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Here's what's left this year (before the second season, the postseason, begins): The Cubs must win both their games and the Pirates must lose both theirs in order for the wild-card game to be at Wrigley Field Wednesday.
Otherwise the teams head to Pittsburgh. (And so do I.)
Just keep winning. There are things yet to do, such as have another look at Kyle Schwarber in right field, and perhaps for Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant, both at 99 RBI, to get to the century mark.
Here are today's particulars.
Cubs lineup:
Fowler CF, Schwarber RF, Bryant 3B, Rizzo 1B, Castro 2B, Coghlan LF, Russell SS, Ross C, Hendricks P
Game 161. #LetsGo Preview: http://t.co/OPQLB58suk pic.twitter.com/Pzu79KqJ8y
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) October 3, 2015
Brewers lineup:
Gennett 2B, Segura SS, Lind 1B, Davis LF, Santana CF, Peterson RF, Perez 3B, Maldonado C, Wagner P
Today's Starting Pitchers |
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Kyle Hendricks has started to pitch like the Hendricks of 2014. That's good, because the Cubs will need that guy in the postseason. His last outing against the Brewers, September 23 at Wrigley Field, was better than the numbers show. Six innings, three earned runs isn't bad, but the third run scored after he left the game. Another good outing tonight and I'd fully trust him to start a playoff game.
Tyler Wagner was the Brewers' fourth-round pick in 2012. He was 11-5 with a 2.25 ERA and 1.149 WHIP in the minor leagues this year... in Double-A. He had not pitched above that level when promoted to the Brewers this month. He has made two major-league starts, both rough ones: he has an 11.74 ERA and 2.609 WHIP and has walked five in 7⅔ innings. You'd think the Cubs could feast on someone like this. Let's hope so. He's never faced anyone on the Cubs roster... except for Kyle Schwarber, who he faced in the minor leagues August 8, 2014, when both players were in the Florida State League. Schwarber was 1-for-3 that day.
Amazing that both of these players have come that far, that fast.
Today's game is on CSN Chicago.
Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
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The 2015 Game Thread procedure has changed a bit. Here's how it will work going forward.
You'll find the game preview posted separately on the front page, two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream™ containing the preview will also post on the front page. The First Pitch Thread and all the overflow threads will be published in that stream, as well as the recap. The recap will also live on the front page as a separate post, and at the time I write the recap I will rename the stream "Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of Week) Game Threads" so you can go back and find every thread related to that particular game.
You will also be able to find the preview, First Pitch Thread, all the overflow threads and recap in the box marked "Chicago Cubs Game Threads" at the bottom of the front page (you can also find them in this section link). They will also appear in the game's StoryStream™ as noted above.
The First Pitch thread will post at five minutes before game time, then an overflow thread at one hour, two hours and 2:45 after the scheduled game time.
Discuss amongst yourselves.