LACKEY BESTS LESTER
‘ Fearless’ Cardinals starter tames Cubs’ bats
ST. LOUIS— Jon Lester wasn’t John Lackey.
Thanks for coming and drive home safely.
The Cardinals outpitched the Cubs in Game 1 of their National League Division Series on Friday, and there was no shame in it. Lester’s effort was good enough to win on most nights, just not against Lackey on this night.
The Cubs signed Lester to a massive contract in the offseason for exactly this kind of game, but the contract didn’t say anything about having to beat someone channeling Don Larsen. Lackey was perfect after three innings, got a double play after a walk in the fourth and had his no- hitter broken up in the sixth by Addison Russell. He gave up two hits in 7⅓ innings in a 4- 0 Cardinals’ victory.
“I love him,’’ Cardinals outfielder Tommy Pham said. “I call him O. G. because he has that relentless attitude out there. He’s fearless. He’s an Original Gangster.’’
Cubs manager Joe Maddon was a coach with the Angels when Lackey made his playoff debut in 2002.
“He was always kind of fearless,’’ Maddon said. “He comes from Texas, kind of does the John Wayne strut out there. He’s that guy, but we had the same guy in return with Jon Lester.’’
I’m trying to square the descriptions of Lackey as John Wayne and an Original Gangster. Never mind.
Lester gave up a first- inning run, then allowed only two hits over the next six innings. Pham’s solo homer in the eighth traveled an estimated 425 feet into the left- field seats, giving the Cardinals what was, let’s face it, an insurmountable lead on this night.
“Right pitch, right time for Pham,’’ Lester said. “Looking for it, threw it, he didn’t miss it. Sometimes it happens.’’
Maddon might have gotten second- guessed for leaving Lester in too long, but it took a split second for any criticism to become moot. Pedro Strop replaced Lester in the eighth and immediately gave up a two- run homer to Stephen Piscotty.
Cardinals manager Mike Matheny pulled Lackey in the eighth inning after 86 pitches to get a lefty- on- lefty matchup against Chris Coghlan. If you thought the Cubs had just received a get- out- of jail- free card, you were seriously misinformed. Kevin Siegrist struck out Coghlan and Russell to end the inning.
That’s how it went for the Cubs. It went nowhere.
“Their guy outpitched our guy [ Friday night], period,’’ Cubs catcher David Ross said. “They played pretty much flawless baseball. We didn’t push any across. [ Saturday’s] a new day. . . . If we split this series here, it’s all positive.’’
Even now, there are people out searching for the Cubs’ bats. But Ross is right, a victory Saturday changes the tone, and having to face Jaime Garcia instead of Lackey might put some air back in the Cubs’ lungs.
Lackey is 36 and in his 13th season. He and Lester have whittled down their professional lives to only necessary things.
“This is what you play for,’’ Lackey said. “I’ve been playing awhile, and this is prettymuch the only reason I’mstill going. I’mtrying to win rings and trying to be part of something special as a team.’’
Lackey and Lester are good buds, dating back to their days with the Red Sox. They share the same hobbies, Lackey said: “Country music. Hunting. Trucks. You know, stuff like that.’’ When Lester comes over, Lackey probably breaks out the special camo tablecloth.
Lackey bagged a bear Friday night, and Lester left Busch Stadium empty- handed.
“Lack made, really, one more pitch than I did,’’ said Lester, who struck out nine. “Obviously, the grand total doesn’t show that, but that’s kind of the way I feel. He had three or four double plays, big pitches right there to end innings, get his guys back in the dugout.’’
Home- plate umpire Phil Cuzzi had an interesting strike zone. If his work were in an art gallery, you’d tilt your head to try to understand it. It was positively Cubist.
“I voiced my opinion a couple times, but apparently it was the same zone for both sides, and I really can’t complain about that,’’ Maddon said.
In the end, the strike zone wasn’t the downfall. Lackey was. He was too good, and neither Lester nor the Cubs’ bats were good enough.
The Cubs have been elastic all season, bouncing back in the face of challenges. They have one now, and they’ll have a huge one if they fall again Saturday. Let’s see what they’re made of. Let’s see what their bats are made of. Wood would be an upgrade.