Chicago Cubs

Cubs Beat Dodgers to Stay Alive in NLCS

Jake Arrieta gave up just one run, and Wade Davis got a six out save as the Chicago Cubs beat the Los Angeles Dodgers to stay alive in the NLCS.

Javier Baez hit two home runs, and Willson Contreras hit a solo shot as the Cubs trimmed the series’ lead to 3-1.

Arrieta pitched himself into trouble in each of the first two innings, putting on two runners in the first inning and another in the second. Fortunately for him, he was able to pitch out of jams, striking out Andre Ethier to end the first and Alex Wood to end the second to keep the game scoreless.

The Cubs responded with a pair of second inning home runs to give themselves a two-run lead for the first time since Game 1. Willson Contreras blasted a solo home run off the left field video board for the first long ball, hitting it a staggering 491 feet.

Javier Baez snapped an 0-for-20 skid with a home run down the left field line to give the Cubs a 2-0 lead after two innings.

That lead lasted a whole two batters before the Dodgers ate into it. Cody Bellinger smacked a solo shot down the right field line to trim the Cubs’ lead to 2-1.

That score would hold until the fifth inning, when Baez struck again. His struggles long forgotten, Baez smacked another home run over the left field wall, his second of the game, to give the Cubs a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth.

In the seventh inning, the Cubs found themselves in trouble, as Joc Pederson reached on a fielder’s choice and Chris Taylor walked with two outs. After Arrieta left the game in what could potentially be his final Cubs start, Brian Duensing retired Cody Bellinger as he induced a flyout to left field to keep the Cubs in front.

The Cubs brought in Wade Davis in the eighth inning, and Cub killer Justin Turner immediately made him feel unwelcome, as he launched a long home run over the left-center field wall to narrow the Chicago lead to just 3-2.

Things got wild in the frame as Curtis Granderson was originally ruled to have struck out. After a lengthy conference, the umpires ruled incorrectly that he had tipped the ball, and he struck out on the next pitch. Davis then struck out Chase Utley to leave the Cubs up by a run, but with the closer sitting at 34 pitches.

The Cubs got a pair of base runners in the eighth inning, as Jon Jay was hit by a pitch and Jason Heyward grounded into a fielder’s choice, but Kris Bryant weakly grounded out to second to end the threat and keep the lead at just one run.

After Davis allowed Taylor to reach on a walk in the ninth, he got Bellinger to ground into a double play to end the game and get the Cubs into Game 5 on Thursday night.

First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday night at Wrigley Field. 

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