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 Fresh from a six-homer, 8-6 win in Game Three on Monday, the Cubs
thrilled an energised home crowd at Wrigley Field with their batters
blasting three more home runs as they clinched the best-of-five
Division Series 3-1.
Seeking to end a 107-year wait for a World Series title, Chicago
delighted their long-suffering fans as Javier Baez, Anthony Rizzo
and Kyle Schwarber all clubbed homers to set up the club's first
post-season series win at Wrigley Field.
The Cubs, who used seven relief pitchers, will next face either the
New York Mets or the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Championship Series
which is scheduled to start on Saturday.
"We just played an unbelievable ballclub right there," an emotional
Rizzo, who hit a go-ahead solo homer in the sixth inning, said in an
on-field television interview.
"We gave it our all, they gave it their all. It was just a battle."
Asked how significant it was for the fans that the Cubs had finally
clinched a post-season series at Wrigley Field, Rizzo replied: "They
deserve it. They deserve it. Hopefully this is just a taste of
what's going to come.
"We're going to enjoy this. The whole city is going to enjoy this
together, as we should. We just beat the best team in baseball.
We're going to celebrate this."
Cubs manager Joe Maddon applauded the gritty display of his
relievers after they shut down the Cardinals over the final three
innings.
"The whole group showed great composure," said Maddon. "But you've
got to know the Cardinals never quit ... and they're going to fight
until the last out.
"Early in this season they beat us just based on that. Fortunately
our relievers kept it together. To do this in front of our home
crowd, it's special."
STRIKING FIRST
The Cardinals struck first when Stephen Piscotty blasted a two-run
homer to center field off Jason Hammel in the top of the first.
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Hammel singled to center field for Starlin Castro to score in the
bottom of the second before shortstop Baez blasted a three-run homer
for the Cubs to lead 4-2.
Reliever Trevor Cahill came on for the Cubs in the sixth and began
well before giving up a two-strike, two-out double to Tony Cruz as
Jason Heyward scored to make it 4-3.
Brandon Moss then drove in Jhonny Peralta to tie it at 4-4 before
the inning ended when Cruz was cut down at the plate on a superb
throw from right fielder Jorge Soler.
Again, the Cubs' offense responded. Rizzo lined a homer to right in
the sixth before Schwarber powered a shot over the scoreboard in
right field to put the Cubs ahead 6-4 in the seventh.
Closer Hector Rondon replaced Pedro Strop in the ninth and earned
the save after allowing a baserunner but no runs as the Wrigley
Field fans erupted in celebration.
It was a bitterly disappointing end to the 2015 campaign for the
Cardinals, who posted a league-best record of 100-62 in pursuit of a
third trip to the World Series in five years.
"The guys fought back into this game after having a good lead
early," said Cardinals manager Mike Matheny. "The long ball really
made us pay the last two days.
"This team (Chicago) plays well in this park. We had the same
conditions, the same stadium. We could have made it happen. We came
up just a little short."
(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Frank
Pingue/Greg Stutchbury)
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