National League Division Series Recap

The National League is getting ready for its league championship series Championship series, with one team already punching their ticket. The Chicago Cubs defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 6-4, to advance to their first Championship Series since 2003.

For the first time in Wrigley Field history, the Cubs clinched a playoff series at home. The bats were hot for Chicago as Javier Baez hit a three-run home run in the second, Anthony Rizzo hit a tie-breaking solo shot in the sixth, and Kyle Schwarber hit a home run in the seventh.

“With all the talent we had, and all the talent we were building, everyone knew that the Cubs were coming.” Rizzo said of the success from Chicago.  “We’re here and hopefully we can keep this thing going.”

The second team in the NLCS will be decided in a Game 5 on Thursday night.

The Los Angeles Dodgers forced Game 5, to be held back at Dodger Stadium, after defeating the New York Mets 3-1. Clayton Kershaw snapped his five-game postseason losing streak throwing seven innings and allowing only three hits. New York’s Daniel Murphy hit a home run in the fourth, but after that a Met didn’t get past first base. Scoring for the Dodgers, Adrian Gonzalez hit an RBI single, and former Met Justin Turner added two more runs with an RBI double. Kershaw stopped any attempts the Mets made to advance, sealing their victory.

“This kid [Kershaw] is tremendous. Everything you’re supposed to be, he is,” says Los Angeles Manager Don Mattingly. “This guy is an animal. The way he works, represents us, the game of baseball, himself, I mean he’s really a credit to the game so you’re really happy for him to be able to do that tonight.”

Game 1 of the NLCS will be held on Saturday night.

 

Click here to listen to Mattingly and Rizzo: