Hendricks outduels Strasburg as Cubs take NLDS opener |
WASHINGTON -- Kyle Hendricks pitched seven masterful innings and outdueled Stephen Strasburg as the Chicago Cubs shut out the Nationals, 3-0, in game one of the NLDS on Friday evening. The Cubs now have a four-game winning postseason winning streak which is their longest since six in a row in 1907-1908.
Strasburg took a no-hitter into the sixth inning for the Nationals but an error by third baseman Anthony Rendon allowed Javier Baez to reach. After a sacrifice by Hendricks, Kris Bryant recorded the Cubs' first hit with a single to drive in Baez and then took second on the throw. Anthony Rizzo drove in Bryant with another RBI single to give the Cubs a 2-0 lead. Hendricks had the Nationals off balance all evening as he pitched seven innings giving up 0 runs and only 2 hits with 6 strikeouts. Hendricks has recorded a 1.98 ERA in 41 innings in 8 career postseason starts. The Cubs added an insurance run in the 8th when Jon Jay pitch-hit for Hendricks and lined a double down the left field line. Rizzo collected his second RBI of the night with a great at-bat that ended with a 2-strike double to left. Wade Davis picked up the save with a perfect ninth inning. Cubs' pitching held the Nationals' powerful lineup to two hits on the night, and the Nationals didn't have a hit after the second inning. Strasburg was the tough-luck loser on the night as he had a postseason franchise record 10 strikeouts in 7 innings giving up 3 hits and 2 unearned runs. Game two of the NLDS will be Saturday in Washington with first pitch at 4:38 p.m. CT when LHP Jon Lester (13-8, 4.33) faces LHP Gio Gonzalez (15-9, 2.96). The @Cubs are not messing around. They fire zeros to start their #WorldSeries defense. https://t.co/FDctWeCVn4 #SavorTheWin pic.twitter.com/rEaZMcIykw
