Preview: Mets at Cubs

[October 21, 2015]  The New York Mets are in position to finish off a sweep on Wednesday, when they visit the Chicago Cubs for Game 4 of the National League Championship Series. New York has limited Chicago to five runs while winning the first three games and Daniel Murphy has homered in each contest to run his postseason streak to five, tying Carlos Beltran (2004 with Houston) for the major-league record.

New York is one victory away from reaching the World Series for the first time since 2000 and will send rookie Steven Matz to the mound. None of the Mets players want to hear any chatter about this series being over, particularly captain David Wright. "Because we understand just like we've won the first three games, these guys can win the next three games very easily," Wright said after going 3-for-4 and scoring twice in Game 3. "This is an excellent team, and you give them room to win a game or streak along a couple good innings, and they're going to get all the confidence in the world and expect to beat us three in a row. So it's as simple as that." Chicago won all seven regular-season meetings with the Mets, but the duo of Kris Bryant (2-for-11) and Anthony Rizzo (2-for-10) has been quiet in the NLCS.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets LH Steven Matz (0-1, 5.40 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Jason Hammel (0-0, 6.00)

Matz lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Division Series as he gave up three runs and six hits in five innings. That contest marked the 24-year-old's first defeat in seven major-league outings, and manager Terry Collins feels he's just beginning to reach his potential. "This guy's got plus stuff, he's got a plus fastball," Collins said at a press conference. "He's going to be 94 to 97 (miles per hour). He's got a plus curveball, he's got a good changeup. Now it's a matter of going out there every five days through the course of the season."

Hammel had a rough outing in the Division Series against St. Louis as he gave up two runs, three hits and three walks before being pulled after three innings. He denied that he felt extra pressure competing on the postseason stage during his press conference on Tuesday and was asked if this start is the biggest of his life "Of my life? Obviously, the deeper you get into the playoffs, yeah, I guess you could say that they're the most difficult in my life," Hammel said. "But honestly, I'm not really worried about that. I'm not thinking of it that way. It's the New York Mets versus the Cubs."

WALK-OFFS

1. Murphy set the Mets' franchise record with his sixth career postseason homer, while Chicago LF Kyle Schwarber delivered his fifth to become the Cubs' record-holder in that category.

2. Bryant is 5-for-31 with one homer and 10 strikeouts in the postseason while Rizzo is 5-for-28 with two solo blasts.

3. New York RHP Jeurys Familia has saved all three victories in the series and has five saves in the postseason while giving up just two hits in 8 2/3 scoreless innings.

PREDICTION: Mets 7, Cubs 5

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