Oct 11, 2016; San Francisco, CA, USA; The Chicago Cubs celebrate after defeating the San Francisco Giants in game four of the 2016 NLDS playoff baseball game at AT&T Park. Photo Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports
SAN FRANCISCO — Javier Baez capped a four-run rally in the top of the ninth inning with a run-scoring single Tuesday night, lifting the Chicago Cubs to a 6-5 victory over the San Francisco Giants and a 3-1 win in the National League Division Series.
The Cubs move on to their second consecutive NL Championship Series, beginning Saturday at Wrigley Field. They will face either the Los Angeles Dodgers or Washington Nationals in the best-of-seven series.
The Chicago uprising against five San Francisco relievers denied the Giants an 11th consecutive win in an elimination game, which would have extended their own record.
With Matt Moore limiting the Cubs to two hits over eight innings and Conor Gillaspie contributing four singles to an 11-hit attack, the Giants were three outs away from forcing a fifth and deciding game when they took a 5-2 lead into the ninth.
The Cubs’ uprising began when Kris Bryant grounded a leadoff single off right-hander Derek Law.
Lefty Javier Lopez came on for one batter and walked Anthony Rizzo, bringing the potential tying run to the plate and producing closer Sergio Romo from the bullpen.
Ben Zobrist greeted Romo with a double into the right field corner, scoring Bryant and putting the tying runs in scoring position with still no outs.
Lefty Will Smith was summoned to face pinch hitter Chris Coghlan, who was pulled in favor of a right-handed hitter, Willson Contreras. The catcher grounded a two-run, game-tying single up the middle.
Jason Heyward was then called upon to sacrifice, and he bunted back to the mound. Smith got the lead runner at second, but Brandon Crawford threw wildly to first base, allowing Heyward to reach second.
The error was Crawford’s second of the game.
Baez then singled up the middle against the Giants’ fifth pitcher of the inning, Hunter Strickland, to score Heyward with the eventual game-winner.
Aroldis Chapman, who blew a save Monday in the Cubs’ 13-inning loss, struck out the side in the ninth to record his third save of the series, sending the Cubs into the next round.
Hector Rondon (1-0), who worked a scoreless eighth inning, got the win. Smith (0-1) was credited with the loss, even though the run off him was unearned.
Facing the Cubs for the first time in his career, Moore allowed a third-inning solo home run to catcher David Ross and an unearned run in the fifth en route to his longest start of the five in his personal postseason history.
The in-season acquisition from Tampa Bay struck out 10, his postseason best.
Gillaspie and Joe Panik, heroes of the Giants’ first two wins this postseason, carried the club’s offense once again, mostly against Cubs starter John Lackey.
Batting sixth and seventh, respectively, they combined for six hits, two RBIs and two runs.
Panik and Denard Span had two hits apiece for the Giants, who were attempting to duplicate a rally from a 0-2 deficit against the Cincinnati Reds in the 2012 NL Division Series.
The win for the Cubs was just their fourth in nine potential close-out games in their postseason history.
Gillaspie’s second and third hits came in consecutive two-run uprisings as the Giants broke away from a 1-1 tie and into a 5-2 lead through five innings.
After Ross’ homer in the third inning offset a Giants run in the first, Gillaspie got the two-run fourth rolling with a single.
Panik followed with his second hit, and a Gregor Blanco walk loaded the bases.
Down 0-2 in the count, Moore grounded his RBI single into right field to give the Giants the lead. Span’s run-scoring infield out one batter later made it 3-1.
Lackey was pulled at inning’s end, having allowed three runs on seven hits. He walked two and struck out four.
Gillaspie’s hit in the fifth produced the inning’s first run when it plated Hunter Pence, whose baserunning gaffe had temporarily denied the Giants the run.
After Pence led off the inning with a single, Crawford launched a high fly off the concrete railing atop the 20-foot-high wall in right-center field.
Pence, who was watching the near-homer, overstepped second base after the ball bounced back into play. He had to retrace his steps, then could only reach third base on the double.
Turns out, it didn’t matter. Gillaspie’s single and Panik’s sacrifice fly brought both baserunners around, increasing the lead to 5-2 against the Chicago bullpen.
NOTES: Cubs RHP John Lackey made his 21st postseason start, which tied him with RHP Mike Mussina for seventh-most in major league history. LHP Andy Pettitte holds the record with 44. … The record-holders for most consecutive wins in potential elimination postseason games in the NBA and NFL are the Boston Celtics (11, 1959-67) and New England Patriots (10, 2002-06). … The 13-inning defeat Monday was the longest game in the Cubs’ postseason history. … Golden State Warriors standout Draymond Green threw the ceremonial first pitch.
