2016 CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES - GAME 1 VS.

Saturday, October 15 - 8:08 p.m. (EDT) - , Chicago, IL RHP Kenta Maeda (0-1, 12.00) vs. LHP (1-0, 0.00) FS1 - ESPN Radio

MORE THAN JUST AN EXPRESSION: Getting off on the right foot in the National League Championship Series has been a key to success since the series went to seven games 30 years ago. In that time, the team to win Game 1 of the NLCS has a 21-9 (.700) series record. The last team to win the NLCS despite losing Game 1 was the San Francisco Giants in 2012 (4-3 over St. Louis). - Elias Sports Bureau

CUBS & DODGERS IN THE NLCS: The Cubs are 1-3 in Game 1 in their four previous trips to the National League Championship Series. Their only win in Game 1 came in their first appearance, against San Diego in 1984. Chicago has never won the NLCS. The Dodgers are 4-6 in Game 1 of the NLCS, are 3-1 in the series when they have won the opener, and have won the series twice despite Game 1 losses (1977, 1988). They are 5-5 in their 10 LCS appearances, including three straight losses.

CUBS & DODGERS HEAD-TO-HEAD: The Cubs and Dodgers have met just once in the postseason, when Los Angeles swept Chicago in three games in the 2008 NLDS. In the 2016 campaign, the Cubs won the season series, 4-3, despite drop- ping the last two games of the set. The Dodgers went 1-3 here at Wrigley, and 2-1 at Chavez Ravine.

IN SEARCH OF THE HOLY GRAIL: The Cubs enter their NLCS match-up with the Dodgers in possession of the lon- gest active appearance and championship droughts in Major League . Chicago last advanced to the Fall Classic in 1945, and last won a World Series title in 1908. The Dodgers, meanwhile, are the second-most recent World Series champion among the four LCS participants this year, having last hoisted the World Series Trophy in 1988. Only the Blue Jays (1993) have won a title more recently. - Elias Sports Bureau

FOUR!!!: The Dodgers are in the postseason for the fourth consecutive season, the longest active streak in the Majors and the longest in Club history. They have won the NL West title in each of those seasons, becoming the first Club to win that division in four straight years, and giving them 15 division titles in Franchise history.

LES' IS MORE: Jon Lester is making the start for the Cubs tonight. He has made 15 TODAY'S INTERVIEW career starts in the postseason, second only to teammate John Lackey (21) among active ROOM SCHEDULE players on the four LCS participants....in his last outing, Game 1 of the LDS vs. San 3:40 p.m.: Kyle Hendricks Francisco, Lester set a new postseason career-high with 8.0 , and picked 4:00 p.m.: Joe Maddon up his first win since Game 5 of the for Boston in St. Louis...the 4:15 p.m.: TBA victory snapped a two-game losing skid over his last three postseason starts...it was his 4:45 p.m.: Dave Roberts first postseason start without a walk since Game 5 of the 2013 World Series, and his first without allowing a in a span of four starts, going back to Game 1 of the 2013 World TONIGHT'S UMPIRES Series (7.2 ip in that outing). Pos. Name LCS* HP #39 Paul Nauert 1 MAEDA MAKES A RARE START: Rookie Kenta Maeda will make the start for the 1B #56 Eric Cooper 3 Dodgers tonight, marking his LCS debut....He will be just the fifth rookie in Dodgers 2B #38 Gary Cederstrom ^ 7 history to make a start in the NLCS. The others were Hyun-jin Ryu in 2013, Hiroki 3B #55 Angel Hernandez 7 Kuroda in 2008, Tim Belcher in 1988, and Fernando Valenzuela in 1981....Maeda will LF #72 Alfonso Marquez 4 be just the fourth Japanese pitcher to make a start in an LCS, joining Kuroda, Daisuke RF #65 Ted Barrett # 7 Matsuzaka (Boston, 2007 & '08), and Masato Yoshii (Mets, 1999). Replay: Bill Welke (w/ Tripp Gibson) TONIGHT'S ON-FIELD PERFORMANCES: Tonight's will be *includes 2016 thrown by Rick Sutcliffe, the National Anthem will be performed by John Vincent, and ^crew chief the seventh inning stretch will be led by and Bobby Dernier. #regular season crew chief 2016 NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES SCHEDULE Game Date Site Time (EDT)/Result Team 1 SP Team 2 SP TV Game 1 Sat. Oct. 15 Chicago 8:08 p.m. LHP Jon Lester (1-0, 0.00) RHP Kenta Maeda (0-1, 12.00) FS1 Game 2 Sun. Oct. 16 Chicago 8:08 p.m. RHP Kyle Hendricks (0-0, 4.91) TBA FS1 Game 3 Tues. Oct. 18 Los Angeles 8:08 p.m. RHP Jake Arrieta (0-0, 3.00) TBA FS1 Game 4 Wed. Oct. 19 Los Angeles 8:08 p.m. RHP John Lackey (0-0, 6.75) TBA FS1 Game 5* Thurs. Oct. 20 Los Angeles 8:08 p.m. TBA TBA FS1 Game 6* Sat. Oct. 22 Chicago TBD TBA TBA FS1 Game 7* Sun. Oct. 23 Chicago TBD TBA TBA FS1 *if necessary CUBS' STARTER AT A GLANCE DODGERS' STARTER AT A GLANCE

#34 - LHP Jon Lester #18 - RHP Kenta Maeda Season* Rec. ERA GS IP R ER HR BB SO Season* Rec. ERA GS IP R ER HR BB SO 2016 19-5 2.44 32 202.2 57 55 21 52 197 2016 16-11 3.48 32 175.2 72 68 20 50 179 Career 146-84 3.44 316 2003.2 819 766 182 644 1861 Career 16-11 3.48 32 175.2 72 68 20 50 179

Playoffs Rec. ERA G-GS IP R ER HR BB SO Playoffs Rec. ERA G-GS IP R ER HR BB SO All LCS 1-4 4.15 7-5 34.2 17 16 6 8 32 All LCS ------All P.S. 7-6 2.63 17-15 106.0 33 31 11 25 92 All P.S. 0-1 12.00 1-1 3.0 4 4 1 2 4

vs. LAD* Rec. ERA GS IP R ER HR BB SO vs. CHC* Rec. ERA GS IP R ER HR BB SO 2016 1-0 0.60 2 15.0 1 1 1 2 16 2016 ------Career 2-2 3.06 5 32.1 11 11 1 10 34 Career ------*regular season only *regular season only

th CENTURIONS: The Cubs this season became the 16 team 100-WIN TEAMS IN POSTSEASON since 2000 to win 100 games in the regular season, the first since Since 2000 St. Louis won exactly 100 last season. Reaching the century mark has not translated into much postseason success in that Club Year Wins Result time, however. (See chart at right.) Of the 15 other Clubs to Chicago-NL 2016 103 --- St. Louis 2015 100 Lost LDS (CHI, 3-1) reach the plateau since 2000, only one has won the World Series Philadelphia 2011 102 Lost LDS (STL, 3-2) - the 2009 , who had a 103-win regular sea- New York-AL 2009 102 Won W.S. (PHI, 4-2) son. Worse still, only three of those Clubs even reached the Fall Los Angeles-AL 2008 100 Lost LDS (BOS, 3-1) Classic. The others were St. Louis in 2004 (105 wins) and the St. Louis 2005 100 Lost LCS (HOU, 4-2) Yankees in 2003 (101); the Cardinals were swept by Boston and New York-AL 2004 101 Lost LCS (BOS, 4-3) the Yankees lost to the Florida Marlins in six games. The last St. Louis 2004 105 Lost W.S. (BOS, 4-0) National League Club to win 100 games in the regular season New York-AL 2003 101 Lost W.S. (FLA, 4-2) and go on to win the World Series was the 1986 New York Mets, Atlanta 2003 101 Lost LDS (FLA, 3-1) who won 108 games before defeating Boston for the champion- San Francisco 2003 100 Lost LDS (CHI, 3-2) ship. New York-AL 2002 103 Lost LDS (ANA, 3-1) Oakland 2002 103 Lost LDS (MIN, 3-2) Including the Cubs this season, there have been 48 100-win Atlanta 2002 101 Lost LDS (SF, 3-2) teams in either league during the LCS era (since 1969). Of those Seattle 2001 116 Lost LCS (NYY, 4-1) Clubs, 35 reached the LCS, 22 reached the World Series, and 10 Oakland 2001 102 Lost LDS (NYY, 3-2) won the title. - Elias Sports Bureau

FLIPPING THE SCRIPT: The Cubs this season became just the third team in Major League history to win 100 games within four seasons of losing 100 games, according to STATS LLC. Chicago went 103-58, just four years removed from a 61-101 campaign in 2012. The only other teams to do that were the 1969 Mets (100-62 after 50-112 in 1965) and the 1995 Indians (100-44 after 57-105 in 1991).

TWO-WAY PLAYERS: The Cubs are getting an historic performance from their pitchers this postseason - at the plate. Chicago hurlers batted .333 (3x9) with two home runs and six RBI in the vs. San Francisco. According to Elias Sports Bureau, the two homers set a new LCS-era (since 1969) record for pitchers in a series, and they tied the 1970 Baltimore Orioles in the ALCS for the most RBI. The Cubs have already tied the record for most home runs by pitch- ers over an entire postseason, joining the 1924 Giants and 1970 Orioles. The record for RBI over an entire postseason is 10, by the 1970 Orioles. Additionally, Chicago's pitching staff did not allow a to the Giants in the LDS, making them the first staff since the 1920 Indians in the World Series to more home runs than it allowed. That year, Cleveland pitchers hit one home run, and held Brooklyn to none.

ACE OF ALL TRADES: In the series-clinching Game 5 victory over Washington on Thursday night, Dodgers' aceClayton Kershaw, who was the winning pitcher in Game 1, earned his first career . He joined (two wins, save) in the as the only starting pitchers since 2000 to earn a win and a save in the same postseason se- ries. Additionally, according to Elias Sports Bureau, Kershaw became the first pitcher since 1969 - when saves first became an official stat - to save a winner-take-all game after starting the previous game, and he became just the third pitcher to register a save in a winner-take-all postseason game after having no previous career saves in the regular season or playoffs.

BRYANT GOES FROM COLD TO HOT: Over his first eight career postseason games, from October 7-20 of last season, batted just .161 (5x31) with a , a triple, a home run, and three RBI, while walking twice and striking out 10 times. Since then (Oct. 21, 2015), however, he is on a five-game hitting streak, batting .368 (7x19) with two doubles, two home runs, and five RBI, while walking twice and striking out seven times. The last Cubs' player to reach a six-game postseason hitting streak was , from Oct. 3, 2007 to Oct. 4, 2008.

HOT TO START: Both Kris Bryant and Javier Baez have posted a hit in all four postseason games for the Cubs this year. The Club record for longest hitting streak to open a postseason is six games, by Moises Alou in 2003 and Mickey Living- ston in 1945. Seven players (nine times) in Cubs' history have opened a post- NLCS RESULTS season with hits in five straight games, the last being Mark Grace, Luis Salazar, Era and Ryne Sandberg in 1989. Yr. Winner Loser Result WS Result TURNING IT ON: is batting .400 (6x15) with a triple, home 2015 NYM CHC* 4-0 L, 1-4 (KC) 2014 SF* STL 4-1 W, 4-3 (KC) run, and five RBI over five postseason games this year. Impressively, that is 2013 STL LAD 4-2 L, 2-4 (BOS) off his pace from his 2015 postseason campaign, when he batted .526 (10x19) 2012 SF STL* 4-3 W, 4-0 (DET) with six doubles and four RBI across five games. Turner, who was 0x2 in two 2011 STL* MIL 4-2 W, 4-3 (TEX)^ pinch-hit appearances in the 2014 playoffs, has more doubles through his 2010 SF PHI 4-2 W, 4-1 (TEX)^ first 12 career postseason games than any player in Dodgers' history; his 16 2009 PHI LAD 4-1 L, 2-4 (NYY) hits are tied with Hanley Ramirez and James Loney for second-most, behind 2008 PHI LAD 4-1 W, 4-1 (TB) (19); and his nine RBI are tied with Ramirez for the third-most, 2007 COL* ARI 4-0 L, 0-4 (BOS) behind (13) and Loney (11). 2006 STL NYM 4-3 W, 4-1 (DET) 2005 HOU* STL 4-2 L, 0-4 (CHW) GOING DEEP: The Cubs ranked fifth in the National League with 199 home 2004 STL HOU* 4-3 L, 0-4 (BOS) runs this season, while the Dodgers finished eighth with 189. In the postsea- 2003 FLA* CHC 4-3 W, 4-2 (NYY) son, Los Angeles has hit an NL-best six home runs, while the Cubs are second 2002 SF* STL 4-1 L, 3-4 (ANA) with five. Wrigley Field surrendered just 163 home runs this season, 11th-few- 2001 ARI ATL 4-1 W, 4-3 (NYY)^ 2000 NYM* STL 4-1 L, 1-4 (NYY) est in the NL (2.01 per game). Dodger Stadium was not much more giving, th 1999 ATL NYM* 4-2 L, 0-4 (NYY) allowing 169 home runs (2.09), which ranked 10 in the NL. 1998 SD ATL 4-2 L, 0-4 (NYY) 1997 FLA* ATL 4-2 W, 4-3 (CLE)^ LEAVING 'EM LOADED: The Dodgers have gone 0x9 with the bases load- 1996 ATL STL 4-3 L, 2-4 (NYY) ed this postseason. In the regular season, they ranked third in the National 1995 ATL CIN 4-0 W, 2-4 (CLE) League and Majors with a .319 (37x116) average with the sacks full. They have not gone 0x9 with the bases loaded since another 0x9 skid from June 27-July 3. *Wild Card Team ^NL had home field advantage TESTING THE 'PENS: The Cubs' bullpen allowed the second-fewest runs (203) in the National League this season, bested only by Washington (202), NLCS MVPS and ranked sixth in ERA (3.56). It has been put to the test this October, as for Wild Card Era the first time in Club history the Cubs' bullpen has worked at least 5.0 innings Year Winner Team in three consecutive postseason games. Over the team's last six postseason 2015 New York games, dating back to October 20, 2015 (NLCS Game 3), the 'pen has worked 2014 Madison Bumgarner* San Francisco at least 5.0 innings five times. The team is 3-3 in those games, and the bullpen 2013 St. Louis 2012 San Francisco has a 3.60 ERA (30.0 ip/12 er). 2011 * St. Louis Chicago relievers have tossed 17.1 innings this postseason, but that is just tied 2010 San Francisco for third among all postseason teams this year, as the Dodgers are leading the 2009 Philadelphia way with 22.1 innings out of their relievers. Despite that workload, the Los 2008 * Philadelphia Angeles bullpen has posted a 2.82 ERA (7 er), which is just sixth among the 10 2007 Colorado playoff teams this year, but has held opponents to a .173 average against, which 2006 St. Louis 2005 Houston leads the NL and trails only Toronto (.106) overall. 2004 St. Louis 2003 Ivan Rodriguez Florida NOT LACKING IN EXPERIENCE: John Lackey, who is scheduled to make 2002 San Francisco the start for Chicago in Game 4, leads all active pitchers with 21 career post- 2001 Arizona season starts and 131.1 innings pitched, while his eight wins are tied with 2000 New York Madison Bumgarner for second-most, behind CC Sabathia's nine. Lackey is 1999 Eddie Perez Atlanta currently tied with Mike Mussina for seventh place all-time in postseason 1998 Sterling Hitchcock San Diego starts, trailing leader , who made 44 starts. Lackey's next start 1997 Livan Hernandez* Florida will tie him with for sixth place. 1996 Javy Lopez Atlanta 1995 Atlanta Additionally, Jon Lester, is tied with Jim Palmer for 20th on the all-time list of postseason starts, which ranks fifth among active players. Lester has 106.0 *went on to win World Series MVP career innings pitched in the playoffs. According to Elias Sports Bureau, he and Lackey are the first teammates with 100.0-plus innings pitched to make starts in the same postseason since Pettitte and Sabathia for the Yankees in 2012.

RUN DIFFERENTIAL: The Cubs led the Majors in run differential this season at +252 (808 RS/556 RA), well ahead of second-place Boston, at +184 (878/694), while the closest National League team, third in the Majors, was Washington, at +151 (763/612). According to Elias Sports Bureau, the Cubs were only the sixth Major League team in the last 60 years to finish a season with a run differential of +250 or better. The other teams were the 1969 Orioles (+262), the 1975 Reds (+254), the 1998 Yankees (+309), the 1998 Astros (+254), and the 2001 Mariners (+300).

