Home teams have failed to take advantage of the edge they worked all season to secure in the early going of the playoffs. That's true in both National League Division Series, which saw the road clubs grab 1-0 leads Friday.
Losing Game 1, even at home, is no big deal in the two series that follow. In this round, however, it puts a boatload of pressure on the higher seeds due to the best-of-five format. They don't want to head out on the road needing to win both games just to force a deciding fifth contest.
That burden falls on the shoulders of the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday. Let's check out all of the important viewing information for both games, followed by predictions for how they will play out.
Saturday's Schedule
Game Predictions
San Francisco Giants at Washington Nationals
The Giants are off to a strong start as they attempt to rekindle their playoff magic. They won the World Series each of their past two trips to the playoffs (2010, 2012). What they continue to show is that they have a roster built for playoff success, even if they don't dominate during the regular season.
Washington started the postseason as a popular pick to win the championship. A quick glance at the roster, which reveals a terrific combination of depth and star power, shows why. The Nationals haven't proved themselves in the playoffs, however, which is always a concern.
The key for the Nats on Saturday will be figuring out battle-tested veteran Tim Hudson. The starter, who spent nine seasons in the NL East with the Atlanta Braves, has a strong track record against Washington in prior meetings, as noted by MLB:
He'll be opposed by Jordan Zimmermann. The right-hander doesn't get the same type of attention Stephen Strasburg does, but he pitched like the staff ace this season, with a 2.66 ERA over 32 starts. He gave up just two runs in eight innings in his only outing against the Giants.
It should be another low-scoring game into the late innings that comes down to which team is able to get the big hit. Look for Jayson Werth to provide it.
Prediction: Nationals 4, Giants 3
St. Louis Cardinals at Los Angeles Dodgers
Just as everybody expected, Game 1 turned into a shootout with Adam Wainwright and Clayton Kershaw. OK, maybe it didn't go according to plan for either side, but it certainly provided the series with a boost right out of the gate. And the Cardinals grabbed the edge.
It's a major setback for the Dodgers, because they lean heavily on the game's best pitcher. To see him give up eight earned runs is nothing short of a shock. Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times passed along comments from the ace about the disappointment.
"It's an awful feeling to let your teammates down," Kershaw said. "They are playing great, got a bunch of runs for me. I couldn't hold it. It's a terrible feeling. As a starting pitcher, it's your game to lose. I did that."
Game 2 will be a mental test for L.A. Going from up 6-1 with Kershaw on the mound to losing the game is a difficult position. It needs something to happen early, perhaps a big play from spark plug Yasiel Puig, to jump the mental hurdle and get refocused.
On the flip side, the Cardinals need to seize that early momentum. Dodgers starter Zack Greinke gives up a .862 OPS inside the first 15 pitches but nothing higher than .708 in any other pitch segment, per Yahoo Sports. The Cardinals have to capitalize early or he'll likely settle in.
Ultimately, Los Angeles should generate enough scoring chances against Lance Lynn (4.81 career postseason ERA) to build an early lead and carry that to a level series.
Prediction: Dodgers 6, Cardinals 4
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