A year after 1st title since 1908, Cubs trail Dodgers 3-0
A year after 1st title since 1908, Cubs trail Dodgers 3-0:- Kyle Schwarber had the fans roaring, thinking the Chicago Cubs just might be ready to tighten the NL Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Turns out, his first-inning home run was about all they had to cheer.
Yu Darvish shut down Chicago after Schwarber went deep, and the Cubs are on the verge of being swept in the NLCS for the second time in three years after Tuesday night’s 6-1 loss.
After knocking out Los Angeles last fall on the way to their first World Series championship since consecutive titles in 1907 and 1908, hopes of another parade are just about dashed.
“Tomorrow is a Game 7. We have three or four Game 7s in a row coming up right now,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said.
Jake Arrieta will try to keep the series going when he opposes Dodgers lefty Alex Wood on Wednesday night. Arrieta can become a free agent this winter, so it might be his final start for Chicago. And unless the Cubs get their hitting and bullpen in order, the season could come to a close.
The Cubs have been in tough spots before, rallying from a 3-1 deficit to beat Cleveland in seven games for the World Series title last year. They also pulled out a wild victory at Washington in Game 5 of the Division Series this month after failing to close out the Nationals at Wrigley Field.
But the Cubs are hitting .160 with four extra-base hits through three games against Los Angeles.
“Of course we expected more,” Maddon said. “It’s somewhat surprising. I don’t want to use the word disappointing.”
Batting second, Schwarber hit an opposite-field drive to left-center for a 1-0 lead in the first. From there, the offense stalled again as Chicago managed just six harmless hits in 6 1/3 innings against winner Yu Darvish.
Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks gave up four runs (three earned) and six hits, including solo homers to Andre Ethier and Chris Taylor.
Los Angeles led 3-1 with runners on first and second and none out in the sixth when Carl Edwards Jr. relieved Hendricks and walked Austin Barnes with one out. Joc Pederson flied out and Edwards walked Darvish on four pitches. After Taylor struck out to end the rally, boos came ringing from the Wrigley Field stands.
Mike Montgomery gave up two more runs in the eighth. With runners on first and second, pinch-hitter Charlie Culberson struck out, only for the pitch to ricochet off catcher Willson Contreras’ arm for a passed ball that allowed Logan Forsythe to score. With runners at the corners, Kyle Farmer followed with a sacrifice fly.
Source:-Â https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2017/10/18/a-year-after-1st-title-since-1908-cubs-trail-dodgers-3-0/106758610/
