OSS: Well, at least it's a slightly longer series. Three up: Albert Almora was the only Cubs player with a positive WPA on the day, thanks to a two run homer off of Kershaw in the fourth inning to give the Cubs a lead. They didn't end up with much to show for it, but Bryzzo were squaring up Kershaw …
NLDS Game 5: Cubs 9, Nationals 8
OSS: That was the craziest Cubs’ winner-take-all clincher I have seen since the last time they had a winner-take-all clincher.* Three up: On a night of shaky pitching performances all around, Wade Davis somehow put together a seven out save to send the Cubs to the NLCS. He didn't have his best stuff, but he brought it for the final …
NLDS Game 3: Cubs 2, Nationals 1
OSS: Cubs win despite getting no hit for most of the game again. Three+ up: Anthony Rizzo had the biggest hit of the game, a bloop single to left that managed to find the hole between three defenders to drive in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning. It more than made up for the double play he hit into …
NLDS Game Two: Nationals 6, Cubs 3
OSS: That fucking eighth inning. Three up: Just like game one, Bryzzo each struck out in their first PAs then turned it on later in the game. They led off the fourth with a double by Bryant and a homer to right by Rizzo, which gave the Cubs a 3-1 lead that should have held up the rest of the …
NLDS Game 1: Cubs 3, Nationals 0
OSS: Cyle pitches a gem and Bryzzo get just enough off of Strasburg to put the Cubs up 1-0 on the Nats. Three up: Kyle Hendricks showed why Joe had enough faith in him to make him the game one starter, pitching seven shutout innings with six strikeouts, two walks, and three hits allowed. The only vaguely threatening moment that …
Cubs 10, Cardinals 2
OSS: Cubs win in a laugher to eliminate the Cardinals from the NL Central title. Three Four up: The Cubs snuffed out the Cardinals faint division title chances on their own turf, which is nice to see. At the time I write this the Rockies are losing, so it doesn't hurt that race quite so much aside from the fact …
Cubs 5, Brewers 0
OSS: Jose Quintana pitches a shutout and the magic number drops to two. Three up: Quintana was fantastic today, striking out ten and allowing just three hits and one walk. It wasn't a Maddux, but Q was much more efficient than he has been over his cubs career. Commenter mcalis2 wondered if his performance hinges on getting his curveball in …
Cubs 5, Brewers 4
OSS: Cubs win in extras on a bases clogged walk. Three up La Stella drew a pinch walk with the bases juiced against a clearly gassed Corey Knebel in the tenth inning that proved to be the deciding run. The biggest play of the game by WPA was not the La Stella walk. Anthony Rizzo hit a no-out single in …
Cubs 5, Brewers 3
OSS: Cubs come back and win in extras thanks to a Bryant bomb. Three up: Kris Bryant hit a go-ahead two run homer in the tenth inning to put the Cubs back in the lead. Bryant was 3-4 on the day and also drew a walk, which was mitigated somewhat by the dozen or so double plays that the Cubs …
Rays 8, Cubs 1; Pirates 6, Brewers 4
OSS: Jon Lester looks bad, but the Pirates offense remembered their bats for once. Three up: The Pirates Adam Frazier hit a walk-off HR to drop the Cubs magic number to 8. Frazier also got the run scoring going with a triple in the second inning. It took a player having a WPA of nearly .700 for the Pirates to …