With their backs against the wall and one loss away from forever being known as 2017 World Series runners-up, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters via conference call on Monday afternoon that Monday’s off day couldn’t have come at a better time, following Sunday’s marathon 10-inning 13-12 loss to the American League champion Houston Astros.

With Sunday night’s loss at a less-than-friendly Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas, the Astros now hold a three-games-to-two lead over the Dodgers, as the series returns to Dodger Stadium for game-6 of the Fall Classic on Tuesday night.

“I think that it’s obviously different than a regular season tough loss … obviously the emotions, the focus and energy were obviously at an all-time high,” Roberts said. “But I think that our guys, even on the airplane, just as tough as that was, just look forward to today, just kind of having an off-day and being ready to win a game on Tuesday.

“So our guys, like I said before, we’re very resilient and we played our tails off for 27 … I’mean shoot, however many outs there were the entire game, and we got beat,” added Roberts. “So I know we’re going to come with that same intensity tomorrow.”

During Sunday’s historic five-hour and 17-minute seesaw battle that ended on an RBI single by Astros third baseman Alex Bregman off of Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen with two-outs in the home half of the 10th inning, it was impossible not to notice that Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson yet again had a very good game, going 1-for-2 with a double, a walk, and a run scored, just as he has been doing throughout the entire series thus far. As such, it came as a surprise to no one when Roberts said that Pederson would be in his starting lineup against Astros right-hander Justin Verlander on Tuesday evening at what promises to be a very loud Dodger Stadium.

“Joc will be back in there tomorrow against Verlander and I think there was a mechanical change,” Roberts said, when asked about the adjustments Pederson made after his demotion to Triple-A Oklahoma City earlier in the regular season. “I think that you see him now he’s more set in his legs and that’s something that he and the hitting guys made that adjustment about a month and a half ago.

“And I think for him it’s just that focus on every pitch and that right now, in the postseason, you’re seeing him stay in the strike zone,” Roberts added. “I think that we’ve all seen him during the regular season, when he’s not going well, he expands and gets out of the strike zone. These are the best at-bats I’ve seen over a certain period of time in two years and it’s a credit to his focus and obviously that mechanical change.”

The adjustments that Joc Pederson made after his demotion to Triple-a OKC have clearly worked. He is 4-for-11 (.364) with two home runs thus far in the World Series, including this one in game-2 off of Astros right-hander Justin Verlander, who will start game-6 for the Astros on Tuesday night. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Speaking of Kenley Jansen, even though Astros hitters have now gotten to the just-named Trevor Hoffman Reliever of the Year twice through the first five games of the 2017 World Series, Roberts has no intention whatsoever of going away from his All-Star closer.

“I still believe, we still believe he’s the best closer in baseball,” Roberts said. “And right there, even that, pitches two innings and Bregman hit a good pitch, a cutter down and away, it was 78 miles off the bat that just found some outfield grass. But our confidence in Kenley it hasn’t changed.

“He’ll be available tomorrow night, as this is an elimination game for us,” added the Dodger skipper. “And I think the most important thing is that his confidence hasn’t changed, and that’s the case from me in talking to him last night.”

In spite of his struggles in game-2 and game-5 of the World Series, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has no intention whatsoever of moving away from Kenley Jansen as his closer. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

As was the case in games one and two of the Fall Classic, left-hander Rich Hill will once again follow fellow lefty Clayton Kershaw to the mound to start game-6. It’s no secret that the 37-year-old Boston, Massachusetts native was visibly upset after being pulled for a pinch-hitter, having pitched only four inning and having thrown only 60 total pitches (42 strikes) in game-2 of the series; a game in which he allowed only one run on three hits with three walks and seven strikeouts. With the unpleasant thought that Tuesday night’s game might very well be the final game of the season for the Dodgers, will Roberts give Hill a longer leash this time around?

“I think that you look back at the Alex Wood start and what he did for us in game-4, and I think that it’s kind of the same blueprint where you obviously have to watch the game and see how he’s throwing the baseball,” answered Roberts. “But I look forward to Rich throwing the ball really well.

“Under the circumstances of game-5, you’ve got to be open to pushing him, and I know that he’s up for the challenge,” Roberts continued. “But everyone’s available outside of Clayton and [Yu] Darvish. Like I said before, we’re in an elimination game, but absolutely looking for Rich to go deep into the game.”

With the Dodgers facing World Series elimination in game-6 on Tuesday, Roberts said that left-hander Rich Hill will have a much longer leash than he did in game-2. He also said that game-4 starter Alex Wood will be available out of the bullpen, if needed. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

With Roberts confirming that Kershaw, who pitched in game-5 on Sunday, and Darvish, who would start game-7 if necessary, are the only Dodger pitchers unavailable on Tuesday night, he all but confirmed that Alex Wood, who was nothing short of brilliant in game-4 on Saturday in which he had a no-hitter through the first 5.2 innings until giving up a solo home run to Astros center fielder George Springer with two outs in the sixth inning, will be available to pitch in game-6, should Hill run into trouble.

The burning question (which I had planned to asked but was never given the opportunity to) is whether or not Kershaw would be available to follow Darvish, should there indeed be a game-7 on Wednesday night. And while it is beyond all comprehension that he would not, it’s difficult for Dodger fans to get the horrible image of a completely beat down Clayton Kershaw out of their minds from Sunday’s marathon game, in which the likely 2017 National League Cy Young award winner and future Hall of Famer allowed an un-Kershaw-like six earned runs on four hits (including a three-run home run to Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel), while walking three and striking out only two and making a laborious 94 pitches (only 57 for strikes) over his brutal 4.2 innings of work.

It was heartbreaking for Dodger fans seeing Kershaw visibly distraught during his very un-Kershaw-like outing on Sunday night. (Photo credit – Jamie Squire)

But even with Kershaw’s uncharacteristic clunker still very fresh in every Dodger fan’s mind, there is no one, absolutely no one who they would rather see on the mound than the guy often called ‘the greatest pitcher on the planet.’

…present company included.