Chicago Cubs at Los Angeles Dodgers: NLCS Game 4 GameThread

Los Angeles Dodgers’ left-hander Julio Urias will become the youngest pitcher to start in a League Championship Series when he takes the mound in Game 4 of the NLCS with the Chicago Cubs in Dodger Stadium tonight.

In 18 games and 15 starts for LA this season, the 20-year-old southpaw was (5-2) with a 3.39 ERA, a 3.17 FIP, 31 walks (3.62 BB/9) and 84 Ks (9.82 K/9) in 77 innings.

Dodgers’ skipper Dave Roberts told reporters he expected more of the same from the lefty against the Cubs.

“I think that we expect him to just go out there and compete,” Roberts said, “use his pitch mix and go after these guys. Give us a chance to win a baseball game. So it's what Julio's done all year long.”

Roberts said he wasn’t really concerned with Urias’s pitch count tonight, as much as how he was doing against the Cubs.

“I think that we've kind of monitored his usage throughout the regular season,” Roberts explained.

“But I think right now for me it's going to be -- it's not necessarily the pitch count. A lot of it is the stressful innings too. It's a big game. It's going to be a big game. So if he's throwing the baseball the way we expect, then I'm not afraid to push him to help us win a baseball game.”

John Lackey starts for the Cubs as they try to avoid falling further behind in the NLCS.

Lackey, 27 didn’t face LA this season, but the right-hander has gone (6-3) in 12 games and 11 starts against the Dodgers in his career, with a 1.75 ERA and .201/.260/.277 line against in 77 IP against Los Angeles.

He was asked if that history would help him at all when he takes the mound tonight?

“Not really,” Lackey said. “It's going to be a new challenge. It's going to be a new game.

“Obviously we're playing here. I think I pitched against them in St. Louis a couple years ago in the playoffs. But you've still got to execute pitches. One game doesn't really affect the other.”

Here are the lineups for both teams in Game 4 of the NLCS: