two straight home games.But the Dodgers didnt sound discouraged as they packed up for their flight.We can grab that momentum by one name, Dodgers first baseman

LOS ANGELES -- Clayton Kershaw gripped a baseball in his left hand and grimaced while he watched Game 5 of the NL Championship Series from the dugout.The Los Angeles Dodgers best pitcher was ready and eager, and he was sitting on three days of rest. Manager Dave Roberts could have deployed him Thursday night in Chavez Ravine and probably again in relief at Wrigley Field.Roberts declined to play his ace, instead holding his top card for the weekend. The Dodgers decided to rely on rookie Kenta Maeda and their busy bullpen against the NLs best offense.Those pitchers hung in for the first three hours, but eventually proved to be no match for Jon Lester in the Chicago Cubs 8-4 victory. Los Angeles now trails the NLCS 3-2 after getting outscored 18-6 in two straight home games.But the Dodgers didnt sound discouraged as they packed up for their flight.We can grab that momentum by one name, Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez said. Kershaw.Although Roberts has already proven unafraid to do unorthodox things with his pitchers in October, he stuck to a conventional plan to save Kershaw for Game 6.And instead of pitching to clinch a pennant Saturday night, Kershaw must attempt to save the Dodgers season again.Weve got Clayton going in Game 6, so thats a game we expect to win, Roberts said.Kershaw volunteered to pitch Game 5, but Roberts had several reasons to turn him down.Roberts figured he would need to start Maeda at some point in the next three games, and he hoped the home crowd would benefit the inconsistent Japanese right-hander. With a day off Friday, Roberts also knew he could go deep into his bullpen -- which has thrown a majors-high 43 innings in the postseason -- with no repercussions.Its not an elimination game, Roberts said after Game 4. And I think the accumulation of (Kershaws) usage over the last ten days plays a factor in our decision.Instead of pitching on three days rest in Game 5, Kershaw will be pitching on a luxurious five days rest in Game 6. Although the three-time NL Cy Young Award winner already has pitched 19 1/3 innings in the postseason, a midseason injury kept him off the mound for 2 1/2 months, leaving his arm with much less accumulated action than in a normal season -- 168 1/3 innings combined this year, compared to 246 1/3 last season.Kershaw shrugs off that notion, saying he feels pretty much the same as he did in previous Octobers. The biggest difference is that Kershaw, who acquired a reputation for postseason struggles over the past several seasons, has begun to erase that reputation this fall while he attempts to reach his first World Series.Thats who you want in your decision game, Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager said. Were looking forward to the battle.After pitching decently in his two starts in the NL Division Series against Washington, Kershaw dominated the Cubs with seven innings of two-hit ball in Game 2, and closer Kenley Jansen finished off a 1-0 victory.Regardless of the success of this call, Roberts has made a series of canny decisions in the postseason. His clever pitching staff management in the decisive Game 5 of the NLDS against Washington thrilled long-suffering fans who found manager Don Mattingly too reactive.Roberts used setup man Joe Blanton in the third inning, kept Jansen in for 51 pitches and seven outs, and went to Kershaw to close out a 4-3 thriller.Although Kershaw wasnt chosen for Game 5, Roberts clearly didnt have much faith in the alternative, pulling Maeda after just 3 2/3 innings and 76 pitches.Maeda trailed 1-0 after three batters in Game 5, but after striking out two Cubs to end the first, he held them without a hit until Javier Baezs leadoff double in the fourth. Moments later, Roberts curiously pulled him with Lester coming up for Chicago.Roberts said he thought Maedas stuff was fading, and he decided to rely on his high-mileage bullpen.I was a little surprised, Maeda said through a translator.The Dodgers bullpen kept it even until the sixth, when Addison Russell hit a tiebreaking two-run homer off Blanton, one of Roberts most reliable arms until recently.The wheels fell off for Los Angeles in Chicagos five-run eighth inning, turning a tense game into a second straight blowout victory. The Cubs are one win away from a chance to end the championship drought that dwarfs all others, but Kershaw will finally get another shot to shut them down.We all know what we have in front of us with Kershaw going into Game 6, Cubs lefty Jon Lester said after his win Thursday. Hopefully hes not the good Kershaw, and we get kind of the mediocre guy that gives up a few runs and were able to hold them where theyre at.The Dodgers are eager to see their ace at his best.We have Kershaw going the next game, which were excited about, said Blanton, who gave up two homers and five runs to the Cubs in Game 1 after four scoreless appearances against the Nationals. Our backs are against the wall, but we kind of like that. Weve been there the whole year. We were in this situation in Washington, too. Maybe its where we need to be. Corey Seager Jersey . The showiest items on Calgarys lot were forwards Mike Cammalleri and Lee Stempniak. Both will be unrestricted free agents this summer. Enrique Hernandez Jersey . 