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    • ‘Street Fight’ NLDS returns to LA
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    ‘Street Fight’ NLDS returns to LA

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    SAN DIEGO — The Los Angeles Dodgers were giggling, shaking their heads and, like every other Los Angeles resident, can’t wait to see what Friday night brings.

    The last time the Dodgers and San Diego Padres squared off at Chavez Ravine, the fans booed, jeered, threw bottles and cans on the field and cursed Padres star Manny Machado.

    Now they will play each other one last time this season on Friday in a winner-take-all game after the Dodgers’ 8-0 loss to the Padres forced a Game 5.

    The winner will advance to the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets.

    The loser goes home for the winter and wonders if they just lost their best chance at winning the World Series.

    “There’s going to be a lot of emotions, winner takes all,” Dodgers center Kevin Kiermaier told USA TODAY Sports. “Two teams that have a nice little rivalry. I know what’s at stake. I know what the guys are in. Think about them here, and I know what they think of us.

    “It’s fun, you know. It’s as it should be, especially in October. There will be a lot of excitement.”

    But what will it be like for Machado, Public Enemy No. 1 for Dodgers fans?

    “Oh, boy,” Kiermaier said. “I don’t know. Dodger fans booed him the first two games, and now that it’s a winner-takes-all game, I guess Dodger fans are going to come out and let those guys do it here.

    “We need everything we can get, and the crowd on our side, to create momentum. I expect Dodger fans to hear it from the start.”

    The Dodgers have already begun pleading with their fans to show civility and remind them that the best revenge is simply to win on the field.

    “I expect it to be live,” said Max Muncy, who played first base in place of Freddie Freeman in Game 2. “We’ll see what happens.”

    And the team’s message to the fans?

    “Bring energy, that’s all I’m going to say about it,” Muncy said. “Be smart about it. I expect it to be a live atmosphere. All four games in this series have been an extremely live atmosphere, home and away.” here, is more than we’ve seen in recent years.

    We’ll soon find out just how much fun is in store for Machado, who drew the ire of the Dodgers in Game 2 when he threw a ball into the Dodgers dugout between innings, infuriating Dodgers manager Dave Roberts after watching the video and said: It was thrown on purpose. The Dodgers even sent a video to the MLB offices to determine whether Machado should be disciplined. MLB did not fine him.

    The fans also expressed their anger at Machado, along with outfielders Fernando Tatis Jr. and Jurickson Profar, who threw objects on the field during the match, causing a 10-minute delay.

    “It’s going to be OK,” said three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw. “Obviously, San Diego is pretty rowdy. I think Dodgers fans will be more of the same. Obviously, I hope that’s not the case.” we still have delays, just like us. We still want the energy. We still want the atmosphere.

    “You always get a winner-take-all game, whether it’s Division Series, World Series or anything in between, it’s exciting. It will be a lot of fun to watch.”

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    Machado, who was hitless in four at-bats with two strikeouts on Wednesday, insists he’s not worried about the reaction.

    “I love baseball,” Machado said. “We’re going to go out and enjoy it. We leave it on the field 27 outs every day, day in and day out.

    “The crowds here have been incredible for us all year. I’m sure their audience will be incredible for them.”

    Certainly, the Padres wanted to win in front of their hometown fans, with 47,773 people showing up in hopes of attending a celebration of their bitter rivals on Wednesday.

    “I mean, listen, I’m already excited for Friday,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “How much fun is that going to be?”

    The Dodgers share similar sentiments, surviving one elimination game and poised to win back-to-back postseason games for the first time since 2021.

    “I think when you go through a regular season, a lot of things are kind of calculated,” Roberts said, “and there are a lot of variables because you’re playing for the longer term. But when you get into the postseason, it’s a street fight. It’s about people, players, and your desire must be greater than that of your opponent. …

    “We knew this wouldn’t be easy. Nothing is easy. So all you have to do is take the cards you are dealt and play them. And that’s what we did. Seeing our guys go through what they went through and seeing how they respond really gets me excited about Game 5.”

    The Dodgers believe their high-powered offense can carry them, especially as Mookie Betts shakes off his three-year postseason slump. He was mired in a 3-for-44 slump in his final 12 postseason games until the Dodgers reached Petco Park after two games, and suddenly went 4-for-9, homering in his first at-bat in back-to- spell back.

    “I had to turn off all social media because it was all negative,” Betts said. “And I had to get a positive vibe within me. And my team did it… My teammates did a great job of trying to instill confidence, instill confidence in me.”

    Muncy said, “I know he’s struggled in the postseason, but he’s still one of the best players in baseball. He had a rough patch, but I think the most important thing for him was to get that out of his head. I tell him, ‘Hey, you get $400 (million) too, bro. You’re still one of the best players in baseball.” Sometimes you just need to be reminded of who you are.”

    The Padres, who have three players making more than $250 million themselves, will start Yu Darvish, who yielded just three hits and one run in seven innings in Sunday’s 10-2 loss to the Padres.

    When asked how much confidence he had in Darvish, Shildt didn’t hesitate.

    “He’s been fantastic,” Shildt said. “Confidence level? He has (204) wins in his career. He has pitched for a long time. He has pitched on big stages. He has pitched in international competitions and he has pitched very well in that stadium. He is one of the better ones.” pitchers of this generation.”

    Four games down, one emotional game to go, and a night to forever be remembered in the Dodgers-Padres rivalry.

    Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

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