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The Chicago Cubs' 8-6 win over their NL Central rivals from St. Louis last night left them one win away from a trip to the NLCS, but there's one more NLDS game to win before they book a trip to either New York or LA.
This afternoon in Wrigley Field, the upstart Cubbies send Jason Hammel to the mound against Cardinals' right-hander John Lackey in Game 4 of the best-of-five series.
Lackey, 36, threw 7 ⅓ scoreless in the Cards' 4-0 Game 1 win, allowing just two hits and one walk in Busch Stadium. He gets the ball again on short rest tonight in Game 4.
Cardinals' skipper Mike Matheny talked to reporters after last night's loss about the decision to go with Lackey with the series on the line.
"I think he's proven it all season long," Matheny said.
"Guy we go to in big situations and tomorrow is a big situation and he's ready to go on short rest, and we were able to get him out a little bit earlier than what he's been accustomed to. He's had enough rest, and it's time to go."
Jason Hammel, 33, takes the mound for the Cubs at home in Wrigley Field after going (10-7) in 31 starts this season with a 3.74 ERA, a 3.68 FIP, 40 walks (2.11 BB/9) and 172 Ks (9.07 K/9) in 170 ⅔ IP, holding opposing hitters to a combined .242/.289/.425 line.
In three starts against the Cards this season, the right-hander was (1-1) with a 5.73 ERA and a .244/.326/.512 line against in 11 IP.
Hammel, who was acquired from the Oakland A's last July before re-signing with the Cubs this winter, talked to reporters yesterday about getting the start.
"I honestly felt really good about the opportunity," Hammel said. "When I got traded last year, obviously I didn't want to go, but I saw some things in place that were really pointing towards a positive sign, and I didn't really think it was that far fetched for us to contend. I don't think any of the guys in the clubhouse did, either.
"Not honestly surprised to be where we're at right now."
Hammel vs the Cubs:
| Cardinals | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP | missG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jhonny Peralta | 25 | 23 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 3 | .391 | .440 | .739 | 1.179 | |||||||
| Jason Heyward | 19 | 18 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .500 | .526 | .556 | 1.082 | ||||||||
| Mark Reynolds | 18 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 5 | .125 | .222 | .125 | .347 | 1 | |||||||||
| Matt Holliday | 14 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | .364 | .500 | .636 | 1.136 | 1 | ||||||||
| Yadier Molina | 14 | 13 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .462 | .500 | .692 | 1.192 | 1 | |||||||
| Matt Carpenter | 12 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | .167 | .167 | .250 | .417 | |||||||||
| Brandon Moss | 11 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 | .273 | .273 | .364 | .636 | |||||||||
| Jon Jay | 7 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | .167 | .286 | .167 | .452 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||
| Randal Grichuk | 6 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | .333 | .333 | 1.167 | 1.500 | ||||||||
| Stephen Piscotty | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .500 | .667 | 1.500 | 2.167 | |||||||||
| Michael Wacha | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | .333 | .333 | .333 | .667 | ||||||||||
| Kolten Wong | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 1.000 | ||||||||||
| Greg Garcia | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .500 | .500 | 1.000 | 1.500 | |||||||||||
| Lance Lynn | 2 | 2 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | ||||||||||||
| Tommy Pham | 2 | 2 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | |||||||||||||
| Jaime Garcia | 1 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | |||||||||||||
| Total | 142 | 131 | 42 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 18 | 10 | 30 | .321 | .373 | .519 | .892 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Lackey vs the Cardinals:
| Cubs | PA | AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | SH | SF | IBB | HBP | GDP | missG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Coghlan | 20 | 19 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | .421 | .450 | .474 | .924 | ||||||||
| Anthony Rizzo | 18 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 3 | .067 | .222 | .067 | .289 | 2 | 1 | ||||||||
| Austin Jackson | 17 | 16 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 5 | .313 | .353 | .438 | .790 | |||||||||
| Starlin Castro | 16 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 2 | .200 | .250 | .200 | .450 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||
| Miguel Montero | 16 | 15 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | .267 | .313 | .400 | .713 | ||||||||
| Kris Bryant | 14 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | .167 | .214 | .167 | .381 | 1 | 1 | |||||||
| Dexter Fowler | 11 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | .200 | .273 | .300 | .573 | |||||||||
| Addison Russell | 10 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 2 | .333 | .400 | .333 | .733 | 1 | |||||||||
| Jorge Soler | 9 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | .500 | .556 | .875 | 1.431 | ||||||||||
| Javier Baez | 8 | 8 | 4 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 1 | |||||||||||
| Jake Arrieta | 7 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | .333 | .333 | .667 | 1.000 | 1 | ||||||||
| David Ross | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1 | .200 | .200 | .200 | .400 | |||||||||||
| Chris Denorfia | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | .000 | .250 | .000 | .250 | |||||||||||
| Jon Lester | 4 | 4 | 1 | .250 | .250 | .250 | .500 | ||||||||||||
| Tommy La Stella | 3 | 3 | 2 | .667 | .667 | .667 | 1.333 | ||||||||||||
| Kyle Schwarber | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .500 | .667 | .500 | 1.167 | |||||||||||
| Travis Wood | 2 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 1 | ||||||||||||
| Justin Grimm | 1 | 1 | 1 | .000 | .000 | .000 | .000 | ||||||||||||
| Total | 168 | 152 | 39 | 9 | 1 | 8 | 10 | 35 | .257 | .313 | .329 | .642 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 |