San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers NLDS Game 4 Starters Looking to Bounce Back

The San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease will look to send his team to the NLCS and the Los Angeles Dodgers starter Ryan Brasier will be looking to keep his team alive in Game 4 of the NLDS on Wednesday.
San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease throws during a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sept. 15 at Dodger Stadium.
San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease throws during a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sept. 15 at Dodger Stadium. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It's do-or-die time for the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of a National League Divisional Series at 9:08 p.m. ET (6:08 p.m. PT) on Wednesday at Petco Park in San Diego.

If the Padres win, they'll clinch a spot in the National League Championship Series and will have a chance to win their first pennant since 1998.

If the Dodgers win, then they'll force a fifth and final NLDS game on Friday and will send the series back to their home field of Dodger Stadium.

With the game having such heavy stakes, two struggling pitchers will be tasked with stifling two of the best lineups in the league.

Dylan Cease will start for San Diego and Ryan Brasier will be on the hill for Los Angeles.

It will be Cease's second start of the postseason. His first start was on Game 1 of the NLDS against the Dodgers. Cease didn't pitch well. He allowed five earned runs off six hits (one home run) and walked two batters while striking out five in 3.1 innings pitched.

Brasier, usually a reliever for Los Angeles, will be making his third appearance of the postseason (first start). Brasier's prior two outings came in Game 1 and 2 of the NLDS, respectively. He's pitched 2.1 innings in total and has two runs (both earned) off three hits (one home run) and has struck out just one batter.

Cease will likely be motivated to have a bounce back game after struggling in his last start and the Dodgers bullpen will have to keep an offense that's averaging six runs a game in the postseason at bay.

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