Los Angeles @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 11, 2016 ) Washington 5, LA Dodgers 6

Max Scherzer has problems keeping the ball inside the park and the Washington Nationals are hoping that won't be an issue in Thursday's decisive Game 5 of the National League Division Series against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers. Scherzer served up a career-worst 31 homers in the regular season and was taken deep by Corey Seager and Justin Turner in Los Angeles' 4-3 victory in Game 1.

Scherzer is aware the Nationals have never won a playoff series since relocating from Montreal and didn't sidestep away from the importance. "This will probably be the biggest start of my career," Scherzer told reporters. "I've said that a few times in my life, but I think this will be it. You're going to get the absolute best out of everybody on both teams." The Dodgers look to reach the NL Championship Series for the second time in four seasons and are expected to turn to veteran left-hander Rich Hill. Los Angeles first baseman Adrian Gonzalez hit a two-run shot in Tuesday's 6-5 victory - his only homer and RBIs in the series.

TV: 8:08 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Rich Hill (0-1, 8.31 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Max Scherzer (0-1, 6.00)

Hill is expected to start, but manager Dave Roberts asserted that 20-year-old rookie Julio Urias is also part of the Game 5 pitching plan. "I think that we talked about Rich as an option, obviously, but so is Julio and how we want to strategize to win Game 5," Roberts said at a press conference. "We're going to talk through it but it's nice now that we didn't have to go to Julio (in Game 4), so he's certainly an option." Hill lasted only 4 1/3 innings while losing Game 2, giving up four runs and six hits while striking out seven.

Scherzer allowed four runs and five hits in six innings while losing against Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw in Game 1. The NL Cy Young award candidate, who won 20 games during the regular season, expects another raucous atmosphere with the NLCS berth awaiting the winner. "If it's anything like Game 1, it's going to be such a thrill," Scherzer said. "Game 1 was unbelievable there in D.C. The fans were just going nuts from the first pitch. So the fact that it's going to be Game 5, I mean, our fans really brought it in Game 1, so I can only imagine the atmosphere going into Game 5."

WALK-OFFS

1. Nationals 2B Daniel Murphy had four RBIs in Game 4 and is 6-for-13 with six RBIs in the series.

2. Seager has two homers in the series but his 0-for-5 effort on Tuesday dropped him to 3-for-18 over the four contests.

3. Washington manager Dusty Baker has lost a major-league record eight consecutive postseason games when a victory would have advanced the team he was guiding.

PREDICTION: Nationals 6, Dodgers 4