soon as extra to stage fright. The bullpen impressed minimal confidence. Mookie Betts was saved in examine, which successfully shut down the Dodgers offense for a lot of the sport.

Hidden within the avalanche of considerations that surfaced in a 6-Four defeat to the Tampa Bay Rays in Sport 2 of the World Sequence, there was a minor however nonetheless vital victory.

Julio Urías didn’t pitch.

This column has usually been a spot to look at the group’s issues and shortcomings, however that feels completely pointless in the mean time.

As a result of the Dodgers stay in command of the sequence.

That’s price repeating, even on the threat of coming throughout as a homer or angering readers who imagine in jinxes: The Dodgers stay in command of the sequence.

They’re in management due to their rotation, a bonus supervisor Dave Roberts protected by making certain Urías could be out there to begin, or at the least pitch the vast majority of the innings, in Sport 4.

“We really feel nice,” Roberts stated.

Roberts recited the names of his subsequent three starters, which defined why he felt how he did.

Walker Buehler. Urías. Clayton Kershaw.

Irrespective of how a lot methods have advanced, the rhythms of video games proceed to be established by beginning pitchers. The final two nights have been reminders of that.

Kershaw was dominant in Sport 1 and the Dodgers cruised to a lopsided victory.

Rays starter Blake Snell struck out 9 in Four 2/three innings in Sport 2 and the Dodgers spent virtually all the night time chasing the sport.

The sequence is about to take a pointy flip again within the Dodgers’ favor.

With the sequence even at one sport apiece, Buehler will begin for the Dodgers in Sport three on Friday.

Buehler wasn’t completely himself within the first two rounds of this postseason when he was troubled by a number of blisters on his pitching hand. However his most up-to-date begin was his greatest, as he delivered six shutout innings towards the Atlanta Braves in Sport 6 of the Nationwide League Championship Sequence.

Dodgers ace Walker Buehler might be L.A.’s beginning pitcher in Sport three of the World Sequence on Friday. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Instances)

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The Rays will counter with Charlie Morton, however the benefit belongs to the Dodgers.

If Buehler is the group’s most reliable big-game pitcher, an in depth second needs to be Sport Four starter Urías.

Urias has posted a 0.56 earned-run common in 16 innings unfold over 4 video games. In a five-inning aid look within the NL Division Sequence, he restricted the Padres to an unearned run. He made his first begin of the postseason in Sport three of the NLCS when he held the Braves to a run over 5 innings. 4 days later, he pitched the final three innings of a Sport 7 victory.

Benefit, Dodgers.

Kershaw will return to the mound in Sport 5. Within the opening sport of the sequence, he exploited the all-or-nothing strategy of the Rays, placing out eight and giving up just one run over six innings.

Kershaw might have remained within the sport, however with the Dodgers forward by seven runs, Roberts determined to take away him along with his pitch depend nonetheless at 78. The early substitution ought to assist in Sport 5.

Once more, benefit, Dodgers.

One thing to consider: If the Dodgers win Video games three and 4, Kershaw might be in place to win the sport that secures their first championship since 1988.

Their bullpen has continued to be untrustworthy, however the schedule ought to help them. In contrast to the earlier rounds, there are days off on this sequence, the primary of which comes Thursday.

Roberts, who made the precise calls to the bullpen within the NLCS, will be capable to higher line up his pitchers.

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“You look the place are relievers are set with the off day tomorrow, we’re in an ideal spot,” he stated.

For the sake of argument, think about the chance the sequence extends to 6 video games, or, heaven forbid, seven.

Whereas Gonsolin or Could could be lined as much as pitch Sport 6, one other intriguing different has emerged in Alex Wooden.

Accidents restricted Wooden to solely two begins within the pandemic-shortened common season. However he pitched a scoreless inning in Sport three of the NLCS and fired two extra zeroes Wednesday night time.

Within the 2017 World Sequence, he was the one Dodgers starter to pitch nicely towards the sign-stealing Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park.

“This whole postseason, he’s pitched very well,” Roberts stated. “And I simply actually like the way in which he attacked the zone. He’ll get a pair days off after which we’ll type of reassess after that for him.”

And if there’s a Sport 7?

The Dodgers begin Buehler.

In different phrases, one thing cataclysmic must occur for them to lose this sequence, which stays theirs to lose.

This story initially appeared in Los Angeles Instances.