4 Villanova with a 96-68 drubbing on Monday. Wragge hit 9-of-14 from behind the arc, matching Kyle Korvers school record for 3-pointers in a game set in 2003, as Creighton (16-3, 6-1 Big East broke a conference record with 21 treys in the rout. http://www.authenticdodgersgear.com/dodgers-mike-piazza-jersey/ . - Goaltender Philippe Desrosiers of the Rimouski Oceanic has broken a shutout record that was only three months old in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Maury Wills Jersey . "Jeff is a hard worker who was an important special-teams contributor for us last season," said Stamps GM John Hufnagel. Kenley Jansen Jersey . -- Charlie Graham stopped 67 shots as the Belleville Bulls edged the visiting Guelph Storm 6-5 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. TORONTO -- In their first-round playoff sweep of the Rochester Americans, the Toronto Marlies only conceded five goals. But in the first game of their second-round series against the Grand Rapids Griffins, they allowed seven. Tomas Tatar scored twice and added an assist as the Griffins thumped the 7-0 in Game 1 of the American Hockey Leagues Western Conference semi-final series on Friday night. "I cant remember losing a game like that since Ive been here," said Toronto head coach Dallas Eakins. "I loved the way that we started the game. I thought we came out stomping. It was exactly how we wanted to start." Mitch Callahan, Chad Billins, Teemu Pulkkinen, Luke Glendening and Jan Mursak also scored for the Griffins. Petr Mrazek made 25 saves in recording his second shutout of the playoffs. Its not that the Marlies were overmatched in any way. It was quite the opposite off the start as the Marlies came out firing, registering the first six shots on goal. But two quick Griffins goals in the first period put the Marlies on the back foot early and they were never able to recover. Mrazek was stellar for the Griffins and penalty trouble in the third period killed any chance of Torontos attempts to stage a late comeback. Marlies goalie Drew MacIntyre had a tough night giving up six goals on 28 shots and was replaced by Garret Sparks early in the third period. Sparks made 10 saves on 11 shots. "I was really bad. I was horrible," said MacIntyre. "I wasnt sharp. I did a lot of bad things. But I think Ill be fine." Callahan opened the scoring at 8:55 of the first after the Griffins worked the puck around quickly off a faceoff in the Toronto zone. Brennan Evans quickly picked up the puck and got it back to the point where Callahan fired through traffic. Just 34 seconds later, Billins was another recipient of some quick work off the draw as hhe fired in his first of the playoffs from the point.dddddddddddd. While MacIntyre was critical of his own performance, his coach was quick to come to his defence as MacIntyre has bailed out the Marlies repeatedly since joining the team in February. "None of those goals were soft goals on Drews part," said Eakins. "It was just one of those nights where everything they touched was going in that net and it was a night for us where we couldnt get anything. There was no let-up from the Griffins as they scored their third of the game just 1:14 into the second. After a poor Marlies clearance from the corner, Tomas Jurco found Pulkkinen beside the goal with a slap pass that Pulkkinen then converted from close range. Tatars first of the night game at 19:42 of the second when he was given plenty of time beside the Marlies goal to get a couple of shots at a loose puck before banging a shot in off MacIntyre. MacIntyres night was done after the Griffins added two more goals in the first 5:48 of the third. Theres not much time for the Marlies to dwell on getting blown out in game one. Game two takes place less than 24 hours later on Saturday afternoon. "I wouldnt want to be thinking about this one for much longer," said MacIntyre, admitting he was pleased that he gets another crack at the Griffins on Saturday. "Im really excited to get back out." Tatar got his second of the night when he came out from behind the goal and was given plenty of time to wait and pick his spot at 3:16. At 5:48, Glendening scored a close-range goal from MacIntyres right side. Notes: The Marlies were without defenceman Jesse Blacker who was called up by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Blacker had missed the entire first round with a lower body injury. a Spencer Abbott was also out of the lineup with an undisclosed injury. a Attendance on Friday night was 3,812. 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