Any Dodger fan who says that they weren’t worried prior to Game-5 of the National League Championship Series on Wednesday afternoon is a liar.

Any Cardinals fan who says that they aren’t worried after Game-5 of the National League Championship Series on Wednesday afternoon is also a liar.

For Dodger fans their worry was a complete lack of offense by their team through the first four games of the series that had the Dodgers down three games to one and on the brink of elimination.

For Cardinals fans their worry is that the painful memory of their team blowing a three games to one lead over the Giants in the 2012 NLCS is about to become déjà vu all over again.

Make no mistake about it, heading back home to St. Louis needing to win only one game out of two is a definite advantage for the Cardinals. But by the same token, heading back to St. Louis with the Dodgers showing signs that the July/August Dodgers have returned and the May Dodgers are once again nothing more than a distant memory gives the Dodgers a renewed confidence that they can and will win two games out of two – especially with the best pitcher in the National League (and perhaps all of baseball) on the mound Friday and a NL Rookie of the Year candidate on the mound Saturday; and this doesn’t even take into consideration the sudden return of the extremely dangerous Dodgers offense.

Adrian Gonzalez broke a 2-2 tie with his 3rd inning solo home run.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Carl Crawford gave the Dodgers a 4-2 lead with his monster 448-foot home run.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

A.J. Ellis’s 7th inning blast would prove to be the game winner.
(Photo credit – Jon SooHoo)

AGon’s second home run of the day is cause for concern for the Cardinals heading into Game-6.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

The Dodgers are very well aware that their 6-4 win over the Cardinals on Wednesday was anything but a walk in the park. Not only did they need and receive an absolutely stellar pitching performance by Zack Greinke and each of the four solo home runs by Adrian Gonzalez (two), Carl Crawford and A.J. Ellis, they also needed and received a Gold Glove-caliber performance by Gonzalez on the other side of the ball when AGon picked a ball out of the dirt to complete a step-and-throw bases loaded double play by Dodgers third baseman Juan Uribe in the first inning. Should the Dodgers go on to win the 2013 NLCS, it will be because of that double play and Greinke’s ability to pitch himself out of that first inning bases loaded/no outs jam without allowing a run to score.

As he has done all season, Zack Greinke again rose to the occasion on Wednesday afternoon allowing only 2 runs on 6 hits while walking 1 and striking out 4 in his seven innings of work.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

With Hanley Ramirez questionable for games six and seven, it is reassuring to know that the rest of the Dodger bats are beginning to heat up again – and not a moment too soon.

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Honorable Mention

Dodgers set-up man Brian Wilson extended his postseason scoreless innings streak to 16.2 on Wednesday afternoon – only four innings shy of the record held by John Rocker.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Although Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen was a bit shaky on Wednesday allowing 2 runs on 4 hits, he ended up striking out the side to force a Game-6 on Friday evening.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)