Los Angeles Dodgers at Chicago Cubs: NLCS Game 2 GameThread

Miguel Montero’s pinch hit grand slam in the eighth inning last night lifted the Chicago Cubs to a 7-3 lead in what ended up an 8-4 win in Game 1 of the NLCS.

Montero’s slam came a half-inning after the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers rallied to tie it up at 3-3.

Tonight in Wrigley Field, the Dodgers and Cubs play Game 2 with Clayton Kershaw on the mound against Kyle Hendricks.

Dodgers’ skipper Dave Roberts was asked last night what went into the decision to go with Kershaw in Game 2 after he made two starts and a relief appearance in the NLDS.

“I think for me it was more the conversation,” Roberts explained.

“And it's not complicated in the sense of if he feels good, then it's a no-brainer, it's just more of just getting assurance that he feels good physically, which he does, and so it's one of those things, obviously, when you get a chance for Clayton to pitch Games 2 and potentially 6, that's a good thing for us and, yeah, it's full go.”

“I feel fine. I feel good,” Kershaw told reporters.

“I'm excited. It's been a little bit since we got to do this, and Wrigley Field, it's going to be pretty exciting. The fans, everywhere you go, people are talking about it, so it will be fun tomorrow, for sure.”

Cubs’ skipper Joe Maddon talked after Game 1 of the NLCS about his team bouncing back from adversity like the Dodgers’ two-run eighth inning that tied things up last night.

“The vibe on the bench was good after we came off the field,” Maddon said. “Even though they had tied it, we did not really -- the big point there is always you never want to relinquish the lead. That's where the momentum really swings the other side. If you tie it, wonderful, obviously. i.e. the game in San Francisco. We tied it in the ninth, but we still didn't get over the top. They came back and beat us in extra innings. So all those things matter. But I'm really pleased and proud of our guys how they handled difficult situations.”

How will the Cubs handle Clayton Kershaw? We’ll find out at 8:00, when Game 2 of the NLCS in Wrigley Field gets underway...