National League Wild Card Game: Cubs (97-65) vs. Pirates (98-64)
- Game Time – 7:08pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: TBS – Radio: WBBM 780, Cubs Radio Network, XM Radio Channels 89, 844
- Location – PNC Park
Jake Arrieta (22-6, 1.77/0.87/2.35) vs. Gerrit Cole (19-8, 2.60/1.09/2.66)
The NL Wild Card Game
Cubs Baseball is On the Air! It’s the National League Wild Card Game, the Cubs versus the Pirates at PNC Park.
The Cubs open the 2015 Post-Season with the one-game Wild Card. Joe Maddon hands the ball to his 22-game winner, Jake Arrieta and Gerrit Cole will take the hill for Clint Hurdle’s Pirates.
Joe Maddon’s Cubs were 48-33 on the road during the regular season, the best road record in the majors and were 11-8 in the 19 games versus the Pirates this year. At PNC, the Cubs were 6-4 in the 10 games against a Pirates’ team that was 53-28 in their home park.
The Cubs and Pirates meet in the post-season for the first time tonight.
Jake Arrieta looks to keep the Pirates off balance again tonight. Arrieta was 3-1 in 3-1 in five starts versus the Pirates during the regular season with a 0.75 ERA and 0.64 WHIP. The first inning is the key to the game for Arrieta. If he is able to complete a clean, quick inning he should be able to settle in and give his teammates a chance to figure out Gerrit Cole. And the Pirates’ young right hander has had his way with the Cubs this season. Cole is at home. But as Anthony Rizzo put it Tuesday, all of the pressure is on the Pirates to win tonight and advance.
The Cubs were reportedly a loose group Tuesday and that’s what it will take to beat the Pirates tonight.
For the Cubs, it’s one game and one goal … Beat the Bucs.
The Cubs and Pirates will have Jeff Nelson (home plate), Hunter Wendelstedt (first base), John Hirschbeck (second base), Jim Reynolds (third base), Mike Estabrook (left field) and Cory Blaser (right field) as the umpiring crew for the NL Wild Card Game.
Tonight’s game is on TBS. Ernie Johnson, Ron Darling and Cal Ripken Jr. will call the action on the TV side. And on radio, WBBM will have an extra voice throughout the Cubs’ post-season run.
Pat Hughes, Ron Coomer and Mark Grote will be joined in the radio booth by Len Kasper.
Tonight all starts with Jake Arrieta …
Jake Arrieta completed an incredible second half run with six scoreless innings last Friday at Miller Park. Arrieta allowed just two hits and did not walk a batter. Arrieta struck out six.
Jake Arrieta did not allow a run over his last three starts of the regular season. Arrieta gave up six hits with a walk and 27 strikeouts in 22 innings.
In 15 starts after the break, Arrieta was 12-1 with a 0.75 ERA and 0.73 WHIP (12 runs, nine earned, on 55 hits with 23 walks and 113 strikeouts in 107 1/3 innings).
Outside of Wrigley Field this year, Arrieta was 13-1 in 18 starts with a 1.60 ERA and 0.87 WHIP.
Tonight is Jake Arrieta’s sixth start of the year against the Pirates. Arrieta was 3-1 in five regular season starts versus the Pirates with a 0.75 ERA and 0.64 WHIP (four runs, three earned, on 18 hits with five walks and 33 strikeouts in 36 innings). And in three starts at PNC in 2015, Arrieta was 2-0 with a 0.82 ERA and 0.73 WHIP.
Pirates Numbers against Jake Arrieta in 2015
- Gregory Polanco: 3-for-16
- Starling Marte: 2-for-15
- Andrew McCutchen: 4-for-12 with one double and two walks
- Neil Walker: 3-for-13 with one double and one walk
- Francisco Cervelli: 2-for-12
- Pedro Alvarez: 1-for-9 with two walks
- Aramis Ramirez: 0-for-9
- Josh Harrison: 1-for-7 with one double
- Jordy Mercer: 0-for-4
- Travis Ishikawa: 0-for-1
The Cubs get another shot at Gerrit Cole tonight. Cole has owned the Cubs over nine career starts and finished his season with excellent outings against the Cubs, Dodgers and Cardinals. Cole was 4-1 in his last six starts of the regular season with a 3.29 ERA And 1.02 WHIP.
Gerrit Cole was 9-3 in 15 starts at PNC Park this year with a 2.83 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. Cole allowed 36 runs, 31 earned, on 88 hits with 19 walks and 91 strikeouts in 98 2/3 innings.
In four starts against the Cubs this season, Gerrit Cole was 2-1 with a 2.13 ERA and 0.95 WHIP (eight runs, six earned, on 20 hits with four walks and 32 strikeouts in 25 1/3 innings).
Cubs Numbers against Gerrit Cole in 2015
- Dexter Fowler: 3-for-12
- Kris Bryant: 3-for-9 with two walks
- Chris Coghlan: 0-for-8 with one walk
- Anthony Rizzo: 4-for-10
- Starlin Castro: 1-for-8
- Addison Russell: 2-for-7
- Jorge Soler: 2-for-7
- Kyle Schwarber: 1-for-5 with one walk
- Miguel Montero: 3-for-5
- David Ross: 0-for-5
- Tommy La Stella: 1-for-3 with one double
- Chris Denorfia: 0-for-1
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …