The Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers vie for the meatloaf and the opportunity to play the mighty LA Dodgers in the National League Championship Series, at 7:08 p.m. CT.
Mr. Blank will start for the Cubs,
versus Mr. Blankety Blank on the home side. The Cubs would seem to have captured the momentum with their splendid Game Four performance but such things can turn on a dime and often do, in the heat of the playoffs.
“This is a game where we’re gonna have everybody available, with the exception of Matt Boyd. We’ve got 11 pitchers to figure out how to get 27 outs. And that’s how we’re treating it.” — Craig Counsell.
There are more questions to be answered. The first is — has Kyle Tucker turned it back on? If so, the Cubs have one of the most dangerous bats in the playoffs lurking. It’s no accident that the rest of the lineup went quiet when he had an extended slump. That lineup was built to revolve around Tucker and his ripple effect.
Can the staff keep it together for one more game? Will Michael Busch continue to mash? Has Ian Happ revived his hop? Enquiring minds want to know.
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- Adam McCalvy (MLB.com*): Brewers prepared — not panicked — for decisive Game 5 at home. “It’s part of the story, man,” Yelich said. Jordan Bastian* has the Cubs’ side.
- Zoe Grossman (Marquee Sports Network*): How Matthew Boyd anchored Cubs in dominant NLDS Game 4 win vs. Brewers. “There’s nothing like that,” he said of the fan atmosphere.
- Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Imanaga may be Cubs’ best option for G5 start — but there are others. “The final game of a playoff series is usually kind of all hands on deck,” Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner said.
- Andy Martinez (Marquee Sports Network*): How Cubs’ Drew Pomeranz went from unknown to key October bullpen piece. “This wasn’t meant to happen.”
- Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Cubs pitchers ready to do whatever it takes to ‘get outs’ in win-or-go-home Game 5 vs. Brewers. “Craig Counsell figures to use whatever combination of arms can get the Cubs to the NLCS, and his team has confidence in a group that dazzled in back-to-back wins with the season on the line.“
- Jesse Rogers (ESPN*): Boyd, Happ atone for struggles as Cubs top Brewers in Game 4. “The guys have been carrying me all postseason, so to contribute in that moment and give us the lead was awesome for me,” Happ said after the game.
- Christina De Nicola (MLB.com*): Happ’s homer off Brewers’ ace extends Cubs’ 1st-inning magic. “The Cubs are the first team in MLB history with a home run in the first inning in four straight playoff games within the same postseason (Michael Busch, Seiya Suzuki, Busch, Happ).“ The Sun-Times* has more.
Food for thought:
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