MILWAUKEE — six weeks ago was to be the Game 1 starter in the National League Championship Series.More Brewers coverageBrewers Final Pitch: Chacin dominates mound in Game 3 of NLCSChacin http://www.brewersfanproshop.com/authentic-josh-hader-jersey , Brewers blank Dodgers to take 2-1 lead in NLCSDespite struggles, No. 23 Badgers still have hope in Big TenStrong winds could be factor for Brewers, Dodgers in NLCS Game 3Photos of the Week: 10/7/18 – 10/13/18The veteran left-hander had slogged through a frustrating season with the Nationals and was 7-11 with a 4.57 ERA when the Brewers acquired him from Washington just before the deadline to trade for players and have them eligible for postseason play.Article continues below ...At the time, Gonzalez was hoping a change of scenery would do him well and was ready to accept whatever role the Brewers had in mind for him as they chased their first postseason berth in seven years. Instead of being a bit piece, though, Gonzalez played a vital role for Milwaukee, posting a 2.13 ERA in five starts, including five-shutout innings in the regular-season finale that sent the Brewers to a Game 163 showdown with the Cubs for the NL Central title.“It’s a pretty cool story,” Gonzalez admitted Thursday as the Brewers and Dodgers worked out at Miller Park ahead of the series opener. “They wanted me to be a part of this.”Gonzalez likely won’t be out there long. The Brewers have kept their starters’ outings short all season, choosing to rely on one of the game’s best bullpens and it’s been no different in the postseason as no Milwaukee starter has worked more than five innings, including a three-inning stint by Brandon Woodruff as part of a “bullpen day” in Game 1 of the NLDS against Colorado.Gonzalez was on the roster for that series but didn’t see action. Some expected Milwaukee to turn to right-hander Jhoulys Chacin for Game 1 Max Kepler Jersey , but he’ll get the nod in Game 3 instead.“We just like the matchup,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said of Gonzalez. “We like the matchup against their lineup. It’s no secret that we’re going to use our pitching a little different than the traditionalists might like and so for us, the first matchup we liked was Gio on the mound.”After avoiding a decisive fifth game against Atlanta, the Dodgers send ace left-hander Clayton Kershaw to the mound for the opener. In 14 career starts against the Brewers, Kershaw is 6-5 with a 2.86 ERA, including a 4-1 record and 1.40 mark in seven career starts at Miller Park.He split his two starts against Milwaukee this season, allowing four runs (one earned) over six innings in a 4-2 loss at Miller Park on July 21 then striking out seven while allowing just two runs over six innings in a 21-5 rout at Dodger Stadium on Aug. 2.The Brewers batted .250 (12-for-48) against Kershaw this season, numbers that were inflated by Christian Yelich, who went 4-for-6 with a pair of home runs against Kershaw in 2018 and is 9-for-17 (.529) against him for his career.“He’s a really good hitter,” Kershaw said. “He’s definitely got some hits off me for sure, so I have to try to not let him do that (Friday).”Yelich is one of the few “for sure” players in Craig Counsell’s lineup http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-zach-duke-jersey , along with fellow outfielders Ryan Braun and Lorenzo Cain as well as first baseman Jesus Aguilar. Beyond that, Counsell has mixed and matched the rest of his lineup depending on matchups all season long and doesn’t expect that to change during the NLCS, especially with the Dodgers’ lefty-heavy rotation.That means Hernan Perez, Orlando Arcia and Jonathan Schoop could see significantly more playing time than they did in the NLCS, with Travis Shaw and Mike Moustakas possibly seeing a little less action than they have the last few weeks.“We’ll have some different lineups in this series,” Counsell said. “With three pretty solid left-handed starters, it’s a good chance for our right-handed hitters to do some damage.” The Colorado Rockies and the Chicago Cubs still have work to do to win the National League West and Central division titles, respectively, but both helped their cause with victories Thursday.The Rockies won their seventh straight game with a 5-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies, and they head into the final weekend of the season with a one-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers.Dave Roberts and the Dodgers (88-71) were idle Thursday as they traveled from Arizona to San Francisco. They will conclude the regular season with a three-game series against the Giants, their traditional and oft-times hated rival.The Rockies (89-70) conclude their regular season with a three-game series at Coors Field with the Washington Nationals.The Cubs go into the final weekend with a one-game lead over the Brewers.Jim Young/Associated PressThe Cubs (93-66) picked up a 3-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field Michael Pineda Jersey , and they lead the Milwaukee Brewers (92-67) by one game with the final weekend of the season at hand.The Cubs and Brewers clinched postseason appearances Wednesday when the Brewers beat the St. Louis Cardinals (87-72), but the two teams are in a tight battle for the NL Central title.The Brewers appear to have the better matchup in the final series of the year as they host the Detroit Tigers (64-94). The Cubs close the regular season with a three-game series against the Cardinals.The Brewers would need to pick up two full games in the standingsto win the division outright. If they pick up one game during the final series, the two teams would be tied and they would meet in a one-game tiebreaker at Wrigley Field.If that happens, that game would not be considered a playoff game. It is Game 163, and the statistics accumulated in that game would be considered part of the regular season.The team that does not win the division title will play in the NL Wild Card Game.Kyle Newman KyleNewmanDPWith NL West race coming down to the wire, second-place Dodgers counted their chickens before they hatched as #Rockies caught fire, jumped L.A. in the standings: i4QQwmfxOS #MLBIf the Dodgers can't gain any ground on the Rockies, Colorado would clinch its first division title. If the Dodgers pick up one game, those two teams would meet in Game 163 at Dodger Stadium, while the Dodgers would win the division outright if they pick up two games over the final weekend.If the Rockies win the National League West crown, the Dodgers and the Cardinals will battle for the other wild-card spot.Going into the weekend Fernando Rodney Jersey , the Dodgers are 88-71, one game ahead of the 87-72 St. Louis Cardinals.While the Rockies are surging and have an excellent opportunity to win the division, they have not clinched a playoff spot yet. Their magic number is two to ensure they will play postseason baseball. The Dodgers have a magic number of three.The Cubs have a magic number of three to clinch the division title.If the Rockies, Dodgers and Cardinals all have the same record at the conclusion of Sunday's action, the Rockies and Dodgers would play for the division title, while the loser would play the Cardinals Tuesday for a wild-card berth.The NL Wild Card game is scheduled for Tuesday, but in the event of the three-team tie mentioned above, it would be played Wednesday.The Atlanta Braves (89-70) have clinched the NL East title, and they cannot earn the National League's No. 1 seed since their maximum win total is 92, while the Cubs already have 93 victories.The Rockies cannot win more than 92 games, so that means the Cubs or Brewers will end up with the top seed.PredictionsThe Brewers have won four games in a row and seven of 10 http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-addison-reed-jersey , and they have an excellent chance of sweeping the Tigers in the final series.It will be difficult for the Cubs to do the same to the Cardinals. While St. Louis cannot be happy after being swept at home by Milwaukee this week, the Cards should be able to win at least one game or possibly two against the Cubs.The Brewers and Cubs will end up in a one-game playoff for the NL Central title, and the home team would certainly have the best chance to win that game.In the NL West, the Dodgers will have a difficult time with the Giants, and nothing would make San Francisco and its fans happier than knocking the Dodgers out of the playoffs. San Francisco wins two of three in the final series.If that happens, the Rockies would need just one win against the Nationals to clinch the division title. We see them winning at least two and earning their first division flag.Here's how we see the National League playing out:Atlanta Braves earn the No. 3 seed as the NL East championsChicago Cubs defeat the Milwaukee Brewers in one-game playoff and earn No. 1 seed as NL Central championsBrewers earn No. 1 wild-card spotColorado Rockies earn the No. 2 seed as the NL West champions.Los Angeles earn the No. 2 wild-card spot.
