Desperate Dodgers need Kershaw magic to keep hopes alive

Another bullpen meltdown on Thursday left the Dodgers trailing the Chicago Cubs 3-2 in the best-of-seven National League Championship Series and looking for a stellar display from their most dependable duo of arms.

Ace starter Clayton Kershaw will make a timely appearance on the mound for Game Six in Chicago on Saturday with the hope that he can take the team into the late innings before allowing reliever Kenley Jansen to seal the deal.

The two pitchers have created October magic for Los Angeles during the post-season and are now their last symbol of hope.

The Dodgers have been crushed by a combined 18-6 in their last two defeats and each Cubs hit seems to wither confidence in the team's pitching staff.

Evidence of that fragility came in Game Five where Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts removed starting pitcher Kenta Maeda after just 3 2/3 innings.

The questionable move came with the home Dodgers trailing just 1-0 and facing Chicago pitcher Jon Lester at the plate.

"For me I felt that (Maeda) was starting to lose his fastball command and his breaking ball wasn't as sharp," Roberts told reporters.

"At that point in time, I wanted to make the move knowing (Maeda) wasn't going to get (Chicago's next batter, Dexter Fowler) anyway."

That Roberts could not even trust his starter against an opposing pitcher at the plate was telling, and the ploy did not pay off when the Los Angeles relievers were let down for the second straight game as the Cubs put up seven runs against them.

Now it is up to Kershaw, and possibly Jansen, who has rewritten his playoff reputation with his last two dynamite appearances.

The three-time Cy Young winner is about the only thing the Dodgers possess that could possibly prevent the Cubs reaching the World Series for the first time since 1945.

"Obviously, the fans (in Chicago) are pretty excited about their team this year, and rightfully so," Kershaw said. "They've been waiting a long time for them to win. I guess I'm as prepared as I'll ever be for that."