• Cubs Convention
  • Interviews
  • MLB Transaction Glossary | Rules
    • Major League Baseball Transactions Glossary
    • MLB Rule 7.13 – Collisions at Home Plate
    • MLB Slide Rule on Double Plays Adopted for 2016 Season
  • Archives
    • Chicago Cubs Online General Info
    • Community Blog Archives
    • CCO Cubs-Metrics
    • CCO Cubs Podcast
    • CCO Feedback
    • CCO Predictions
    • CCO Opinion – You Know Better
    • The CCO Wrigley Perspective
    • Fantasy Baseball
    • The Northside Media Guide
  • Cubstory

Chicago Cubs Online

A Site for The Cubs Faithful Since 2005

  • Home
  • News | Transactions
    • News and Transactions
    • Cubs Regular Season Notes
    • Cubs Spring Training News Reports
    • Cubs Off-Season News Reports
  • Minor Leagues
    • Cubs Down on the Farm Report – 2008 to Present
    • Minor League Transactions Glossary
    • Cubs Minor League Players and Pitchers of the Year 1990 – 2017
    • Minor League Updates – 2005-2007
  • Rumors
    • If The Ivy Could Talk – Cubs Rumors
  • Game Day
    • Let’s Play 2 – Game Recap
    • Talkin’ Cubs Live
    • Cactus League-Spring Training
  • Opinion
    • The CCO, Live from Wrigleyville
    • Notes from the Soap Box
  • 40-Man Roster | Contracts
Chicago Cubs Online > Cubs Off-Season News Reports > Cubs Rewind: The Bunt

Cubs Rewind: The Bunt

December 29, 2016 1:00 pm By Neil Leave a Comment

Ben Zobrist’s bunt in fourth inning of Game 4 of the NLCS led to a 10-2 victory over the Dodgers

After being shutout in back-to-back games, the Cubs found themselves in a 2-1 hole entering Game 4 at Dodger Stadium. The Cubs offense was non-existent against Clayton Kershaw in Game 2 and Rich Hill in Game 3. And rookie left-hander Julio Urias had not allowed a hit through the first three innings of Game 4.

John Lackey kept the Dodgers off the scoreboard in his first three innings of work. But the Cubs were struggling and barely resembled the team that won 103 games in the regular season and beat the Giants in the NLDS. That all changed in the fourth inning of Game 4. The Cubs scored 23 runs over the next three games and won the NL Pennant.

Ben Zobrist led off the fourth inning with a perfectly placed bunt up the third baseline. Justin Turner did not have a chance. Zobrist not only did his job by getting on base, he relaxed his teammates and The Bunt led to a four-run inning and the Cubs tying the NLCS at two games apiece.

Theo Epstein said after the NLCS, “Zobrist lays down that bunt, all of a sudden our at-bats got so much better. Our approach was back. We put on a masterpiece performance.”

Javier Baez followed Zo’s bunt with a single to left. Willson Contreras singled in Zobrist for the first run of the game. Baez scored on a Jason Heyward groundout, 2-0 Cubs.

Addison Russell gave the Cubs all the runs they would end up needing. Russell launched a two-run homer off Julio Urias and gave the Cubs a 4-0 lead.

Anthony Rizzo, using Matt Szczur’s bat, started the fifth inning with a solo homer off Dodgers’ reliever Pedro Baez.

The Dodgers scored their only two runs of Game 4 in the fifth inning and cut the Cubs lead to 5-2. Justin Turner singled off Mike Montgomery and drove in Andrew Toles and Andre Ethier.

The Cubs responded with a five-run sixth inning and put the game away.

Addison Russell and Mike Montgomery singled with one out. Dexter Fowler drove in Russell and both Montgomery and Fowler scored on a single from Anthony Rizzo. Javier Baez plated Kris Bryant with a sac fly and Rizzo scored on a throwing error.

The Cubs put a five-spot on the board on five hits and two Dodgers errors.

Mike Montgomery pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the sixth. With all of the momentum, and a 10-2 lead, Joe Maddon used Carl Edwards Jr., Travis Wood, Pedro Strop and Hector Rondon over the last three innings to close out the victory in Game 4.

The Cubs tied the NLCS at 2-2, setting up for a pivotal Game 5 at Dodger Stadium.

And it was a bunt that jump-started the offense and got the Cubs back on track to The World Series.

Follow Chicago Cubs Online on Twitter: @TheCCO and @TheCCO_Minors

Filed Under: Cubs Off-Season News Reports Tagged With: Addison Russell, Anthony Rizzo, Ben Zobrist, Cubs-Dodgers, Dexter Fowler, Hector Rondon, Jason Heyward, Javier Baez, John Lackey, Kris Bryant, Mike Montgomery, Pedro Strop, Travis Wood, Willson Contreras

Archives


Memories of Mr. Cub

A Tribute to Mr. Cub

Forever, THE Cub
What is Eamus Catuli
What is Eamus Catuli?
Lakeview Baseball Club

Subscribe to the CCO

Get Cubs Updates in Your Inbox

Tweets by TheCCO

Stats


Trips to the North Side

Copyright © 2021 5 & 11 Online Productions
Privacy Policy | Commenting Policy | About | Contact
ChicagoCubsOnline.com is not affiliated with the Chicago National League Ballclub

7ads6x98y