NLDS Game Five, 2017

Cubs at Nationals, 5:00 PM PT, TV: TBS

The Cubs ask Kyle Hendricks (7-5, 3.03 ERA) to be the stopper tomorrow in Game Five, while Dusty Baker and the Nats haven’t made their choice of pitcher known yet. It will likely be Tanner Roark, who was scheduled to start Game Four before the rain intervened, or Game Two starter Gio Gonzalez. Either way, it may be a low-scoring affair.

The pitchers have controlled the series for the most part; the Nationals’ staff has a 1.64 ERA over the first four games, while the Cubs pitchers have a combined 2.57 mark.

Update: it will be Gio Gonzalez. He pitched five innings of three-hit ball in Game Two.

Today in baseball history:

  • 1907 At Detroit’s Bennett Park, right-hander Mordecai ‘Three Fingers’ Brown throws a 2-0 shutout, beating the Tigers to capture the World Championship for the Cubs. Although Game 1 ended in a 3-3, 12-inning tie, Chicago becomes the first club to sweep a Fall Classic when the team wins the next four games.
  • 1929 The A’s, trailing 8-0 during Game 4 of the World Series, erupt for 10 runs in the seventh inning off three Cub pitchers en route to a 10-8 victory. Chicago’s Hack Wilson becomes one of the goats of the game when he loses two balls in the sun in center field.
  • 1949 Vin Scully, working his first broadcast ever, does the play-by play when Maryland defeats the Boston University at Fenway Park, 14-13. The football assignment marks the start the of a 67 year career in the broadcast booth for the Hall of Fame baseball announcer, who will be remembered as the iconic voice of the Dodgers.
  • 2012 The Nationals, twice within a strike of reaching the NLCS, suffer the worst collapse ever in a winner-take-all baseball postseason game when they are stunned by the visiting Cardinals. After his team takes a 6-0 advantage in the third inning and clings to a two-run lead with two outs in the ninth, Washington’s closer Drew Storen gives up four runs in the final frame, resulting in the eventual devastating 9-5 loss at Nationals Park.
  • 2015 The Cubs homer six times en route to an 8-6 victory over the Cardinals at Wrigley Field in the Game 3 of the NLDS. Chicago’s sextet of round-trippers, that included long balls from Kris Bryant, Starlin Castro, Dexter Fowler, Anthony Rizzo, Kyle Schwarber, and Jorge Soler, marks first time in postseason history that one team has recorded that many home runs in one game.

124 thoughts on “NLDS Game Five, 2017

  1. Tom Boswell in Bob Hendley’s hometown paper:

    If you must lose, making 43,000 people stand and scream for close to five hours β€” and perhaps turning plenty of them into baseball believers in the process β€” isn’t the worst way to expire.

  2. Kershaw Game One, Wood Game Four. Hill and Darvish for Two and Three, but the order isn’t set yet. Also, Avilan might be added to roster since it’s the Cubs. Stripling and Baez weren’t used in the NLDS and one might be dropped to make room for Luis.

  3. Cub’s play-by-play guy says the color commentator will have to be the SP Saturday.

  4. Sorry to see the Nat’s go down again like that, but no team I would rather have the Dodgers beat than the Cubbies.

    • I’m sorry it didn’t go 20 innings but, even so, it should mess with the Ositos’ biological clocks.

  5. Watching Davis pitch is a little like watching a punch-drunk fighter. Can he stay on his feet for two more outs?

  6. Just got out of “Dunkirk” (my 3rd viewing) with two observations on the game:
    1) Dave was prescient with his 9-6 prediction hours ago.
    2) “Dunkirk’s” slogan is applicable to these teams: Survival Is Victory

  7. Werth with a horrible miss there. Took his eyes off the ball. Not counted as an error, though.

    • One of my best friends is a huge Nats fan, and I have been feeling for him this whole series. Meanwhile, catcher got cracked by the swing – doesn’t that count as interference?

    • My son and daughter -in-law are big Nats fans. I am feeling for them. Plus they are big US Men’s soccer fans, so a double whammy for them.

  8. At this point I’m rooting for a 9-6 game (for the Cubs I guess) with a parade of pitchers.

  9. Looks like both of last year’s WS teams will be eliminated in the division series. Cubs down 4-1 in the 2nd to the Nationals.
    Taylor is Washington’s 8 spot hitting star – 7 rbi’s in last 2 at bats (over yesterday and today).

  10. If the Cubs win today, we wouldn’t face Arrieta or Hendricks Saturday or Sunday, and probably not Lester, who pitched 3.2 innings in relief yesterday. That leaves Lackey and Quntana. If the Nationals win today, we wouldn’t face Strasburg or Gonzalez Saturday or Sunday. That leaves Scherzer for one of the games, and Roark, Cole or old friend Edwin Jackson, whom we lit up on our last visit to D.C. Of course, all this could change if Maddon and/or Baker feel the need to use a normal starter in relief, as Lovullo did with Ray in the Wild Card game. I’m rooting for Chicago today because Washington’s starting pitching is stronger.