Cubs riding momentum to the mound
ST. LOUIS — The Cubs had to win this one.
The Cardinals could have said the same.
Even with Jake Arrieta, the hottest pitcher in baseball, lined up to pitch Game 3 of the best-of-five National League Division Series on Monday, the Cardinals would have been at ease leading two games to none. Now, the odds are against them. “We know how good he is,’’ Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong said. “We know what kind of pitcher he is. We’re going to go up there, try to put some good at-bats together and see if we can get him.’’
“I wouldn’t want any other pitcher in the world on the mound right now,’’ said right-hander Kyle Hendricks, the Cubs’ Game 2 starter.
The Cubs not only will have Arrieta going, but they can’t wait to see their championship-starved crowd let it all hang out for the first postseason game at Wrigley Field since 2008. The Cubs haven’t won a playoff game at home since 2003.
Arrieta, who will be opposed by Michael Wacha, should have more of an impact on the outcome than the crowd. But Cubs players are expecting an emotional lift.
“I’m really excited— a lot of these guys are excited,’’ veteran catcher David Ross said. “The atmosphere around Wrigley was really fun down the stretch, but this town has been waiting a few years on this. I haven’t necessarily felt their pain, but I’ve felt the excitement around the city as you walk around.’’
Ross, who caught the Game 1 loss Friday, was asked if Game 2 was a must-win. “Yes,’’ he said. “You say they’re all must-wins and we have Jake going, but my thing around here after we’ve lost one or two is to yell my saying at these guys: ‘Gotta have it!’ A lot of guys were saying that to me today: ‘Gotta have it!’ And they went out and produced.’’
“It gives us the momentum,’’ Hendricks said. “If we had won Game 1 and lost this one, it would have felt about the same, but it does feel good to get the win now, fly home on a happy flight and get the momentum going into Wrigley.’’ And take it there with Arrieta. “Getting Jake pitching for us is kind of good, though, obviously,’’ manager Joe Maddon said. “He’s been pitching — how can I say? — spectacular.”
It was Arrieta who pitched a shutout with 11 strikeouts in the wild-card victory over the Pirates that put the Cubs in this series. That came after he finished the regular season with a franchise record 20 straight quality starts in which hewent 16-1with a 0.86 ERA.
Wacha (17-7, 3.38), an All-Star (Arrieta wasn’t), actually faded down the stretch, posting a 7.78 ERA after August.
“You can’t get ahead of yourself, though,’’ first baseman Anthony Rizzo cautioned. “We are very calm.
“I feel like we’re a different ballclub with him on the mound. He sets a tone. But that’s a great team. They find ways to win against any pitcher, anytime. So we got to show up on Monday and be ready to play.’’
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