LOS ANGELES -- Needing a win to stave off elimination, the Los Angeles Dodgers are giving the ball to ace Clayton Kershaw on short rest Tuesday to face the Washington Nationals in Game 4 of their NL Division Series.The Dodgers lost 8-3 Monday and trail 2-1 in the best-of-five matchup.Kershaw won Game 1 last Friday, although the three-time NL Cy Young Award winner allowed three runs and eight hits while throwing 101 pitches over five innings.Still, rookie manager Dave Roberts was undeterred.One, Clayton gives us the best chance to win, and number two, he gives us the best chance to go deeper into a game, Roberts said before the game.Kershaw said once the series began that he wanted to pitch Game 4, according to Roberts.He wasnt as sharp as I had seen him, but hes still Clayton Kershaw, Nationals manager Dusty Baker said of Kershaws Game 1 performance. He kept them in the game, whether he was sharp or not. Hes one of the best around, if not the best.The left-hander has pitched on short rest in each of the previous three years. Kershaw is 1-1 with a 1.89 ERA in that span, striking out 23 and walking four.Clayton, he is an outlier in all of major league baseball, Roberts said. We feel very comfortable and confident with him going on short rest, and I think, so far as the arm usage, 100 percent. There was a lot of conversations with the docs and the trainers as far as the back, and also obviously talking to Clayton, most importantly, thats not an issue.Kershaw missed 2+ months with a mildly herniated disk in his back before returning in September.Rookie left-hander Julio Urias had been the projected starter for Game 4. Instead, he will be available out of the bullpen. The Dodgers used all seven of their relievers on the NLDS roster in Mondays loss, including closer Kenley Jansen, who gave up four runs in the ninth inning.If the Dodgers force a deciding Game 5 in Washington on Thursday, Urias or left-hander Rich Hill are possibilities to start.The Nationals will start right-hander Joe Ross in Game 4.Drew Pomeranz Red Sox Jersey . Olli Jokinen, Mark Scheifele, and Bryan Little each had a goal and an assist as Winnipeg won 5-2, handing Calgary its record-setting seventh consecutive loss on home ice. Carlton Fisk Jersey . -- When the Florida Panthers fell behind by two goals in the first period to the top team in the NHL, it appeared they were on their way to yet another loss. https://www.cheapredsox.com/ . Calgary scored on the first shift, and Michael Cammalleri scored twice as the Flames cruised to a 5-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday. Brock Holt Red Sox Jersey . Both players have lower body injuries that will keep them out of the lineup until at least January 31, which is the first game they can be activated from IR. Andrew Cashner Jersey . -- Nathan Pancel scored twice as the Sudbury Wolves defeated the North Bay Battalion 4-2 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action.Gloucester secured a crucial try-bonus point victory to leap up the Aviva Premiership as they defeated dogged Bristol 26-18 at Kingsholm.The Cherry and Whites fired blanks in the opening half as Bristol went in 6-0 ahead thanks to two penalties from full-back Jason Woodward.However, an improved second period saw centre Matt Scott, scrum-half and captain Willi Heinz and wing Henry Purdy all go over for tries, with a penalty try also awarded. Fullback James Hook also kicked three out of four conversions.Wing Jack Wallace and Luke Arscott got late Bristol consolation tries, one of which Arscott coverted.Gloucester began the match in determined fashion, with Bristol stuck inside their own half as the Cherry and Whites pounded their defence.Former England number eight Ben Morgan was on the rampage and made several holes in the visitors defence. Once they started to motor, the Premierships basement side took the game to Gloucester, and they went ahead when Woodward slotted a simple shot from 23 metres to put Bristol three points ahead.The visitors had Gloucester on the rack soon after as they reached Gloucesters tryline, with skipper Jordan Crane at number eight leading the charge - but could not breach a solid defence. Woodward, though, added a second penalty after 18 minutes and were giving the Cherry and Whites headaches.Skipper Heinz came the closest to grabbing a Gloucester try during a decidedly average first period when he was stopped two metres short of the line - and the home crowd vented their frustration when Hook, who has signed for Welsh region Ospreys for next sseason, missed a straightforward penalty.dddddddddddd.Gloucesters handling was poor before the break and all the endeavour was coming from the visitors - but it was a different story after the turnaround as the home side pressed forward.By the 50-minute mark, they had stormed into a 14-6 lead, with Bristol having no answer to some punishing Gloucester momentum.Humphreys changed centre Mark Atkinson for former England centre Billy Twelvetrees at the break and it had an immediate effect as Twelvetrees gave a scoring pass inside the 22 to Scott. Hooks conversion put Gloucester ahead. Gloucesters scrum overpowered the visitors inside Bristols 22 and, when the ball popped out at the side, Heinz snatched it to dive in from five metres alongside the posts.The home side had gone up a few gears and, when they drove a maul over the Bristol line, replacement prop Jamal Ford-Robinson was yellow carded for pulling it down. Ref Matthew Carley also awarded a penalty try, which Hook converted.Bristol almost got a try when replacement fly-half Billy Searle set a lovely ball inside to lock James Phillips but, on review, the pass was adjudged forward.It was tough luck on Bristol but they suffered even worse fortune when Purdy waltzed past two attempted tackles from 10 metres out to stroll over on the left for Gloucesters bonus point try. With seconds left, Wallace got Bristols consolation try in the right corner and Arscott got another virtually straight away. ' ' '
