Cubs ace outduels Strasburg in tidy Game 1 victory
WASHINGTON — At the All-Star break, the Cubs seemed like defending champions about as much as “Baywatch” resembled “The Godfather.” But the Cubs turned it around and finished the season on a 49-25 run, the best mark in the National League after the break.
Down the stretch, right-hander Kyle Hendricks had a lot to do with it. He only managed three wins since late July, but he was tough every time.
Almost as tough as he was Friday in his NLDS Game 1 matchup with the Nationals’ Stephen Strasburg. Washington’s righty got more attention, got the recognition. But in this matchup, Hendricks got the victory.
Hendricks pitched seven scoreless, two-hit innings using sinkers and change-ups and basically upper 80s fastballs and the Cubs, scoring two unearned runs, got a pair of Anthony Rizzo RBIs in a 3-0 victory in the opener of the best-of-five series at Nationals Park.
“They are one of the best lineups in this league,” Hendricks said Thursday of the Nationals, but putting his Cubs on the same plane. “Trying to attack that lineup, you’ve got to make good pitches. You’ve got to be locked down every single pitch. Every one of those guys has a chance to beat you.”
But none of them could as Hendricks matched Strasburg.
“All you’re focused on is making pitches,” Hendricks said. “That’s my job and it never changes, no matter regular-season game, postseason game, no matter who you are facing on the other side of the mound.”
Hendricks, in his 106-pitch effort, walked three, hit one, struck out six. Strasburg, throwing 81 pitches, fanned 10 and gave up three hits, one walk and two unearned runs.
The Cubs’ first hit produced the first run of the series. And then there was another hit. And another run. Both runs were unearned.
Strasburg and Hendricks hung up zeroes through five innings with Strasburg not allowing a hit. But the sixth began with a hiccup — or major belch as it turned out.
Javier Baez, the Cubs’ co-NLCS MVP last year with Jon Lester (who will start Game 2), sent a grounder to Anthony Rendon at third. Rendon simply muffed the play for an error. Hendricks sacrificed. A fly out later and the crowd relaxed a bit. The Cubs did not as Bryant singled to right, scoring Baez. Bryant took second on the throw and the Nationals challenged a safe call at second. The call stood.
Rizzo next sent a sinking liner to right. Bryce Harper dove, but couldn’t make the catch. Bryant scored and it was 2-0 Cubs. Rizzo doubled in the eighth off reliever Ryan Madson to score John Jay, who had pinch hit a double batting for Hendricks. Wade Davis pitched the ninth for the Cubs and earned the save.
Congressman Steve Scalise, shot in June on a baseball field, went to the mound aided by canes and threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Then the pitching duel began.
Strasburg needed just eight pitches to record a perfect first inning with two strikeouts. He continued tough. The only runner the Cubs managed through four was Addison Russell, who walked in the second.
Strasburg began the fifth by making team history. He fanned Kyle Schwarber and the eighth strikeout set a franchise record for a postseason game for the Nationals and Expos. Max Scherzer struck out seven Dodgers in Game 5 of the NLDS last year. Strasburg went on to his first ever postseason double-digit strikeout game.
Strasburg got the Game 1 start over Scherzer, who has an achy hamstring. Strasburg, after the All-Star break, went 6-1 with an 0.86 ERA in 10 starts — the second best post-break ERA ever for a pitcher with at least 10 starts, according to Elias Sports Bureau.
But Hendricks didn’t flinch and drove the Nats nuts.
Harper, batting second, singled in the first. Matt Wieters was hit by a pitch before Michael Taylor singled to left in the second. Nothing came of either. Two fourth-inning walks fizzled.
After coming off the disabled list for right-hand tendinitis, Hendricks, in 13 starts starting July 24, was only 3-2, but compiled a 2.19 ERA, the best in the National League over that stretch.
“He’s a good pitcher,” Nationals manager Dusty Baker said. “He’s in the Greg Maddux mode: He throws strikes, and tempt-me strikes.”