LOS ANGELES -- Clayton Kershaw gripped a baseball in his left hand and grimaced while he watched Game 5 of the NL Championship Series from the dugout.The Los Angeles Dodgers best pitcher was ready and eager, and he was sitting on three days of rest. Manager Dave Roberts could have deployed him Thursday night in Chavez Ravine and probably again in relief at Wrigley Field.Roberts declined to play his ace, instead holding his top card for the weekend. The Dodgers decided to rely on rookie Kenta Maeda and their busy bullpen against the NLs best offense.Those pitchers hung in for the first three hours, but eventually proved to be no match for Jon Lester in the Chicago Cubs 8-4 victory. Los Angeles now trails the NLCS 3-2 after getting outscored 18-6 in two straight home games.But the Dodgers didnt sound discouraged as they packed up for their flight.We can grab that momentum by one name, Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez said. Kershaw.Although Roberts has already proven unafraid to do unorthodox things with his pitchers in October, he stuck to a conventional plan to save Kershaw for Game 6.And instead of pitching to clinch a pennant Saturday night, Kershaw must attempt to save the Dodgers season again.Weve got Clayton going in Game 6, so thats a game we expect to win, Roberts said.Kershaw volunteered to pitch Game 5, but Roberts had several reasons to turn him down.Roberts figured he would need to start Maeda at some point in the next three games, and he hoped the home crowd would benefit the inconsistent Japanese right-hander. With a day off Friday, Roberts also knew he could go deep into his bullpen -- which has thrown a majors-high 43 innings in the postseason -- with no repercussions.Its not an elimination game, Roberts said after Game 4. And I think the accumulation of (Kershaws) usage over the last ten days plays a factor in our decision.Instead of pitching on three days rest in Game 5, Kershaw will be pitching on a luxurious five days rest in Game 6. Although the three-time NL Cy Young Award winner already has pitched 19 1/3 innings in the postseason, a midseason injury kept him off the mound for 2 1/2 months, leaving his arm with much less accumulated action than in a normal season -- 168 1/3 innings combined this year, compared to 246 1/3 last season.Kershaw shrugs off that notion, saying he feels pretty much the same as he did in previous Octobers. The biggest difference is that Kershaw, who acquired a reputation for postseason struggles over the past several seasons, has begun to erase that reputation this fall while he attempts to reach his first World Series.Thats who you want in your decision game, Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager said. Were looking forward to the battle.After pitching decently in his two starts in the NL Division Series against Washington, Kershaw dominated the Cubs with seven innings of two-hit ball in Game 2, and closer Kenley Jansen finished off a 1-0 victory.Regardless of the success of this call, Roberts has made a series of canny decisions in the postseason. His clever pitching staff management in the decisive Game 5 of the NLDS against Washington thrilled long-suffering fans who found manager Don Mattingly too reactive.Roberts used setup man Joe Blanton in the third inning, kept Jansen in for 51 pitches and seven outs, and went to Kershaw to close out a 4-3 thriller.Although Kershaw wasnt chosen for Game 5, Roberts clearly didnt have much faith in the alternative, pulling Maeda after just 3 2/3 innings and 76 pitches.Maeda trailed 1-0 after three batters in Game 5, but after striking out two Cubs to end the first, he held them without a hit until Javier Baezs leadoff double in the fourth. Moments later, Roberts curiously pulled him with Lester coming up for Chicago.Roberts said he thought Maedas stuff was fading, and he decided to rely on his high-mileage bullpen.I was a little surprised, Maeda said through a translator.The Dodgers bullpen kept it even until the sixth, when Addison Russell hit a tiebreaking two-run homer off Blanton, one of Roberts most reliable arms until recently.The wheels fell off for Los Angeles in Chicagos five-run eighth inning, turning a tense game into a second straight blowout victory. The Cubs are one win away from a chance to end the championship drought that dwarfs all others, but Kershaw will finally get another shot to shut them down.We all know what we have in front of us with Kershaw going into Game 6, Cubs lefty Jon Lester said after his win Thursday. Hopefully hes not the good Kershaw, and we get kind of the mediocre guy that gives up a few runs and were able to hold them where theyre