COMEBACK KIDS: The Cubs this season led the National League and tied Texas for the Major League lead with eight comeback wins when trailing after eight innings. They were back at it with the late-inning heroics in the LDS vs. San Fran- cisco, as they staged two ninth-inning comebacks, one of which led to a win. In Game 3, a solo home run by Kris Bryant in the top of the ninth forced extra innings, but the Giants would prevail in the 13th. In Game 4, Chicago staged its historic four-run rally in the ninth to overcome a 5-2 deficit and earn a 6-5 series-clinching win. According to Elias Sports Bureau, the last time a team had two rallies to tie or win a game in the ninth inning in one series was the , when Kansas City did it against the Mets. The last time a team did it twice in one series on the road was 1997, when Baltimore pulled off the feat against Cleveland. Prior to Tuesday's Game 4 win, teams that had a three-run lead in the ninth inning or later were 824-3 in the postseason, with all three defeats coming five days apart during the 1986 playoffs. On October 11, 1986, the Angels defeated the Red Sox in 11 innings after entering the ninth inning trailing by a score of 3-0. Incredibly, the very next day, Boston returned the favor, beating California by a score of 7-6 in 11 innings after entering the ninth inning trailing by three runs. Three days after that, the Mets clinched the NLCS with a 16-inning victory over the Astros after trailing Houston by a score of 3-0 entering the ninth inning.

IN A PINCH: Chicago pinch-hitters were 0x6 entering the ninth inning of Game 4 of the LDS vs. San Francisco, but Willson Contreras snapped the skid with a game-tying, two-run single. According to Elias Sports Bureau, he was the first pinch-hitter to drive in two-plus runs to tie or take the lead in the ninth inning of a postseason game since Jose Vizcaino on October 23, 2005 for Houston. Vizcaino tied Game 2 of the World Series against the White Sox with a two-run single, but Chicago went on to win, 7-6, in the bottom of the ninth.

ROOKIE YEAR: The Dodgers, who tied Franchise records this season by using 55 players and 31 pitchers (also, 2015), and suffered through 28 players going on the disabled list (the most in baseball since at least 1987), had to call on a lot of rookies this season. They carried seven rookies on the LDS roster against Washington; all seven appeared in a game, tying a Club record for the most rookies used in a postseason series (also, 1953 World Series). Those rookies wereAustin Barnes, Grant Dayton, Kenta Maeda, , Ross Stripling, Andrew Toles, and Julio Urías. Rookies in the lineup weren't the only newcomers making waves for the Dodgers this year. First-year Dave Rob- erts helmed the Club, and became only the second manager in Club history to lead the Dodgers to a division title, joining Tommy Lasorda in 1977.

BACK-TO-BACK FOR JOE: Cubs' manager Joe Maddon is just the second skipper in Franchise history to guide Chicago to the postseason in each of his first two seasons at the helm. The other was Lou Pinella in 2007 & 2008. This is the sixth playoff appearance for Maddon, who took the to the postseason in 2008, 2010, 2011, & 2013. He has com- piling a 20-23 career postseason record and one pennant (2008).

HOW THEY GOT HERE - CUBS: The Cubs are making back-to-back trips to the National League Championship Series for the first time in Club history, and are in the postseason in consecutive years for just the second time since 1907-'08 (also, 2007-'08). They finished the season with a record of 103-58, the best mark in the Majors and the best mark by the Franchise since going 104-50 in 1910. It was the sixth time in Club history that the Cubs reached 100 wins, joining 1906 (116), 1907 (107), 1909 (104), 1910 (104), and 1935 (100). Chicago won the NL Central title this season for the first time since 2008, the fourth time overall in the Wild Card era. In the Division Series, they defeated the San Francisco Giants, 3-1, taking Games 1 & 2 at home, dropping Game 3 in San Francisco, and clinching with a 6-5 win in Game 4 in San Fran on Tuesday night.

HOW THEY GOT HERE - DODGERS: The Dodgers won the NL West crown with a record of 91-71. They are in the postseason for the fourth consecutive season, and in the LCS for the fourth time in the last nine seasons. The Dodgers are the first team to win the NL West title in four straight seasons, and now have 15 division titles in Club history. Los Angeles defeated Washington in the Division Series, 3-2, taking Game 1 in the District, Game 3 at home, and the decisive Game 5 back in D.C.