CHICAGO -- For the first time since 2010, the St. Louis Cardinals will not be playing in the National League Championship Series. That's because, for the first time ever, the Chicago Cubs clinched a postseason series at Wrigley Field, beating the Cards 6-4 Tuesday to win the NL Division Series three games to one.
Starting on three days' rest for the first time in a decade, 36-year-old John Lackey was sharp in the first inning, retiring the side in order and striking out lava-hot Jorge Soler and Kris Bryant. But in the second, Lackey looked like a completely different pitcher as he allowed four runs on four hits, including a three-run homer to Javier Baez. It was the first postseason bomb Lackey had given up since Jason Bay went yard off him in 2008, a span of 75 1/3 innings.
Both Lackey and Cubs starter Jason Hammel were lifted after three innings, with the Cubs leading 4-2. A battle of the bullpens ensued, and in the top of the sixth, St. Louis clawed back on consecutive two-out hits from backup catcher Tony Cruz and pinch hitter Brandon Moss. On Moss' single, Chicago right fielder Soler gunned down Cruz at the plate to keep the game tied 4-4. In the bottom half, the Cubs took the lead right back when Anthony Rizzo homered off Kevin Siegrist for the second consecutive day.
Thumbs up: Stephen Piscotty got the Cardinals on the board with a two-run bomb on Hammel's fourth pitch of the game. For the series, the 24-year-old rookie led St. Louis in hits (6), runs (5), homers (3), RBIs (6) and OPS (1.538). As if that weren't enough, he played three different positions (first base, right field and left field).
Thumbs down: The left-handed Siegrist allowed two hits in 1 2/3 innings Tuesday -- both home runs, and both hit by left-handed batters (Rizzo and Kyle Schwarber), which isn't entirely surprising given that lefties had an .811 OPS against Siegrist to just .511 for righties.
What's next: The offseason.
