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A32 sports
Diaranson 30 september 2020

Cubs, Marlins set to meet after bumpy paths to postseason

Marlins. Game 1 is Wednes- games in 24 days. The ac- stop Alex Gonzalez misplay-
day at Wrigley Field, and Ross quisition of center fielder ing a potential inning-ending
can't wait. Starling Marte from Arizona double play, in an 8-3 loss.
at the trade deadline and the The Cubs were eliminated in
“I was laying in bed last night, emergence of rookie right- Game 7.
feeling like today was the day hander Sixto Sanchez gave “We talk about it a lot, obvi-
the games were starting," he them a big lift. ously,” said Marlins presi-
said Tuesday. “Having to kind “It has been a crazy year for dent of baseball operations
of say over and over in your us,” first baseman Jesus Agui- Michael Hill, who joined the
head, 'The game's not to- lar said. “And we still made it. front office in 2002. “I don’t
morrow, it's not tomorrow.' We’re here for something. So think the ball was catchable
You're anxious to get started.” many people don’t believe in myself. I think the bigger
The Cubs won the NL Cen- us, and we made it. and we’re play was the Alex Gonza-
tral at 34-26 in Ross' first sea- just starting.” lez error on the Miguel Ca-
son, reaching the playoffs for Here are some things to brera groundball. That was
the fifth time in six years. It know: the huge difference-maker.
wasn't exactly an easy ride, ... An eight-run eighth. A
though. For starters miraculous comeback. That
Yu Darvish put himself in The Cubs will go with Kyle propelled us into one of the
contention for the NL Cy Hendricks in the opener and most exciting Game 7s I can
Young Award, but Kris Bry- Darvish in Game 2, with Jon ever remember watching.”
ant, Javier Báez, Anthony Lester in Game 3 if necessary.
Rizzo and Willson Contreras Hendricks was third in the Big swings
each struggled as the offense majors in innings and was The Cubs ranked among
sputtered. Despite that, the particularly sharp down the the worst in the majors with
club led the division almost stretch, with a 1.45 ERA in a .220 average and had the
wire to wire after missing the five outings in September. fifth-highest strikeout total.
postseason last year. The Cubs could have gone But they scored 25 runs in
“You get that excitement, that with Darvish on his usual taking two of three from
butterfly feeling just like you four days' rest. But Ross the playoff-bound Chicago
do every time — but just a chose Hendricks, who hasn't White Sox at Guaranteed
little bit more because we're pitched since Wednesday. Rate Field to finish the regu-
back, we missed it last year," “It's a huge honor for me to lar season, with Bryant hit-
Kyle Schwarber said. get the nod from Rossy for ting homers in the final two
Game 1, but at the end of the games. And they hope its car-
It's been a much longer wait day, we all know what Yu's ries into the playoffs.
for the Marlins, in the play- done this year,” Hendricks
offs for the first time since said. “He's our ace. He's the Longshot
winning the 2003 World Se- guy. He's been dominant all At 33-1, no team is facing
ries. They knocked off the year long. If this was a one- longer odds to win the World
Cubs in a memorable NLCS game-playoff kind of thing, Series than the Marlins. They
that year before taking out he would be the guy, obvi- were outscored by 41 runs.
the New York Yankees. They ously.” But with their young pitch-
won the World Series in their ers, strong farm system and
only other trip to the play- Flashback manageable payroll, they
offs, beating Cleveland for The series is sure to stir think they are built to last.
the title in 1997, and have memories of the 2003 NLCS.
never dropped a postseason The lasting image happened Calling on kimbrel
series. in Game 6 at Wrigley Field, Though he struggled early
After losing 105 games last with the Cubs leading 3-0 and lost the closer job to
year, the Marlins finished in the eighth. Just five outs Jeremy Jeffress, Craig Kim-
second in the NL East at 31- from their first pennant since brel could be called on in big
29 — their first winning re- 1945, fan Steve Bartman de- spots after a strong Septem-
cord since 2009. They over- flected Luis Castillo's foul ber. The seven-time All-Star
came a coronavirus outbreak ball as Cubs left fielder Moi- did not allow a run in eight
at the start of the season that ses Alou tried to make a leap- appearances and struck out
(AP) — Cubs manager David was still two days away from sidelined more than half the ing catch. 13 without a walk in 7 1/3 in-
Ross had to remind himself opening a best-of-three wild- team, and navigated a clos- Chicago gave up eight runs nings.
Monday night that Chicago card series against the Miami ing stretch that included 28 in the inning, hurt by short-

Chisox ace Giolito loses bid for

perfect game in 7th vs A's

(AP) — Chicago White Sox against Pittsburgh on Aug. playoffs — the only person
ace Lucas Giolito allowed a 25. This start at the Colise- to have a regular-season and
clean single up the middle to um was his postseason debut. postseason no-hitter in the
start the seventh inning, end- The White Sox lead 3-0 in same year.
ing his bid for a perfect game Game 1 of the best-of-three
against the Oakland Athletics series. Halladay and Don Larsen,
in their playoff opener. who pitched a perfect game
The late Roy Halladay of for the Yankees in the 1956
Tommy La Stella hit a single the Phillies in 2010 threw a World Series against Brook-
to become the first runner perfect game in the regular lyn, have the only two post-
for the A's on Tuesday. season and then tossed a no- season no-hitters.
Giolito pitched a no-hitter hitter against the Reds in the