Cubs fever has spread throughout the city, as is evidenced in this video shared by the team today.
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Status: The fourth National League wild-card game is the third in a row to be hosted by the Pirates at PNC Park.
“Hopefully, they’ll scream real loud so the pitcher for the Cubs can’t hear”, Beatrice Defide said.
The excitement is growing in and around PNC Park ahead of tonight’s Wild Card matchup between the Pirates and Cubs. As unfair as it is that two of the three best teams in Major League Baseball are forced to play a one-game playoff, it makes for a few thrilling story lines and topics of discussion.
The Cubs are feeling confident with right-hander Jake Arrieta slated to start. This will probably be the last time we celebrate baseball here at Four Winds Field this year, and hopefully if the Cubs make it to the World Series we’ll do it again. Which is why they were willing to trade him to the Cubs. On August 4, Arrieta shut out the Pirates in Pittsburgh, surrendering just two hits in seven innings. Rodriguez saw extensive action as a defensive replacement, but started only 12 games at first base on the year. He also dusted himself off getting plunked by Pittsburgh reliever Tony Watson to send the Cubs to the NL Division Series in St. Louis starting on Friday.
The Pirates seemingly have the upper hand, both playing at home and the fact that they have gone 8-1 in Cole’s last nine starts against the Chicago.
Pittsburgh counters with ace Gerrit Cole, who made his first All-Star team this summer and won 19 games.
Chicago is more than prepared, in case Jake Arrieta needs to be pulled early or the game goes into extra innings.
Can the Cubs overcome their inexperience? Throw the regular season records and stats in the trash because postseason is a different beast. Then they just walked to the window and switched the two letters around from BUCS to CUBS. One step farther, or a player shifted a few feet to the left, and that nubber is an out. Baez has hit doubles in consecutive games for the first time in his career.
A low-scoring game late would be no surprise, but what if something unexpected happens – say, one of the starters is pinch hit for in a crucial spot – and the teams need to go to their bullpens?
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Will the best player take over?
