Dodgers' Hernandez taunts Lester with giant lead

With 19-game winner Jon Lester on the mound for the Chicago Cubs in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers are pulling out all the stops.

With Lester's apprehension about throwing the ball over to first base after many an incident throughout his career, the Dodgers planned to take advantage of the phobia.

Prior to the beginning of Thursday's contest, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts explained to reporters his team would make messing with Lester "part of the offensive strategy," according to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register.

That happened almost immediately after Kike Hernandez drew a leadoff walk in the game's first inning.

Hernandez jumped out to a 20.3-foot lead off the bag, almost begging Lester to throw over to first base.

Lester, of course, didn't throw over. He stepped off the rubber and forced Hernandez back to the base that way instead.

Hernandez would continue his lead-off antics for most of the inning though, but it wouldn't pay off as he would end up stranded at third.