The Cubs try to advance to the World Series for the first time since 1945 as they host the Los Angeles Dodgers in Chicago. Clayton Kershaw and Kyle Hendricks reprise their game two match-up, which ended in a 1-0 Dodgers victory.
A friend notes that the Cubs are an all or nothing at all team in this series, score either no runs, or at least eight runs. He wondered if a team has ever won the LCS without scoring 1,2,3,4,5,6, or 7 runs. In a best of seven LCS, the answer is no. The two came a little close were the 2000 ALCS and the 2008 ALCS (won by a Joe Maddon team).
Kershaw’s 2016 post season is a good example of why the three-true outcomes are a better measure of success than ERA. In 19 1/3 innings, Kershaw struck out 25, walked four, and did not allow a home run. His ERA of 3.72 has more to do with poor bullpen support, allowing inherited runners to score. Ignore the ERA, Kershaw is at the top of his game.
Kendrick, on the other hand, hasn’t pitched much despite leading the NL in ERA during the regular season. He owns a 3.00 ERA in nine innings, but he walked four while striking out just five batters and allowing a home run. That home run was the reason the Cubs lost game two.
The last time the Cubs played game six of the NLCS, they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory due to Dusty Baker being unprepared for Mark Prior tiring in the eighth. The Bartman ball was just a distraction. I don’t expect Joe Maddon to make the same mistake if the Cubs have a lead.
Enjoy!
from baseballmusings.com http://ift.tt/2ewwCih
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