National League Division Series Game 4: Cubs (103-58-1, 2-1) vs. Giants (87-75, 2-2)
- Game Time – 7:40pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: FS1 – Radio: WSCR 670 The Score, Cubs Radio Network, XM Radio Channels 184(Cubs), 844(Cubs), 89(Giants)
- Location – AT&T Park, San Francisco
John Lackey (11-8, 3.35/1.05/3.81) vs. Matt Moore (13-12, 4.08/1.26/4.51)
The National League Division Series – Game 4
Cubs lead Best-of-Five Series, 2-1
The Cubs turn to John Lackey tonight in Game 4 of the NLDS as Joe Maddon’s team looks to bounce back from Monday’s loss and finish off the Giants.
The Cubs will need for Lackey to step up and put his money where his mouth has been all season. Lackey signed with the Cubs to pitch in ‘Big Boy Games.’ And for the Cubs, today, they don’t get any bigger than this.
Despite what the national media said, the pressure is not on the Cubs tonight. The Giants are the team on the brink of elimination. The Cubs need to just play the same game they have all season, quit pressing and have fun. Too many of the players appear to be feeling the weight. It’s just baseball.
It will be interesting to see how Joe Maddon structures his lineup. Maddon should run out a right-handed heavy lineup that includes two lefties, Anthony Rizzo and Jason Heyward. The differences in Matt Moore’s splits do not point to lefties not being able to have success against him.
Right-handers have batted .245/.318/.386 against Moore this season with a .704 OPS (42 extra basehits in 654 plate appearances, 22 doubles, 20 home runs) while left-handers have hit .243/.301/.361 with a .661 OPS (nine extra basehits in 184 plate appearances, three doubles, one triple, five home runs).
David Ross should behind the plate tonight. And it’s time for Dexter Fowler, Anthony Rizzo, Addison Russell and Ben Zobrist to start producing.
Tonight all starts with John Lackey …
John Lackey makes his first start tonight since Sept. 27. Lackey picked up the win at PNC Park after allowing one run on five hits with three walks and three strikeouts in five innings. The Cubs beat the Pirates 6-4.
Lackey was 2-1 in five starts after returning from the DL with a 3.00 ERA and 1.13 WHIP.
In 13 road starts, Lackey was 4-4 with a 4.37 ERA and 1.15 WHIP. Four of Lackey’s worst outings of the season came in Phoenix, Cincinnati, Miami and Pittsburgh
Lackey made one start against the Giants this season. In his first game back from the DL, Lackey allowed two runs, one earned, on one hit with a walk and four walks in five innings (1.80 ERA, 0.40 WHIP). The Cubs won the game 3-2 on Sept. 4 at Wrigley.
Lackey is 1-1 in three career regular starts against the Giants with a 2.37 ERA and 1.00 WHIP (eight runs, five earned, 16 hits, three walks, 16 strikeouts, 19 innings). At AT&T Park, Lackey is 1-1 in two career starts with a 2.57 ERA and 1.21 WHIP.
Giants Career Numbers against John Lackey
- Eduardo Nunez: 5-for-15 with four double and three walks
- Denard Span: 2-for-12 with three walks
- Hunter Pence: 2-for-8 with two doubles
- Brandon Belt: 0-for-3 with two walks
- Joe Panik: 0-for-5
- Buster Posey: 1-for-5
- Gregor Blanco: 0-for-3
- Conor Gillaspie: 0-for-3
- Ehire Adrianza: 0-for-1
- Brandon Crawford: 0-for-2
- Jarrett Parker: 0-for-2
Matt Moore made 12 starts for the Giants after he was acquired from the Rays at the deadline. Moore was 6-5 with a 4.08 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 3.53 FIP. Moore allowed 31 runs on 59 hits with 32 walks and 69 strikeouts in 68 1/3 innings with the Giants.
Moore dominated the Dodgers his last time out on Oct. 2. Moore allowed just one run on three hits with two walks and six strikeouts in eight innings. Moore has allowed just two runs on nine hits in his last two starts after getting shelled by the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
In the five starts leading up his gem against the Dodgers, a game they did not need to win on the last day of the season, Moore was 3-2 in five starts with a 6.56 ERA and 1.80 WHIP.
Moore was 4-2 in six starts at AT&T Park with a 3.16 ERA and 1.18 WHIP.
The Cubs have virtually no experience against him. Dexter Fowler (1-for-1 with one walk) is the only player on the Cubs 40-man roster that has stepped in a batter’s box against Moore in a regular season big league ballgame.
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …