Lineups breakdown: Dodgers vs. Cardinals, Game 4
The Cardinals are on the verge of advancing again to the National League Championship Series while the Dodgers are pulling out what they hope is their big stopper in Clayton Kershaw to prevent elimination from the postseason.
Before Game 4 of the NL Division Series (5 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1) begins, here is a breakdown of the starting lineups:
CARDINALS
On Monday, Matt Carpenter became the first player in MLB postseason history on to hit a home run and a double in three-straight games. Not only is Carpenter 6-for-12 (.500) in the series, he has a nice track record vs. Kershaw -- batting .321 (9-for-28) vs. Kershaw in previous regular-season meetings.
Only Jon Jay (5-for-10) is having nearly as productive of a NLDS as Carpenter. Matt Holliday, who is 3-for-11 (.273) in the series, is a .239 hitter lifetime vs. Kershaw. Randall Grichuk, Jhonny Peralta and Matt Adams each have two hits in the series thus far.
Ditto for Kolten Wong, but his second hit -- a seventh-inning two-run homer on Monday -- was a huge one for St. Louis.
Also against Kershaw in the regular season, Yadier Molina is batting .303 (10-for-33) with three doubles, while Adams is hitting .300 (3-for-10).
3B Matt Carpenter
RF Randal Grichuk
LF Matt Holliday
SS Jhonny Peralta
1B Matt Adams
C Yadier Molina
CF Jon Jay
2B Kolten Wong
P Shelby Miller
DODGERS
With a number of components factoring in, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly has made a key lineup change for Game 4 against Shelby Miller and the Cardinals.
Andre Ethier will make his first start of the series, in center field, in favor of Yasiel Puig. Ethier is 2-for-6 lifetime against Miller and hit a three-run homer off him on June 29. Puig is 1-for-2 with a double, a walk and a strikeout against the Cardinals righty in his career, but has eight strikeouts in 12 at-bats this postseason.
With Puig out of the lineup and Ethier batting sixth, Carl Crawford moves into the two-hole. He is 3-for-3 with two doubles in his career against Miller, who has the chance to send the Dodgers home Tuesday with a St. Louis victory.
Miller is 1-1 with a 6.57 ERA in five games (three starts) against the Dodgers in his career, allowing nine runs and 18 hits in 12 1/3 innings.
1. Dee Gordon, 2B
2. Carl Crawford, LF
3. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
4. Matt Kemp, RF
5. Hanley Ramirez, SS
6. Andre Ethier
7. Juan Uribe, 3B
8. A.J. Ellis, C
9. Clayton Kershaw, LHP