Oct 02

NL Wild Card Game, 2018

Rockies at Cubs, 5:08 PM PDT, TV: ESPN

The Cubs at least got to sleep in their own beds after losing their tiebreaker game to the Brewers yesterday. After losing yesterday’s tiebreaker to the Dodgers, the Rockies had to get on an airplane and fly to Chicago from Los Angeles, after flying from Denver to LA Sunday night.

The visiting Rockies send LHP Kyle Freeland (17-7, 2.85 ERA) to the mound for his third career start against the Cubs. He’ll face LHP Jon Lester (18-6, 3.32 ERA), who will be making his 22nd postseason appearance and second Wild Card Game start.

Today in Cubs’ history:

  • 1932 The Yankees win their 12th consecutive World Series game and sweep the Fall Classic for the third time. At Wrigley Field, the Bronx Bombers bang out 19 hits as they club the Cubs, 13-6.
  • 1940 The Sullivans become the first father and son to have played in a World Series when Billy Jr. is the Tigers backstop in Game 1 of the Fall Classic at Crosley Field. The Detroit catcher’s dad, Bill Sr., appeared in the postseason in 1906, playing the same position for the White Sox when he went 0-for-21 in the Hitless Wonders’ six-game triumph over the Cubs.
  • 1952 Carl Erskine strikes out 14 Yankees in Game 3 to establish a new World Series mark. The Dodger hurler’s performance bests the record of A’s Howard Ehmke, who struck out 13 Cubs in Game 1 of 1929 Fall Classic.
  • 2001 Slugging Sammy Sosa becomes the first player in baseball history to slug 60 home runs in three seasons. The Cubs’ outfielder connects off Lance Davis in the first inning of the team’s 5-4 loss to Cincinnati at Wrigley Field to reach the milestone.
  • 2006 Chicago’s veep and GM Jim Hendry announces that the Cubs have declined to renew Dusty Baker’s contract to return as the team’s manager. During his four-year reign in the northside dugout, the 57-year-old skipper compiled a 322-326 record, including a 66-96 campaign last season.
  • 2012 In a matchup of 100-loss teams, only the second occurrence in major league history, the Astros (55-105) beat the Cubs (60-100) at Wrigley Field, 3-0. In 1962, the woeful 58-101 Chicago club played host to the expansion Mets, sporting a 39-118 record en route to setting the all-time modern era record for futility.

The Rockies have made four previous post-season appearances, none on October 1.

Cubs’ lineup:


Rockies’ lineup: