NLCS: Dodgers Advance To World Series On Three Homers By Enrique Hernandez, Down Cubs, 11-1

Players of the Day for Thursday, October 19, 2017

National League

Hernandez: 3 HR, 7 RBI

Left fielder Enrique Hernandez socked three home runs - one a grand slam - and drove in seven runs as the Dodgers defeated the Cubs, 11-1, advancing to the World Series by taking the NL Championship, four games to one.

Hernandez belted a solo homer in the second inning, punched out his grand slam in the third, and capped off LA's coronation as NL champions with a two-run blast in the ninth.

A part-time player and pinch hitter, Hernandez only had 297 at-bats in the 2017 regular season, batting .215 with 11 home runs and 37 RBI. The 26-year-old native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, had his best single day at the plate in his three full seasons with the Dodgers.

LA captured the NL pennant for the first time since 1988 and did so with style, winning the NL West division by 11 games over Arizona. Their 104-58 record was the best in the majors and gives them home field advantage against their eventual AL opponents, either the Yankees or Astros.

In the playoffs, LA was nearly unbeatable, sweeping the Diamondbacks in three straight, by a combined score of 20-11. In the NLCS, their dominance was even more pronounced, winning four of five by a combined score of 28-8. The only Chicago win was a 3-2 victory in game four.

In the four championship series wins, Dodger pitching allowed five runs total, for an ERA of 1.25.

The World Series opens on Tuesday, October 24, in Los Angeles.

American League

There were no games in the American League on Thursday. The ALCS resumes Friday, 8:08 pm ET, in Houston with the Yankees leading the Astros three games to two. With a victory, the Yankees would advance to the World Series. If the Astros win, game seven would be Saturday, October 21, at 8:08 pm ET, in Houston.