It Took 13 Innings
The normal high powered Rockies took 13 innings to break through the solid pitching of the Cubs to pull off the win in the NL Wild Card game 2–1.
There were no home runs and not even extra base hits in the 13th…the game was won on a few singles. The 8th pitcher of the night for Chicago just didn’t have his best stuff. Kyle Hendricks, who’s usually a starter, gave up 3 singles in a row. To Trevor Story, Gerardo Parra, and Tony Wolters. Story scored to break the tie game and Scott Oberg struck out the side in the Cubs’ 13th.
Both starters, Jon Lester and Kyle Freeland both pitched like they belonged on the mound in the playoffs. Freeland threw 6 2/3 innings, struck out 6 and gave up 4 hits. Lester on the other hand struck out 9 over 6 innings though he gave up a single run. Regardless of their great starts I have to give my Pitcher of the Game to Oberg who struck out all 4 Cubs he faced to pick up the win.
Story gets my Player of the Game for going 3 for 6 and scoring the winning run.
It’s kinda a bummer the Wild Card winner is determined by a single game but that’s how things are set up right now. And the Rockies won that single game and they head to Milwaukee next to continue their pursuit of the World Series.