Preview: Mets at Cubs

[October 20, 2015]  Daniel Murphy was thought to be on his way out of New York with free agency looming and prospect Dilson Herrera knocking on the door from the minor leagues, but a week of hot hitting in the playoffs is making him indispensable to his team. Murphy will try to homer in his fifth straight game when the Mets visit the Chicago Cubs for Game 3 of the National League Championship series on Tuesday.

Murphy clubbed a two-run homer in the first inning of Game 2 on Sunday off Cubs ace Jake Arrieta and has taken Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Jon Lester and Arrieta deep in the last four games to provide plenty of support for the New York staff. “I definitely am seeing the ball well right now, so that's nice,” Murphy told reporters after blasting a first-inning homer for the second time in as many NLCS games. Chicago managed a total of three runs in the first two games but won both of its home games in the NLDS against the Cardinals and is still confident going forward. “We're looking for several one-game winning streaks and that would be kind of nice,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon told reporters. “Listen, it's never going to be easy this time of the year. They are good; we know that. We're also very good.”

TV: 8:07 p.m. ET, TBS

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Jacob deGrom (2-0, 1.38 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Kyle Hendricks (0-0, 5.79)

DeGrom struck out 20 in 13 total innings over a pair of NLDS starts and won them both, including the Game 5 clincher. The former Rookie of the Year has allowed a total of three runs in his last four outings with 36 strikeouts in 23 innings during that span. DeGrom has never beaten Chicago, going 0-2 while allowing a total of 11 earned runs and 17 hits in 15 1/3 innings over three career starts.

Hendricks got the nod over Jason Hammel for Game 3 and will try to bounce back after surrendering three solo home runs among four hits in 4 2/3 innings at St. Louis during the NLDS. The Dartmouth product scattered three hits and no runs in 12 innings over his final two turns in the regular season and has issued a total of two walks in his five outings. Hendricks is 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA in two career starts against New York.

WALK-OFFS

1. Murphy has five homers and eight RBIs in seven postseason games.

2. Chicago batters struck out 20 times in the first two games of the series.

3. New York 3B David Wright is 2-for-23 in the playoffs.

PREDICTION: Cubs 7, Mets 4

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