The piece previewed here, written by BP Wrigleyvilles Editor-in-Chief Rian Watt, forms part of the main site’s comprehensive coverage of the playoffs, “Playoff Prospectus.” Additional Game Two coverage, exclusive to BP Wrigleyville, can be found here, under the name “Second City October”.
The last time two starting pitchers with ERAs this low faced off in a postseason game, New Coke was still but a twinkle in Don Draper’s eye, and Bobby Kennedy had been dead less than four months. That matchup, as it turned out—St. Louis’ Bob Gibson (1.12) versus Detroit’s Denny McLain (1.96) in the 1968 World Series—wasn’t quite as good as the one we saw last night. Clayton Kershaw (1.69) and Kyle Hendricks (2.13) both acquitted themselves admirably under Wrigley Field’s bright October lights, allowing just a run between them, and together kept this joyful run of remarkable postseason games alive.
The difference in this one was, perhaps predictably, Clayton Kershaw. He was brilliant, mixing his pitches effectively, playing to his strengths on short rest, and taking full and fair advantage of strikes called liberally at the bottom of the zone. The Cubs’ hitters didn’t do themselves many favors, either, swinging early in counts—especially the first and second times through the order—and inexplicably watching hittable pitches sail by on at least two separate occasions. That approach wouldn’t have worked against a lesser pitcher, and it definitely didn’t work against Kershaw, who may have finally shed his (ill-deserved) reputation as a postseason choke artist.
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Lead photo courtesy Jon Durr—USA Today Sports.