at.The Dodgers are eager to see their ace at his best.We have Kershaw going the next game, which were excited about, said Blanton, who gave up two homers and five runs to the Cubs in Game 1 after four scoreless appearances against the Nationals. Our backs are against the wall, but we kind of like that. Weve been there the whole year. We were in this situation in Washington, too. Maybe its where we need to be. Justin Faulk Jersey . LOUIS -- Roman Polak was celebrating even before Alexander Steen scored the winning goal in Saturdays 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Cam Ward Hurricanes Jersey . On June 12, just as the sun sets on the magnificent historical city of Sao Paulo the inventors, innovators and purveyors of “joga bonitowill” open their campaign. The opponent, Croatia and all its football might and will. 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TUCSON, Ariz. -- Washington has been dominant to open the season, picking teams apart with its passing game, shutting down opposing offenses with its cache of talented defensive players.The competition level is about to ratchet up a few ticks.After beating up on Rutgers, Idaho and Portland State, the ninth-ranked Huskies face their first true test of the season on Saturday night, when they head to the desert to play Arizona and its snap-before-theyre-ready offense.Well see if were ready. Thats easier said than done, Washington coach Chris Petersen said. It certainly feels better and different when in the fourth quarter you have a comfortable lead, as opposed to fighting and clawing all the way down. That does change things. That we havent experienced.It has been relatively easy so far.The Huskies (3-0) won their first three games by a combined score of 148-30 and its first-team defense has yet to allow a touchdown. Quarterback Jake Browning leads the nation in passing efficiency at 206.9, throwing for 12 touchdowns with one interception.Continuing that type of success should be a little tougher in Tucson.Arizona (2-1) had some early-season struggles on both sides of the ball, but seems to be getting the kinks worked out after rolling over Hawaii last week.The Wildcats also have a knack for playing well against the best teams; theyve knocked off a top-10 team each of the previous four seasons and are looking forward to this challenge.You come to this level to play in those games. You want to be one of those top-ranked teams, Arizona coach Rich Rodriguez said. When you play them, there should be a little extra juice because of the attention it will get and because of the challenge you are facing. If our guys want to prove that they can play at the highest level, they are going to get a chance.A few more things to look for when Washington faces Arizona on Saturday night.ARIZONAS QB: Sophomore Brandon Daawkins has played well in two games since Anu Solomon injured his knee in practice and will likely start again on Saturday.dddddddddddd Solomon was limited in practice this week and is listed as questionable on Arizonas injury report. But Dawkins may have started anyway. The dual-threat QB has thrown for 458 yards and a pair of touchdowns, adding 215 yards and five more scores on the ground. The Huskies prepared as if Dawkins would be the starter.HUSKY D: Facing Washingtons defense can be an intimidating task. Rodriguez estimates the Huskies have up to seven potential NFL players on their defense, including safety Budda Baker, linebacker Joe Mathis and Sidney Jones. The Wildcats like to play fast and may need to ramp it up even more with these Huskies chasing them.Theyre probably as big and explosive as any team in the country, Rodriguez said.TAYLORS TURN: Arizona became thin at running back after running back Orlando Bradford was dismissed from the team following his arrest on domestic violence charges. The Wildcats took another hit against Hawaii last week, when primary back Nick Wilson was injured in the first half. In stepped J.J. Taylor. The small but ultra-quick freshman ran his way through Hawaiis defense last week, racking up 168 yards on 18 carries, including one 61-yard touchdown dash down the sideline. Wilson is listed as questionable on the injury report and Arizona moved slot receiver Tyrell Johnson to running back to add depth.FAMILIAR FOE: The Huskies will see a familiar face across the field Saturday night. New Arizona defensive coordinator Marcel Yates spent more than a decade at Boise State working under Petersen before Petersen left for Washington. With Yates at the helm last season, Boise State held Washington to 179 total yards in a 16-13 win in Idaho. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '