Cubs explode for 4-run 9th to finish off Giants

John Lackey, the guy who spurned the Cardinals to sign with the Cubs last winter, was in line for the defeat in Game 4 after lasing only four innings. No need to recall Steve Bartman, or shortstop Alex Gonzalez’s error on a potential double-play grounder.

The Chicago Cubs moved a step closer to ending their century-old World Series drought by taking a dramatic 6-5 come-from-behind victory at San Francisco on Tuesday, sealing a 3-1 win in their National League Division Series.

No one did better than Lester on the mound this season or in the NLDS for the Cubs. Giants fans likely wouldn’t have blamed the manager for bringing Moore back in for the ninth, despite 120 pitches, just as they probably would have been fine seeing Madison Bumgarner run out for the ninth, even on no rest.

I’m sure I left something out here, but those are the top highlights for me from this series, a postseason series for the ages, one that’ll be talked about not just by Cubs fans, but by every baseball fan as one of the best postseason series ever played. “This is big. This is really big”. Like I said before, we’re going to make mistakes.

The ninth inning, San Francisco’s bugaboo coming into the playoffs because of the bullpen, cost them a chance to force a decisive Game 5 Thursday night when they allowed the Cubs to score 4 runs, blowing a 5-2 lead, to lose 6-5.

Then Willson Contreras drove home Zobrist and Rizzo with a single up the middle. Aroldis Chapman came on to strike out the side in the ninth. “How are you going to deal with that when it happens?”

The Cubs became the second team in Major League history to rally from three runs down in the ninth inning to win a postseason clincher.

The Cubs will host Game 1 of the NLCS on Saturday at Wrigley Field, with their opponent yet to be determined.

No matter. One big rally ended San Francisco’s 10-game winning streak when facing postseason elimination.

Downright unflappable for years in these pressure-packed situations, the Giants won World Series championships in 2010, ’12 and ’14. The Chicago Cubs were by far baseball’s best team this year and their 103 wins in the regular season would certainly translate to October. They’re not the only team in this postseason that has to deal with a storyline not of the players’ making. You will get a finger in the eye along the way, he told them before the start of the NLDS.

The Cubs will play the victor of the National League Divisional Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Nationals.

Chicago is looking for more this time after getting swept by the New York Mets in the NLCS a year ago.

Back then, the Cubs were a revelation, reaching the playoffs for the first time under Epstein. The Giants talk often about the fact that guys like Lopez, Casilla and Jeremy Affeldt had to go through trials elsewhere before turning into bullpen stars and champions in San Francisco. The Tigers won Game 1 and led 5-1 late.

“We played them tough”, said Bochy. But the moment their bullpen got busy, everything changed.

If the Giants’ bad bullpen hadn’t faltered in the ninth, you have to believe the weight of history would have sowed doubt in the Cubs’ minds and brought joy to numerous Best Fans in Baseball.

Los Angeles closing relief pitcher Kenley Jansen retired the Nationals in order in the ninth and the stage was set for a one-game showdown to see which team advances.

Jason Heyward then laid down a awful attempt at a sacrifice bunt, and Contreras was nailed at second. But, to bastardize the Giants’ mantra of “BeliEVEN”, which we can now retire, the result is fairly “believeinevitable”, or something.