“Obviously times weren’t easy the last few years, but with all the talent we had and all the talent we were building, everyone knew that the Cubs were coming, ” a drenched Rizzo said as he celebrated Chicago’s clinching 6-4 victory over St. Louis in the NL Division Series on Tuesday, “and we’re here, and hopefully we can keep this thing going”. Rocker Eddie Vedder partied on the mound. “So we square up with our best guy for that situation against their best guys, and we see what happens”.
Advertisement
In 2003, the Cubs advanced to the NLCS and were leading the series 3-2 over the Florida Marlins in the eighth inning of Game 6 when a fan named Steve Bartman apparently interfered with Cubs outfielder Moises Alou on a foul fly ball. An inning later, Kyle Schwarber struck a monstrous home run that landed on the right-field video scoreboard.
“The process is fearless, ” Maddon said after the game, and I’m sure it meant something.
It is a loss that is especially tough since it came at the hands of the team’s biggest rival, the Chicago Cubs. They had won 100 games, the best in Major League Baseball, but simply didn’t get the starting pitching they were hoping for in the postseason.
Kevin Siegrist served up two more home runs, including a massive drive to right for rookie Kyle Schwarber in the seventh – the Cubs’ 10th homer in three games. Lackey’s next pitch was smashed into the right field bleachers by Javier Baez, giving the Cubs a 4-2 lead and sending Wrigley into pandemonium.
The Cubs then took control with a four-run second inning.
The Cubs and Cardinals met in the postseason for the first time in the history of the rivalry. A fan hold up a sign outside of Wrigley Field before Game 3 in baseball’s National League Division Series between the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals, Monday, October 12, 2015, in Chicago.
Relief pitcher Justin Grimm replaced Hammel after Hammel walked Jhonny Peralta on four pitches to begin the fourth inning. They were never able to get the pendulum to swing back in their direction. As for the Cubs, they’ll await the victor of the Mets and the Dodgers in the NLCS, and one of those three teams will be heading to their first Fall Classic in many years.
St. Louis trailed 8-4 before Piscotty hit a two-run shot with two out in the ninth, a scary moment for a towel-waving crowd of 42,411 used to playoff heartache. Chicago dropped those final two at home. With two on and one out, Miguel Montero had the chance to give the Cubs the lead.
They’ve got the hustle.
Cubs: SS Addison Russell had tests Tuesday morning on his hamstring and didn’t play. If you want to go out a little bit wide-eyed and worry about outcomes, you’re not going to play as good as you can.
Advertisement
The Cardinals, playing without catcher Yadier Molina (left thumb), failed to advance in the postseason after winning at least one series the previous four years.
