National League Championship Series Game 2: Cubs (103-58-1, 4-1) vs. Dodgers (91-71, 3-3)
- Game Time – 7:08pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: FS1 – Radio: WSCR 670 The Score, Cubs Radio Network, XM Radio Channels 89, 844(Cubs), 183, 853(Dodgers)
- Location – Wrigley Field, Chicago
Kyle Hendricks, RHP (16-8, 2.13/0.97/3.20) vs. Clayton Kershaw, LHP (12-4, 1.69/0.72/1.80)
The National League Championship Series – Game 2
Cubs lead Best-of-Seven Series, 1-0
Weather permitting … The Cubs look for two in a row over the Dodgers tonight in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series. Kyle Hendricks makes the start and in order for the Cubs to spend the flight to Los Angeles up two games to none he will have to keep the left-handed heavy Dodgers lineup in check.
The Cubs have little to no room for error in Game 2 with Clayton Kershaw on the hill. The Cubs must take advantage of every scoring opportunity and make their outs productive ones with runners on base. It is imperative to make Kershaw work. He threw in three of the five games of the NLDS against the Nationals, including the seven pitches in Game 5 on his throw day (Thursday). Kershaw said he’s fine and he will not be limited tonight. Eventually the workload will catch up with him. If the Cubs relentless offense makes a return appearance at Wrigley in Game 2, it will be a very happy flight to the coast.
Joe Maddon is sticking with his run prevention starting lineup in Game 2. Jason Heyward is in right, Addison Russell at short and Willson Contreras is behind the plate. Javier Baez is starting at second base, and was moved up a spot in the order.
Cubs batting order: Dexter Fowler CF, Kris Bryant 3B, Anthony Rizzo 1B, Ben Zobrist LF, Addison Russell SS, Javier Baez 2B, Willson Contreras C, Jason Heyward RF, Kyle Hendricks P
Joe Maddon will keep a close eye on Kyle Hendricks as he makes his first start since taking a liner to his right forearm last Saturday night in Game 2 of the NLDS. Maddon should also have Hendricks on a short leash. Because he was hurt and the Cubs won the game, very little was made about the hard contact the Giants had in 3 2/3 innings against Hendricks.
The Cubs simply cannot afford to let this game get away from them, especially with Clayton Kershaw on the mound.
Tonight all starts with Kyle Hendricks …
Kyle Hendricks had to leave his last start with two outs in the fourth inning after getting hit with a line drive to his right forearm. Hendricks says he is fine and he passed all of the tests. The Cubs need the Kyle Hendricks that pitched a majority of the season, especially the one from September (four runs, 19 hits, four walks, 27 strikeouts, 26 innings), not the Hendricks that has given up a lot of hard contact in two October starts.
Hendricks was 9-2 in 15 games, 14 starts, at Wrigley this season with a 1.32 ERA and 0.86 WHIP. Hendricks makes his 16th start of the year in his home park tonight.
Kyle Hendricks faced the Dodgers once this season and allowed two runs on three hits with a walk and six strikeouts. Hendricks completed eight innings on June 2 at Wrigley in a 7-2 Cubs win.
Hendricks is 2-1 in three career starts against the Dodgers with a 3.15 ERA and 0.70 WHIP. Hendricks has allowed eight runs, seven earned, on 11 hits with three walks and 12 strikeouts in 20 innings.
Dodgers Career Numbers against Kyle Hendricks
- Justin Turner: 2-for-7 with one home run and one walk
- Adrian Gonzalez: 1-for-5 with one home run and one walk
- Kike Hernandez: 1-for-4
- Yasmani Grandal: 0-for-4 with one walk
- Joc Pederson: 0-for-4 with one walk
- Yasiel Puig: 1-for-4
- Corey Seager: 0-for-2
- Chase Utley: 1-for-3
- Andre Ethier: 1-for-2
- Carlos Ruiz: 0-for-1 with one walk
The Cubs have the pleasure of facing the best pitcher on the planet in Clayton Kershaw. And he’s coming off the first save of his big league career.
Kershaw started two games of the NLDS with the Nationals. Kershaw pitched a lot better than his final lines and put his team in to position to win both games. Kershaw picked up the save in Game 5 of the NLDS after he retired the only two batters he faced with the tying and winning runs on base.
Kershaw was charged with eight runs on 15 hits with three walks and 19 strikeouts in 12 1/3 innings (5.83 ERA, 1.45 WHIP) in the NLDS.
Kershaw spent a large part of the season on the DL, making only 21 starts this season. On the road, Kershaw was 4-3 in 11 starts with a 2.31 ERA and 0.88 WHIP.
Kershaw made five starts in the second half, four in September and one in October, and was 1-2 with a 1.29 ERA and 0.71 WHIP. Kershaw surrendered six runs, four earned, on 18 hits with two walks and 27 strikeouts in his last 28 innings of the season.
The Cubs missed Kershaw this season, both at the series at Wrigley and at Dodger Stadium.
Kershaw was 1-1 in two starts against the Cubs in 2015 with a 2.40 ERA and 0.67 WHIP.
For his career, Clayton Kershaw is 5-3 in eight starts against the Cubs with a 2.18 ERA and 1.04 WHIP. At Wrigley, 1-2 in three starts with a 3.00 ERA and 1.22 WHIP.
Cubs Career Numbers against Clayton Kershaw
- Dexter Fowler: 18-for-44 with two doubles, one triple and four walks
- Miguel Montero: 6-for-32 with three doubles
- David Ross: 2-for-14 with one walk
- Anthony Rizzo: 3-for-11 with one double and one home run
- Jason Heyward: 0-for-10
- Chris Coghlan: 1-for-8
- Kris Bryant: 1-for-5 with one home run and one walk
- Addison Russell: 0-for-6
- Tommy La Stella: 1-for-5
- Javier Baez: 0-for-3
- Travis Wood: 1-for-4
- Jorge Soler: 1-for-3 with one triple
- Ben Zobrist: 0-for-3
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …
