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Home , 2010 Chicago Cubs season, Chris Denorfia, Clark (mascot), Dave Jauss, David Ross (baseball), Eric Karros

September 26, 2015

Chicago Tribune Cubs secure first playoff berth since 2008 after Giants lose to Oakland By Mark Gonzales

It took some help from the late Friday night, but the Cubs received their first playoff berth since 2008.

Despite a 3-2 loss to the Pirates on Friday at , the Cubs (89-64) backed into the playoffs by virtue of the Athletics’ 5-4 victory over the Giants (79-74) at the .

The Cubs are assured no worse than playing in the NL wild-card game on Oct. 7 – with the Pirates (94-60) being their likely opponent. The wild card game will be played at PNC Park as long as the Pirates finish ahead of the Cubs.

This marks the fifth playoff appearance in 10 seasons for , who directed the to four playoffs (2008, 2010-11, 2013).

This also is the first playoff berth for the Ricketts family, which purchased a majority interest in the Cubs from the Tribune Co. in October of 2009.

Some Cubs players and manager Joe Maddon said after Friday's game that they didn't plan on staying up to await a Giants result.

“No. I won’t,” said. “I’m going to get rest. We play at (12:05 p.m.).”

Maddon had an interesting way of explaining how he might follow the Giants-A’s game.

“Probably when I have to go to the bathroom at night,” Maddon quipped, adding that the Cubs could celebrate “maybe via text.”

But the Cubs' and apparently stayed up. Fowler tweeted a photo of himself and Arrieta with the message "#letsgo #playofftime."

The defending champion Giants were eliminated from wild-card contention.

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Chicago Tribune Playoff-bound Cubs have to put their party plans on hold By Paul Sullivan

Luke Bryan's "If You Ain't Here to Party" played on the clubhouse speakers Friday morning as the Cubs got ready for their afternoon game against the Pirates.

Across the street from Wrigley Field, the marquee at Murphy's Bleachers read, "A Little Party Never Killed Nobody," while fans put on their pregame buzz in anticipation of a playoff-clinching win.

By the late , most of the executives from the business operations department were sitting by Chairman Tom Ricketts near the Cubs dugout, and co-owner Laura Ricketts joined them in the bottom of the ninth, just in time to see 's RBI pull the Cubs within a .

It was almost 77 years after 's "homer in the gloamin'," the walk-off shot against the Pirates at Wrigley that vaulted the Cubs into first place and on to a .

Everything was seemingly falling into place for a little deja vu, and everyone was in the mood to watch a sunflower shower after another walk-off win.

But there is no scripting in baseball.

No gloamin'. No .

Pirates Mark Melancon struck and Javier Baez to strand the tying run at third, and the Cubs' champagne party was put on hold.

They only had to wait about seven more hours, as it turned out, as the Giants lost 5-4 to the A's to let the Cubs back into their first postseason since 2008.

What the Cubs planned to do Friday night was left to our imaginations because most of them had bolted by the time the clubhouse opened after the loss. Manager Joe Maddon speculated they would celebrate "via text" if the Giants lost. He was certain he would not be up to watch it but said he would check the score at some point.

"Probably when I get up to go to the bathroom at night," he said.

And his players?

"I'm sure there is going to be that curious group, no question," he said.

David Ross and said they weren't among that group, citing the noon start Saturday. Both said the team party could wait until Saturday if the Cubs sleep-clinched a playoff spot.

Friday's game was a bit of a letdown, but nothing compared with how it might feel if winning Gerrit Cole does the same thing to the Cubs in the wild-card game Oct. 7.

Fortunately for the Cubs, they will have Jake Arrieta facing Cole that night, and the confidence level among Cubs fans when Arrieta is on the mound is similar to the blind faith in a Tom Skilling blizzard warning.

As for the party that was postponed, at least we got a glimpse this week of what it might look like when the Cubs actually do celebrate together. took a video of one of their regular postgame parties and posted it to his fan page on Facebook.

"They like to see what's going on here in the clubhouse, and I like to enlighten them a little bit to see what's going on," Russell said.

Back in 2003, carried around a small video camera and shot footage inside the clubhouse and dugout during the stretch run and the memorable postseason, including the infamous Game 6 of the NLCS.

Karros eventually got the videos digitalized but has kept them private after promising his teammates he wouldn't release them without their permission.

"It's going to be one of those things that I'm going to pass on and my kids will be cleaning stuff out and they'll find it," Karros told me in 2010. "And then they'll be on like one of those Ken Burns baseball documentaries."

Russell's clubhouse video is already a smash . It had more than 146,000 views as of Friday night. It's hard to tell who is who during the smoke-filled light show, but it looked like a good time.

Kris Bryant wasn't aware of Russell's video, though he said he would do an internet search.

"I'm not on Facebook," Bryant said. "I'm left out."

Kyle Schwarber also said he had not seen it.

"I must've been in there," he said. "That's what makes this team awesome. We take every win the same as if we were in the playoffs. It's just how this team is put together."

Schwarber was at Indiana University only 16 months ago. He said he never celebrated a college win with as much glee as he has done in Chicago.

"This is something new to me," he said. "I'm living it up right now."

As well he should. Tom Cruise put it best in "Risky Business":

"Time of your life, huh, kid?"

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Chicago Tribune Rest over suspense for Cubs players By Mark Gonzales

The ’ 3-2 loss to the prevented them from celebrating a National League playoff berth, and many team members weren’t going to stay up late to follow the ’ game at Oakland.

“No. I won’t,” outfielder Chris Coghlan said. “I’m going to get rest. We play at (12:05 p.m.).”

Manager Joe Maddon had an interesting way of explaining how he might follow the Giants-A’s game, with a Giants loss giving the Cubs a playoff berth.

“Probably when I have to go to the bathroom at night,” Maddon quipped, adding that the Cubs could celebrate “maybe via text.”

But veterans and Jon Lester, who celebrated a title with the in 2013, said they would make sure their teammates wouldn’t get cheated out of a celebration.

“’We’ll show up (Saturday) and hopefully celebrate (Saturday) and have a good time and let these guys that have never experienced this really enjoy it, and hopefully they don’t hold anything back,” Lester said. “I know we got another week or so to go, and a lot of things can happen. But not many guys get the opportunity to play in the postseason. I hope guys really soak it in.”

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Chicago Tribune Pirates' Gerrit Cole stops Cubs, but they earn first playoff berth in 7 years By Mark Gonzales

As the Cubs barnstormed through a 19-9 August and mounted a pair of five-game winning streaks in September, the likelihood grew that they would face Gerrit Cole in the National League wild-card game Oct. 7.

Should the scenario crystallize by next week, the Cubs can be glad to have a catalog of what to prepare for when the Pirates ace is at his best.

Cole prevented the Cubs from clinching a playoff berth Friday afternoon, and a couple of shortcomings lent perspective to the growth that remains after a 3-2 loss before 40,432 fans at foggy and breezy Wrigley Field.

But the Cubs later clinched their first postseason spot in seven years when the A's defeated the Giants 5-4 in Oakland.

Cole (18-8) limited the Cubs to four hits in seven innings. He's lined up to face Jake Arrieta (20-6) in the wild-card game.

"If it comes down to (facing) Cole, we'll have to bring our 'A' game for sure," said.

Denorfia ignited a ninth- rally with a pinch-hit off closer Mark Melancon, and Starlin Castro tripled to put the tying run at third with young sluggers Jorge Soler and Javier Baez coming up.

But Melancon struck out Soler and Baez to extend the Pirates' winning streak to seven — all on the road — and remind the Cubs of their lingering inability to adjust to situations. They're last in the league with a .236 batting average with a runner at third and less than two out.

"We fought back," manager Joe Maddon said. "But with a runner at third with less than two outs, we've got to move the baseball right there. That's been a big problem for us.

"But to fight back once again in a position to tie or go ahead was there again. That's what I'm talking about. You cannot get upset with anybody on our team."

Much of the scrutiny was placed on the rookies' ability to perform with greater stakes involved. But reliever hurled a wild pitch on strike three in the eighth that started the Pirates' winning rally, and struck out on an 84-mph slider from left-hander Tony Watson with runners at first and second to end the eighth.

"I don't think there's much more to learn until you get to the battle," said losing pitcher Jon Lester, referring to the wild-card game. "We can talk about playoff atmosphere and playoff intensity and all that stuff. But until you're there, it's something you can't really describe and explain to guys.

"We all know what's in front of us, and this is probably going to be our opponent."

With Cole leading the way. Unlike his last start against the Cubs on Sept. 15, when he lost a 4-1 lead in the seventh at PNC Park, Cole was dominant. His 98-mph fastball had more movement, according to Cubs outfielder Chris Coghlan.

"He's got plus stuff," Coghlan said. "Anytime you face an ace with that kind of stuff, it's going to be a grind.

"If we play them in the playoffs, we need to do a better job like we did the time before."

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Chicago Tribune Cubs wonder 'what if' after Starlin Castro makes safe decision By Mark Gonzales

Starling Marte's high chopper left Starlin Castro with a quick decision in the eighth inning Friday, and some wondered if he made the right one in throwing to first base instead of trying to cut off what proved to be the deciding run.

After fielding Marte's chopper with the infield in, Castro took a quick peek at home plate before taking the safer out, enabling to score as the Pirates held on for a 3-2 win.

Castro wasn't available after the game, but manager Joe Maddon said he initially thought Castro had a chance to nail Mercer.

"There's no telling," Maddon said. "The only way we would have known is had he thrown the ball to the plate. It would have been bang-bang at best."

Castro cut the deficit to one with a one-out RBI triple in the ninth.

Maddon also supported Javier Baez's bunt attempt down the first-base line to start the eighth. Baez was initially ruled safe, but a replay overturned the call.

"It was a good baseball play," Maddon said. "If he was safe, everyone would have loved it."

Turn the page: Chris Coghlan wouldn't be goaded by a reporter questioning if he was surprised there was no retaliation for his slide Sept. 17 that resulted in a season-ending knee injury for Pirates infielder Jung Ho Kang.

"I play the game in a respectful, hard way," Coghlan said. "It's an unfortunate instance that it happened, and I hate that (Kang) misses the whole year and it's a significant injury and a big blow to him.

"But those guys over there understand the way I play, and it wasn't a dirty play. There are dirtier slides in this game than that one."

Extra innings: Dan Haren will make his next start Tuesday night in Cincinnati. ... The Cubs have set a franchise record with nine players with at least 10 home runs and 40 RBIs. They're the first National League team to accomplish this since the 2005 Reds, according to STATS.

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Chicago Tribune Friday's recap: Pirates 3, Cubs 2 By Mark Gonzales

At the plate

Starlin Castro tripled in Chris Denorfia in the ninth, but Jorge Soler and Javier Baez struck out to end the game.

On the mound

Pedro Strop hurled a wild pitch on strike three to start the eighth, leading to what proved to be the winning run.

In the field

Shortstop Addison Russell ranged far to his left before fielding 's grounder on one knee and throwing to first for the second out in the second. Left fielder made a diving catch to rob of a hit in the fifth.

Key at-bat

Anthony Rizzo struck out with runners at first and second to end the eighth.

Key number

33 — Multi-hit games for , who went 2-for-4.

The quote

"I was telling some guys to take that in. It's a special moment you get to be a part of when 40,000 are on their feet cheering." — David Ross

Up next

Vs. Pirates, 12:05 p.m., FOX-32.

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Chicago Tribune In Wrigley’s vendor lineup for more than 60 years By Patrick M. O’Connell

William Griffin started as a ballpark vendor around the time he lived in a teen youth home, when he yearned to join the Marines so he could see the world. He roamed the stands at the ballpark in Tulsa, Okla., selling Cokes for 10 cents during an exhibition game featuring the Dodgers, who still called Brooklyn home.

Griffin says his life since has been a winding road of alcohol, bankruptcy, sorrow and loneliness — but also friendship. He bounced around the country, selling cotton candy and snacks at carnivals and a traveling circus. He drank away his concession wages, and moved in and out of transient hotels and apartments. He mourned the death of his longtime woman friend and remains crushed he doesn't have enough money to buy a marker for her grave.

The one constant throughout this journey: baseball. Or more specifically, selling beer, pop, ice cream, popcorn and souvenirs to generations of fans at ballparks on both sides of town.

Griffin has worked at Wrigley Field for more than 60 years, a span confirmed by the union that represents vendors, most recently hawking scorecards and programs inside the main entrance of and Addison. His booming call is as familiar to fans as peanuts and Cracker Jack.

"Scorecards! Programs! Lineups!"

A stocky man of 84 with a face pockmarked with scratches and a stubble of white whiskers, Griffin has a gruff exterior that belies a good-natured disposition and a deep desire for companionship. During interactions with fans, he's initially firm and brusque, with mannerisms that can be construed as dismissive. But look closer and the kindness appears, the hint of a smile as he hands over a scorecard, the chuckle with a young fan, the nod that says "Enjoy the game," the care he takes to bag a program for a guest.

"I enjoy getting out," he said. "I'm too lonely."

Die-hard fans on both sides of town likely recognize him stationed at his customary perches, to the left side of the main entrance at Wrigley, down the left field line at the Cell. He even made a few cameos in the 1993 movie

"Rookie of the Year" starring Daniel Stern and Gary Busey, most notably as the Cubs' third-base during filming at Wrigley Field.

After working thousands of games at Wrigley, Griffin — "Griff" to most of his fellow vendors — is still waiting for the Cubs to make an appearance in the World Series.

"I've always wanted them to win," said Griffin over lunch at a restaurant he frequents at Water Tower Place, where he munched on a hamburger and angel food cake, washing it down with iced tea. "I don't like to predict. I'd like them to win. I think the fans are entitled to a World Series. I'd like to see them win for the fans, not so much for me. They've had to wait long enough."

Vince Pesha, who has worked with Griffin since the late 1960s and also serves as vice president of Service Employees International Union Local 1, said Griffin likely is the longest-tenured vendor at Wrigley Field.

Griffin worked the , when the Sox won the first two games at U.S. Cellular Field on the way to their first championship in 88 years. He took great pride in being able to work the World Series on the South Side, Pesha said, and a Cubs appearance would be the capstone to his career.

"That would really be the culmination, that would be a great final chapter," Pesha said.

While Griffin said he'd love to see the misery end for Cubs fans, his desire is more basic.

"I need the money," Griffin said. "It'd be a little bit extra money. If they had one, it'd be wild. But I'd really love that money."

Griffin is a self-admitted spender with a history of buying trinkets and trips he cannot afford, so the playoffs would mean extra cash, with fans willing to pay premium prices for special edition scorecards and programs.

"I have to work because I don't have enough money to retire," he said, rubbing and shaking his head. "I get tired. My legs aren't too good."

He said he recently filed for bankruptcy after he failed to report his concession income to his senior living apartment, where it was determined he owed them more in rent. With no job in the offseason, he relies on Social Security and the help of friends.

Griffin, in the twilight of his vending days, once was in the more lucrative role of beer vendor, but now settles for program and scorecard sales, which have dwindled over the years as fans turn toward video boards instead of the pencil-filled grid in their lap.

Vendors receive 20 percent of their net sales, but program sales personnel are guaranteed $60 per day, usually a four-hour shift, if they don't sell $300 worth of merchandise, Pesha said. On Wednesday, as the Cubs prepared to face the Brewers, Griffin said sales initially were slow, but 20 minutes before first pitch business turned brisk as fans lined up at his kiosk on their way into the park.

Griffin said he usually enjoys interacting with the fans, adding the only nuisance is the constant tussle over the pencils, which cost 50 cents and do not come with the price of a $1.50 basic scorecard.

"Every now and then someone will make a big deal out of that 50 cents, acting like it's highway robbery," he said. "I just wish the pencil came with it."

Away from the ballpark, Griffin's life has been punctuated with tragedy, some of his own making, some out of his control.

Griffin said that when he was 2 his father, working with the Works Progress Administration, died in a well accident, and his mother struggled to make ends meet and take care of him. By the time he was 15, he was living in a youth home in Oklahoma, and his goal was to join the Marines, or maybe become a baseball player or a boxer.

"I wanted to be a good Marine, and be really good at it," he said. "And I wanted to be proud of myself."

With World War II over, he joined the Marines when he turned 17, thinking it would be a good way to travel the world in peacetime but said he didn't cut it.

"I couldn't do anything right," he said. "I couldn't even march right. I always got off on the wrong foot. And I was chewing gum one time, and the drill sergeant yelled at me, so I swallowed the gum. And he screamed, 'Did I say you could swallow that?!'"

When the Marines didn't work out, he tried joining the Navy and ended up at Naval Station Great Lakes. But his military career fizzled there as well, the victim of spotty attendance and lack of discipline, and Griffin decided to go back to what he knew: selling concessions at the ballpark.

He doesn't recall his first shift at Wrigley Field but remembers selling programs and pop in the stands during his first season. Asked if he enjoyed working as a vendor or was particularly skilled at the profession, he paused, then said, "I guess so, because here I am."

"I just think it's in his blood," Pesha said.

Griffin, who has never been married and has no children, lives in a senior living tower near Devon Avenue and Sheridan Road and commutes to the ballparks by "L" or bus. He gets there about a half-hour before the gates open so he can punch in and gather his supplies, then set up shop.

Sadness touched Griffin recently with the death of his longtime friend, a woman from Korea he met when he was living at the Tokyo Hotel, a seedy apartment building on Ohio Street that closed a few years ago. Griffin scrambled to arrange her burial, finally getting help from a local Korean group and friends. But he did not have enough money to mark her grave, he said, his eyes closing and beginning to glisten.

"If I had the money to get her a proper marker," he said, "I would."

Griffin said he stopped drinking about 20 years ago and also quit smoking. He has diabetes but said his health is otherwise OK. His main problem with alcohol was that he didn't know when to stop. At the bar with a pal, he'd usually try to outdrink his buddy.

"It was loneliness, mainly," he said.

Pesha said the two used to drink together, back when Griffin frequented the bars around the ballpark. Now after his job is done, Griffin usually heads home or to one of his favorite diners, where he tries to catch the end of the game on television.

The ballparks, Pesha said, serve as Griffin's home and the other vendors, his family. Younger concession workers take care of Griffin — one man brought him a cup of lemonade during his Wednesday shift — and the concession company often makes accommodations for him it probably wouldn't make for other, less senior employees, such as helping him tote his supplies or forgiving him when someone swiped a whole box of programs on his watch, Pesha said.

"There's no question that these are his friends. And people look after Griff. They bring him water when it's hot or a jacket when it's cold. The ballpark, it's his home," Pesha said. "When October comes, and the teams aren't in the playoffs, it's sad."

The Cubs, and Griffin, are hoping that ending comes later this year.

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Chicago Tribune Face-to-face meeting fails to resolve dispute over ' estate By Lolly Bowean

A closed-door meeting Friday between Ernie Banks' estranged wife and his longtime caretaker apparently did not resolve the legal dispute over how to divide the estate of the Cubs great.

It was the first time that Elizabeth Banks, who lives in California, and Regina Rice had come together since Banks died in January of a heart attack at 83.

Rice's lawyer, Linda Chatman, said Banks rejected an undisclosed settlement proposal and "refused to negotiate at all."

"We are going to litigation at this point," Chatman told the Tribune by telephone after the half-hour, private session before Cook County probate Judge James Riley.

Chatman described Rice as "very disappointed."

"She was hoping we could come to a meeting of the minds and move on," she said.

Banks' attorney was unavailable for comment.

Banks alleged in a recent court filing that her husband had been diagnosed with moderate to severe dementia days before Rice arranged for him to sign a will in October at a suburban attorney's office. The will cut his family out of his estate and left everything to Rice.

Rice, meanwhile, has claimed that Banks entrusted her to carry out his wishes and wanted to make sure his fourth wife didn't share in his estate. Banks went so far as to send his wife a stern "cease and desist" letter in 2013 demanding that she stop claiming any right to his personal or business dealings, court records show.

This year, Rice filed an inventory of Banks' personal property with the court that consisted mostly of items from Banks' rented Trump Tower condo as well as storage containers in Chicago and California. The list included Banks' original Negro League contract from 1950 and autographed from Bill and Hillary Clinton. Other big-ticket items included a Rolex watch, the ring commemorating Banks' induction into the Hall of Fame in 1977 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded by President Barack Obama in 2013.

Chatman expressed hope that despite the outcome Friday the two sides could still come to a settlement.

"There is still time and anything can happen," she said. "We are hoping Ms. Banks will come to a change of heart and consider settling this matter."

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Chicago Tribune Dan Haren returns Tuesday to Cubs' rotation By Mark Gonzales

Dan Haren will get at least one more start in the Chicago Cubs' rotation.

Haren, whose turn was skipped this week because of Thursday's day off, will make his next start Tuesday night at Cincinnati. Haren remains a long shot to pitch in the National League Division Series should the Cubs win the NL wild card game.

Haren has allowed 31 home runs in 174 innings with the Cubs and .

Kyle Hendricks will stay on his normal five-day schedule and pitch Monday night against the in a make-up game at Wrigley Field.

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Chicago Tribune Simple solutions solves Joe Maddon's problems By Mark Gonzales

Since taking over as Chicago Cubs manager, Joe Maddon pulled left-hander from the rotation, lifted sooner than expected in two starts and benched three-time National League all-star shortstop Starlin Castro in favor of rookie Addison Russell.

For Maddon, his mastery of solving problems developed in the mid-1980s when he was managing in the Angels’ system.

“At one point, I wanted to be more analytical at that time,” Maddon recalled Friday.

But with the help of Tim Kelly, a former major league scout and former pitching coach at Arizona State, Maddon realized that the solution to solving problems usually wasn’t so complex.

“I always talked about simplicity,” Maddon said. “And we would talk about stuff all the time. (Kelly) talked about the simple answer probably was the right answer.”

Maddon compared Kelly’s advice to “Ockham’s razor,” a principle originated by English philosopher William of Ockham in the 14th century.

“The simpler solution is probably the better one to go with,” Maddon said. “I’ve been working with that premise from the mid-80s. I had to refine it and have to understand it.

“When things got crazy, I got calmer and always enjoyed trying to solve problems.”

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Chicago Tribune Cubs: Bomb threat at Wrigley not credible, gates will open on time By Rosemary Regina Sobol

Police investigated a bomb threat at Wrigley Field on Friday morning, but the Cubs said it was found to be not credible and gates were expected to open on time for the day's game with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Workers at the stadium received the threat by phone around 10:15 a.m., according to Officer Jose Estrada, a spokesman for the Chicago Police Department.

Police officers and at least one K-9 unit were sent to investigate, Estrada said. The team said nothing was found.

“Before our game at Wrigley Field this afternoon, we were notified of a potential bomb threat,'' the Cubs said in an emailed statement. "After a thorough search by law enforcement, no evidence was found to suggest this threat was credible. Gates will open at 11:20 a.m. as planned."

The Cubs host the Pirates at 1:20 p.m. If the Cubs win, they will clinch their first National League playoff berth since 2008.

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Chicago Tribune Cubs fan and love good food? Here's where to watch By Phil Vettel

Playoff fever is here. The Cubs are but one win away from securing a spot in the Wild Card playoff game Oct. 7 — and the clinching victory could happen as soon as this afternoon.

Lacking tickets, where does a Cubs fan go to watch the game? Sure, any bar with TVs will do, but at a typical sports bar, you're risking soggy wings and lackluster burgers. Here are a handful of sports bars where the TVs are plentiful and the food well above average.

Don't see your favorite on the list? Tweet us @ChiTribFood.

Bar Siena. The Randolph corridor’s only sports bar offers plenty of TVs for watching, and a Fabio-Viviani-executed menu of Italian-accented pub food. A wood-fired oven cranks out excellent pizzas, and if you order nothing else from the menu, get one of these (though the duck mac-and-cheese will make you happy too). Lunch and dinner daily. 832 W. Randolph St., 312-492-7775.

Frontier. Wide-screen TVs don’t cover every surface of this two-level restaurant; it just seems like it. But along with the inescapable views of the game, there is Brian Jupiter’s remarkable menu, chock-full of imaginative game dishes such as turtle Bolognese, lamb chorizo and alligator scallopine (don’t knock it until you’ve tried it). There are plenty of more-familiar dishes (burgers, fried chicken, tacos) for the less-adventurous, however. Dinner daily; brunch Saturday and Sunday. 1072 N. Milwaukee Ave., 773-772-4322.

Fuller House. A seriously legit, bi-level sports bar with plenty of viewing opportunities and a kitchen that puts a lot of effort into seemingly simple-sounding dishes, such as Buffalo shrimp, lined prettily along a rectangular plate and sprinkled with blue-cheese crumbles. Burgers are big and hearty, and beverage options include craft beers, cocktails, a respectable wine selection and two dozen whiskeys. Lunch and dinner daily. 33 E. First St., Hinsdale, 630-537-1653.

Howells & Hood. Good viewing is available indoors and out at this sprawling restaurant, though the screens don’t dominate the entire view, thankfully. The restaurant is known for its massive selection of beers on tap, and the menu hits all the pub-food favorites while also offering such upgraded choices as halibut and porchetta entrees and a very good charcuterie board. 435 N. Michigan Ave., 312-262-5310.

Old Crow Smokehouse. Posted hours are dinner only Monday to Friday (plus weekend brunch), but this country- music (live and DJ) restaurant, a one-minute stroll from the Friendly Confines, opens early for day games (as early as 10 a.m. for noon starts). Twelve-panel video walls and more than a dozen other TVs ensure you won’t miss a single play. Apple-smoked 'cue is the menu’s main thrust, though there are plenty of other pubby choices, and when it comes to beverages, moonshine cocktails and beer are the go-to picks. 3506 N. Clark St., 773-537-4452.

Old Town Social. It’s not all-sports, all-the-time here; many of the TVs retract when this place goes into restaurant mode. But when there’s a game on, there is no shortage of views. The food is excellent -- notably, specialties such as duck wings, chicken and waffles, and the OTS burger, topped with bacon, Gruyere and a fried egg. 455 W. North Ave., 312-266-2277.

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Chicago Sun-Times Giants' loss sends Cubs to playoffs By Brian Sandalow

They had to wait a few extra hours, but the Cubs are in the playoffs.

By virtue of the San Francisco Giants’ 5-4 loss late Friday to the Oakland Athletics, the Cubs clinched their first playoff berth since 2008. They had a chance to do it earlier Friday but lost 3-2 to the Pittsburgh Pirates and had to depend on the A’s beating their Bay Area rivals.

The Cubs likely will be in the wild-card game, which figures to be in Pittsburgh. However, the Pirates have a chance to catch the Cardinals and win the division, dropping the Cards into the wild-card game. They’ll meet three times next week.

Regardless, it’s a playoff berth for a young team that was expected to improve but maybe not contend like it has. It’s something manager Joe Maddon talked about when he was hired, something he stressed Friday he believed would happen even back then.

“I would say it every year anyway,” Maddon said. “I was sitting over there across the street and I think you guys know me by now to know that I really believed it. I don’t understand how you approach this season [not].”

There also has been a sense of joy around the Cubs. Though that might give way to high expectations and pressure next year, 2015 has been mostly a breeze for a team perhaps a year ahead of schedule.

“Individually, I kind of wait until the season’s over to kind of look at how I’ve done. As a team I can’t say enough about what we’ve done so far and where we’ve come,” Kris Bryant said early Friday. “I think we’ve put it all together here, but I think the main thing is we’re so close as a team. We’re having a whole lot of fun that it allows us to go out there and win and believe in each other. The season has been, I think everybody else in this clubhouse would say that the season has been a really good one for us.”

It has, though the Cubs weren’t able to celebrate the clinching with fans when it happened. And because of the Giants’ late start combined with the early 12:05 p.m. start Saturday, it was likely hard for the Cubs to watch the finish.

Jon Lester said there was “no chance” he’d watch.

“We’ll show up tomorrow and hopefully celebrate tomorrow and have a good time and let these guys that have never experienced this really enjoy it and hopefully they don’t hold anything back,” Lester said after the game Friday. “I know we’ve got another week or so to go and a lot of things can happen but not too many guys get the opportunity to play in the postseason and I hope guys really soak it in.”

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Chicago Sun-Times Pirates beat Cubs to delay playoff party By Brian Sandalow

Don’t worry. The Cubs will be in the playoffs. Even after losing to the Pirates 3-2 on Friday, there was little doubt they will be in the postseason to cap one of the most entertaining seasons in franchise history.

They just didn’t take advantage of their first chance to celebrate in front of their home fans.

Manager Joe Maddon didn’t think that would deflate his team too much. Sure, a clinching victory would have been memorable, but it isn’t like the Cubs needed to win to their season.

It was a loss that gave the Pirates a 4½-game lead over the Cubs for the first wild-card spot, but it wasn’t much more than a defeat that will sting for a little while.

“You always get that feeling after you’ve lost a game, regardless of when it is, but I don’t sense anything negative from our group,” Maddon said. “Our group’s fabulous. Our group comes ready to play every day.”

They’ll be ready for an early start Saturday — the first pitch is scheduled for 12:05 p.m. to accommodate Fox’s broadcast — but they’ll have gone to bed without knowing their fate. The Giants, who were 9½ the Cubs, visited the Athletics late Friday.

Maddon said he’d check the score only if he woke up for certain reasons.

“Probably when I have to go to the bathroom at night, actually,” he said.

David Ross said he’d rather wait to celebrate Saturday.

“We’ve got a day game,” Ross said. “These old bones don’t get up too early after having a late night of drinks.”

The Cubs are in this position after the emergence of Jake Arrieta as one of the best in baseball, the development of rookies Kris Bryant, Addison Russell and Kyle Schwarber and the continuing rise of Anthony Rizzo.

The Cubs had a chance to win in the ninth inning and clinch in the appropriate way. With the Pirates leading 3-1 and closer Mark Melancon on the mound, Chris Denorfia doubled. One out later, Starlin Castro tripled to score Denorfia. Sensing the possibility of a special moment, most of the 40,432 in attendance were on their feet.

Instead, Jorge Soler and Javier Baez struck out to end the game. But that didn’t dash the bigger hopes of a team that has rallied many times before.

“They’ve been doing it all year,” said Jon Lester (10-12), who went seven innings and allowed two runs. “That’s nothing new for us.”

It’s also nothing new for the Cubs to see Gerrit Cole (18-8) and the Pirates perform the way they did, moving a season-high 34 games above .500

Arrieta has earned his team’s confidence with one of the best seasons in Cubs history and a second half bordering on miraculous. He has thrown a no-hitter and is in the running for the Award.

But as good as Arrieta has been, he wouldn’t be the only ace in a wild-card game against the Pirates. If anybody needed reminding, Cole proved that by throwing seven strong innings, allowing one run and striking out eight. He gave the Cubs a preview of what they’ll be getting after they do celebrate.

“The big thing was their pitcher, and how do we beat their pitcher,” Maddon said. “That was the concern. He’s all of that. He’s that good.”

A celebration would have been good, as well. But it wasn’t essential.

“We’ll be all right,” Dexter Fowler said. “We’ve got plenty of baseball to play.”

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Chicago Sun-Times Kris Bryant eager to face Gerrit Cole before playoffs By Brian Sandalow

When the Cubs face Gerrit Cole on Friday they could be looking at their future. It figures Cole will be the Pittsburgh Pirates’ starter if they’re in the National League wild-card game, likely against the Cubs.

And beyond clinching a playoff berth, the Cubs have a chance Friday to see Cole less than two weeks before the coin-flip game. It’s a chance Kris Bryant appreciates.

“I think that it’s good to see him right now, too, and kind of keep him fresh in our mind,” Bryant said. “We faced him last time too up in Pittsburgh, so yeah definitely, see what he’s doing and see what he’s got going good for him, see what he’s struggling with.”

A lot of things have gone well for Cole, who enters Friday 17-8 with a 2.64 earned-run average. If not for the seasons of Jake Arrieta, and , Cole’s name would be near the top of Cy Young discussions.

The Cubs have seen that firsthand, with Cole going 1-1 with a 2.45 ERA in three starts. But on Friday they can see which pitches are working well, which ones aren’t and if he’s developed any tendencies that can be exploited next month.

“He competes. I think he’s one of the best pitchers in the league,” Bryant said. “Like I said, it will be nice to face him here and kind of keep him fresh in our minds. Seeing if we do play them in a wild-card game, it would be fresh and look at all that type of stuff to kind of tune up what we have to do.”

Well, manager Joe Maddon isn’t going that far.

“I don’t want to read too much into one outing. Things change so quickly,” Maddon said. “It’s about the starting pitcher on a particular day feeling good, executing his pitches. If a really good starter is out there and he’s feeling good and he’s executing what he wants to do it’s really hard to get him, regardless. If you catch him on the wrong day where the ball’s just not going where he wants it to, that’s the day that you want to catch him on.

“But his stuff’s going to be good. It’s all about whether or not he’s throwing the ball where he wants to today, or in the future.”

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Chicago Sun-Times Cure for Cubs? Joe Maddon doesn't care By Chris De Luca

Joe Maddon simply doesn’t care.

Sounds like a terrible thing to say about a big-league manager whose team now owns a ticket to the postseason, but it’s true. And judging by what we have seen in the last 107 years, it’s exactly the attitude the Cubs need.

Maddon doesn’t care what you think of his lineup. He doesn’t care what you think of where or when he plays his veterans and rookies. He doesn’t care that your uncle was buried having never witnessed a Cubs World Series championship.

It’s a trait we rarely see in Cubs managers.

Maddon certainly cares about his players — those kids spotted zipping out of the clubhouse on neon, two-wheel personal transporters that look right out of a “Back to the Future” movie. And he mostly cares about having fun.

This team is all about fun. Carefree should be spelled starting with that Cubs-logo C.

Take the ninth inning Friday. The Cubs were trailing the Pirates by two runs when Starlin Castro stepped to the plate with a runner on second. Like a bunch of Little Leaguers, every Cub started clapping and stomping — starters and reserves pressed against the edge of the dugout, pitchers and rollicking in the .

Big-league teams don’t do that. Not every player. Not in unison. Not with smiles when they are trailing by two runs in the ninth and their lockers have plastic tarp being peeled off from them because of a doomed champagne celebration.

Castro ripped a triple and Wrigley was rocking. Not just the fans, but the rowdies in the dugout and bullpen. The rally wasn’t enough for a victory, but these Cubs didn’t seem crushed.

No Friday afternoon party? No big deal. They were forced to wait out the result of the Giants’ game on the West Coast to know if they had clinched.

Was Maddon fuming after that 3-2 loss?

“Great game,” he said. “As a baseball fan, you were totally entertained. That’s what it’s supposed to look like.”

Wait … what?

Did he realize the Cubs lost? They blew a chance to clinch at home. There are black cats and billy goats and bad things that can happen to the Cubs this time of year. Drop an F-bomb, Joe. At least sigh deeply.

But Maddon doesn’t care.

Some time around June, it started to become clear the Cubs had a legit shot at the postseason. Now that they’re on the doorstep, what happens next?

We have been down this road before. There were the back-to-back trips to the postseason in 2007 and 2008 that ended quickly each time. There was 2003, when Cubbie heartache was redefined.

So what will make this trip to October different?

Certainly, they had fun in 2008. was smiling just about every day. was a clubhouse cutup keeping things loose. Even grizzled manager was — at times — carefree.

Until October.

Then everything changed. The pressure the players swore wouldn’t infect them, wrapped itself around the team. It’s the kind of pressure known only to the Cubs.

By the time that team rolled into Los Angeles down 0-2, Piniella was a basket case and his clubhouse couldn’t remember what it was like to have fun. Pressure trickles down from the top.

Those Cubs lost, just like ’s collapsed in 2003. That team had fun — until an unreal eight-run eighth inning. Baker got puckered, failing to calm an unglued , and the Cubs never recovered.

Yes, anything can happen in October. If it’s something bad, it usually happens to the Cubs.

So why will this time be different?

Because Joe Maddon doesn’t care and these Cubs are simply having fun.

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Chicago Sun-Times Cubs game to go on as planned after Wrigley Field bomb threat By Luke Wilusz

Gates will open as scheduled for Friday afternoon’s Chicago Cubs game against Pittsburgh at Wrigley Field after a bomb threat was called in to the ballpark.

The threat was made by phone about 10:15 a.m., according to Chicago Police.

Officers and K-9 units responded to the park to investigate, police said. No threat was found; no injuries were reported; and the park was not evacuated.

“Before our game at Wrigley Field this afternoon, we were notified of a potential bomb threat,” a Chicago Cubs spokesman said in a statement.

“After a thorough search by law enforcement, no evidence was found to suggest this threat was credible. Gates will open at 11:20 a.m. as planned.”

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Chicago Sun-Times Maddon uncertain if Starlin Castro had play at plate By Brian Sandalow

With the Cubs trailing 2-1 with one out in the top of the eighth and Jordy Mercer running home, Starlin Castro had a choice.

After Castro went to shortstop to begin the inning, Starling Marte hit a high chopper with the infield drawn in. Castro jumped slightly to make the play and instead of going home, he let Mercer score without a throw and went to first to get Marte for the second out.

At first, manager Joe Maddon thought Castro might have had a play at home but wasn’t sure.

“The only way we would have known is had he thrown the ball to the plate,” Maddon said. “It would have been bang-bang at best. It had to be like a throw right on the money, I think down.

“I don’t know. When the ball was hit I thought he did, but retrospectively I’m not sure.”

The run gave Pittsburgh a 3-1 lead and became important when the Cubs scored once in the ninth but couldn’t get another, losing 3-2.

Not enough

The Cubs getting one run off Pirates closer Mark Melancon was good. He picked up his 51st save of the season, and the run snapped a streak of nine consecutive hitless and scoreless appearances for the Pittsburgh right-hander.

But it could have been better. Both Jorge Soler and Javier Baez struck out to strand Castro and the tying run at third, leaving the Cubs 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position and with seven left on base.

“If you look at our team in general with runner on third and less than two outs we’re not really good,” Maddon said. “Just try to just get the run in. Doesn’t have to be over the fence. There may have to be an adjustment. I say move the ball, move the ball.

“We have to get better at moving the ball in that moment and force the defense to play, and if you’re able to do that you’re going to get that ugly hit or that high chopper like they did, as an example.”

The Cubs entered Friday hitting .237 with runners in scoring position.

Home away from home

It didn’t make anything official, but it’s looking less and less likely the Cubs will be hosting the wild card playoff. The Pirates extended their lead to 4 1/2 games for the top spot, making it probable the Cubs will have to travel to Pittsburgh and PNC Park on Oct. 7.

David Ross wouldn’t be too bothered by playing in Pittsburgh. He doesn’t think the game’s location is important.

“It’s not, in my mind. My personal opinion,” Ross said. “We’ve played good at their place. We’ve played pretty strong in Pittsburgh.”

The Cubs are 6-4 at PNC Park.

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Chicago Sun-Times Pirates don’t seek retribution on Chris Coghlan By Brian Sandalow

Would Chris Coghlan get some payback for his slide that ended Jung Ho Kang’s season? Manager Joe Maddon hoped not.

For at least one day Maddon got what he wanted, as Coghlan had two relatively uneventful at-bats.

“It was a good baseball play. There was nothing to cause retribution at all,” Maddon said before the Cubs lost 3-2 to the Pirates. “So I would hope not. For us it’s a dead issue and that’s it. I think the people involved, within the Pirates, they understand that.

“Others that may want to fan the flames are just fanning flames,” Maddon added. “They don’t know what they’re talking about.”

In the first inning of the Cubs’ Sept. 17 win at Pittsburgh, a Coghlan slide into second base to break up a resulted in Kang suffering a broken left leg and torn MCL.

When asked after Friday’s game if he expected any continuation from last week, Coghlan said “I feel at the end of the day that I play the game in a respectful, hard way.”

“It’s an unfortunate instance that it happened. I hate that he misses the whole year and it’s a significant injury and a big blow to them,” Coghlan said. “But I think those guys over there understand the way I play, and it wasn’t a dirty play.

“There’s a lot dirtier slides in this game than that one. It’s just that one was tough because of the position that he was in and the way the ball was hit. Hopefully they would respect that it is that, but if not you do what you’ve got to do.”

There were rumblings out of Pittsburgh that Maddon saying he heard it was only plantar fasciitis didn’t go over well around the Pirates. On Friday, Maddon explained that comment.

“It wasn’t my thought. It was coming from the Pirates’ side,” Maddon said. “That’s what I was hoping that it was, that it wasn’t that serious. There’s no way I would ever make something like that up. I wouldn’t even think about that. That’s what we had heard, and I thought ‘Oh good, then he’s not that badly hurt.’ That was my first thought, but then of course it wasn’t that. That’s all.”

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Daily Herald Cubs in the playoffs! Fans believe it won't mean more heartbreak By Burt Constable

Even though the team has a two-game losing streak, the Cubs' Cinderella season slipped into the postseason at around midnight.

After Friday's tense 3-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field, the Cubs backed into the playoffs thanks to San Francisco's loss to Oakland. It's the team's first playoff appearance since 2008.

"It doesn't matter how we do it, just that we do it," said Round Lake's Michelle Filip, 21, while watching the Cubs lose with friend Janie Mae Reinhart, 21, of Round Lake.

Of course, giddy Cubs fans remember how the team won back-to-back division championships in 2007 and 2008 and didn't win a playoff game either year. Or how the Cubs took us on an ethereal playoff journey in 2003 that came to a devastating detour just five outs from the World Series. Before that, the Cubs lost 10 straight postseason series.

Does Friday's ecstasy merely raise the bar for how far our hearts can fall into agony come October?

"Oh, no. This is their year," says Jennifer Barrett, 50, a longtime Cubs fan from Ingleside. "Of course, every year is their year, but this year feels like it's real."

Her father and fellow Cubs fan, George Barrett of Fox Lake, who died in February, had his fill of Cubs postseason disappointment. He was in Wrigley Field for that infamous 2003 playoff game, when a foul ball down the left field line began the plunge to a crushing defeat.

"Don't bring me back. I can't take it anymore," Barrett remembers her father saying. Losses can be devastating.

Only 22, Kevin Tednes of Hoffman Estates began his heartbreak honing with the 2003 disaster. "I remember just watching them lose. Killed me," Tednes says. He shares this year's Cubs playoff pilgrimage with girlfriend Emily Allan, also 22 and from Hoffman Estates.

"I can't even imagine how the city would be if they won (the World Series)," Allan allows herself to dream. "It probably would just shut down."

But first, there is a one-game playoff, probably against those pesky Pirates, who haven't won a World Series since 1979, which is a long time, unless you put it up against the Cubs last World Series championship in 1908.

"It's hard to see the whole season come down to one game," Allan says.

"It drives me nuts that we're the third-best team in the Major Leagues and we have to put up with it," longtime fan Debra Hruby of Wheaton says of the probable one-game playoff. She and others acknowledge that this team, just like every Cubs team in our lifetimes, could be bumped from the playoffs before reaching the pinnacle.

"But this year is a little different," says Mike Diamond, a Cubs fan from Buffalo Grove. "I don't think I'll be heartbroken if they lose."

Almost nobody expected the Cubs, who often include five rookies in their starting lineup, to be contenders this season.

"If they don't do it this year, they are a young team," says Donna Stone, 47, of Fox Lake.

"So this is just the icing on the cake for years to come," says Zach Hicks, 20, a fan who lives in Elgin and attends Judson College.

"Yes, I will be disappointed if we don't win the World Series. But will I be disappointed in this season? No way! It just seems different, and it gets better every day. There's been so much fun at the ballpark this year," says Hruby, who not only is a fan but has been working this year as a tour guide for Wrigley Field.

Last Sunday, she was waiting with other guides at about 8:30 a.m. outside Wrigley Field when ace pitcher Jake Arrieta jogged up to the locked gate.

"It's still locked? Oh, well, how's it going?" asked Arrieta, who figured he would just wait with the tour guides. During their chat, Hruby caught the eye of a security guard.

"Hey, could somebody let Jake Arrieta in?" she asked.

The guard didn't have the right key, so Arrieta politely said he'd run around the neighborhood and come back later. That sort of laid-back, unselfish attitude makes this team fun to support.

"They've built a team now," says Hruby. "I'll be sad if they don't go any further, but I can't be unhappy about this season. I won't be crushed. If we don't do it this year, we'll probably do it next year."

"Definitely in two or three years," agrees Hicks.

"This year, there's a different vibe, a different feeling," says Diamond, whose 4-year-old son, Noah, sports a homemade necklace reading "I  My Cubs" and who predicts Cubs outfielder Dexter Fowler will homer. But Diamond remains hopeful the Cubs still will be playing in a month, when local fans generally have moved on to the Chicago Bears.

"The way the Cubs are playing, anything's possible," Diamond says. "And that's a good thing, because the Bears are in trouble."

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Daily Herald Cubs clinch the playoffs with Giants loss By Bruce Miles

If you're a Cubs fan who stayed up late Friday night, it was well worth your while.

The Cubs could not treat their fans to a clinching victory Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field, but close to midnight, they made the playoffs anyway as their magic number went to zero as the San Francisco Giants lost 5-4 to the Athletics in Oakland.

Earlier in the day, the Cubs fell 3-2 to the Pittsburgh Pirates before 40,432 amped-up fans, who watched a Cubs rally fall just short in the ninth inning.

But the math caught up with the Giants Friday night, and the Cubs clinched at least a wild-card spot in the National League. At worst, the Cubs will be the second wild-card team and face the Pirates Oct. 7 in Pittsburgh.

Either way, making the playoffs is a remarkable achievement for a franchise that was deemed at least a year away from making the playoffs as a massive rebuilding project neared fruition. The Cubs left Wrigley Field late Friday afternoon knowing they might make the postseason, but with a noon game scheduled for Saturday, most with the team seemed ready to get a good night's sleep rather than stay up and watch the Giants.

"I'd rather wait 'til tomorrow," said catcher David Ross. "We got a day game tomorrow. These old bones don't get up too early after having a late night of drinks. I may watch the game, but I may go to bed early. We got (a game) at noon tomorrow, so we'll have a little sleep-in Saturday night for Sunday. That's my hope."

Cubs manager Joe Maddon watched his team fall to 89-64. That put the Cubs 4½ games behind the Pirates (94-60) for the top wild-card spot and home-field advantage for the October 7 one-game playoff.

"Great game," Maddon said. "Yeah, we do, we both have something to play for. Great game today. Loved every second of it. Of course, you'd prefer winning it. As baseball goes this time of year, that's pretty fun to watch."

Cubs starting pitcher Jon Lester took on Pirates ace Gerrit Cole, who would likely start the wild-card game. Each pitcher worked 7 innings, with Lester (10-12) giving up 2 runs to Cole's 1 as Cole improved to 18-8. The Pirates went up 1-0 in the third before Addison Russell's forceout tied it in the bottom of the fourth. Pittsburgh pushed across single runs in the seventh and eighth.

The Cubs stranded two runners in the eighth, as Anthony Rizzo struck out. In the ninth, Chris Denorfia led off with a double to right against Pirates closer Mark Melancon (51st save). One out later, Starlin Castro tripled home Denorfia, but Melancon struck out Cubs youngsters Jorge Soler and Javier Baez. It didn't appear the Cubs were overwhelmed by the importance of the game or the atmosphere at the ballpark. Maddon has preached being on an even keel all year long.

"Guys have been on their game," said Lester, a veteran of pennant races from his days with the Red Sox. "Guys have stepped up. I think playing like this all year has helped guys prepare for now.

"I keep going back to the mindset of how these guys prepare every day for their starts or for the game. Every day is the same for them. They prepare the same. They show up ready to play, whether Joe gives them the day off or not. When you're prepared and ready to play, I've always felt like that nervous energy is easier to control or deal with while you're in the game."

Maddon, who has kept his team loose and relaxed -- there was no batting practice again Friday -- said he saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"I was happy with our group today," he said. "I thought that we were ready to play. I felt sameness, which I kind of liked. We had the right guy pitching for us today. The big thing was their pitcher and how do we beat their pitcher. That was the concern. We talked about it before the game. He was all of that. He's that good. We went toe-to-toe. They beat us by a run. Bully for them."

The Pirates will be in the postseason for the third straight year, so the scene surrounding Friday's game was nothing new to most of their players.

"We've played games like this," said manager . "Not like we haven't done it. Played a very good team on the road and got a great start from Cole."

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Daily Herald Maddon says NL Central competition has pushed teams to be their best By Bruce Miles

The has turned into the best division in baseball. As well as the Cubs have played this season, they're third behind the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Pirates won their seventh straight game Friday, beating the Cubs 3-2. The Cardinals entered Friday having won five in a row. Although it's been tough to gain ground, Cubs manager Joe Maddon said he likes the tough competition.

"I love playing in what in what is perceived to be the best division in baseball," Maddon said. "It's about the end of the season. It's about the last game of the season and getting to that particular moment. Sometimes it takes a different route to get there.

"But I really respect what both of the teams have done. I like to believe that we've pushed them a little bit, too, in this particular season. That's kind of cool, also. It's great for baseball. It's great for us. I think it's aided us in getting better quicker."

Bang-bang play:

The Pirates got a key insurance run to go ahead 3-1 in Friday's eighth inning. With one out and runners on first and third, Starling Marte chopped the ball to Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro, went to first base for the sure out instead of throwing home.

Castro had replaced starter Addison Russell, going in as a pinch hitter in the seventh and staying in the game. Russell is the more sure-handed fielder. In he end, Joe Maddon didn't second-guess Castro's decision.

"I thought he might have (a play)," Maddon said. "There was no telling. The only way we would have known was had he thrown the ball to the plate. It would have been bang-bang, at best. It had to be a like a throw right on the money, up and down. I don't know. When the ball was hit, I thought he did. But retrospectively, I'm not sure."

No retaliation:

There were no hard takeout slides by the Pirates. Joe Maddon was asked before the game if he thought any retribution might be coming for the Cubs' Chris Coghlan taking out the Pirates' Jung Ho Kang last week in Pittsburgh. Kang suffered severe leg and knee injuries that required surgery and is estimated to miss 6-8

"I hope not," Maddon said. "It was a good baseball play. There was nothing to cause retribution. So I would hope not. For me, for us, it's a dead issue, and that's it. I think the people involved within the Pirates understand that."

Lester moving up:

Cubs starting pitcher Jon Lester struck out six, giving him 198 for the season. He surpassed 's 195 in 1917 for the second-most in franchise history by a left-handed pitcher. Ken Holtzman holds the Cubs lefty record, with 202 strikeouts in 1970. It was Lester's 15th outing this season allowing 2 or fewer runs in at least 7 innings.

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Daily Herald Rozner: Cubs-Pirates may very well have been playoff preview By Barry Rozner

More than 40,000 people showed up for a party Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field.

The media was in a lather, the players anxious and the manager in a hurry to get it started.

And while it would have been something less than a coronation, it would have nevertheless been a reason for Cubs players and fans to pour cold beverages all over one another.

Problem is, the Pirates didn't get their invitation -- and they poured cold water all over the Cubs' celebration.

"Honestly, we couldn't care less what they're trying to do," said Bucs superstar Andrew McCutchen, when asked if sensed the crowd's anticipation. "We're trying to take care of us. We can't worry about anyone else. We control what we control."

With a cold wind blowing straight in off Lake Michigan, this one had an October feel to it as Pittsburgh took down the Cubs 3-2 and increased their lead in the wild card race to 4½ games.

With only 9 games remaining and barring a Pirates collapse, it's a pretty good bet the Cubs will be in Pittsburgh on Oct. 7 for the wild-card playoff game.

Of course, Pittsburgh has other designs. The Pirates -- winners of seven straight -- are trying to avoid participating in the coin-flip game for the third straight year, and still have their eyes on St. Louis.

"We want to win the division, so we just go play every day," McCutchen said. "We don't care about what anyone else does. We care about this locker room.

"We know the Cubs are a good team. Their record says that. But we worry about us."

They didn't have to worry much early Friday as Bucs starter Gerrit Cole (18-8) allowed just a run on 4 hits in 7 innings, bettering Jon Lester (10-12), who took advantage of the wind and let the Pirates swing away, giving up only 2 runs on 5 hits in 7 innings.

Down 3-1 in the ninth, the Cubs got a run back on a Starlin Castro triple, but stranded a man at third with one out when closer Mark Melancon struck out Jorge Soler and Javy Baez on pitches in the dirt for his 51st save in 53 tries.

"When we get to the seventh, eighth, ninth innings, we know we can put games away," said Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle. "We expect that."

It's a devastating bullpen that could line the Pirates up nicely for a long October run if they can get through that wild-card game, and Cole is certainly the guy Jake Arrieta will face.

Cole is 7-1 against the Cubs and the Pirates have won 8 of his 9 starts against the North Siders. In his last 4 starts, Cole has faced four playoff teams and allowed 7 runs in 27 innings, with the Pirates winning all four.

"He's got a competitive chip that's special, combined with an elite skill set and a desire to be the guy," Hurdle said of Cole. "He has shown the ability in September so we try to map him out for these types of games."

Cole is hot, no doubt, but he's not Arrieta hot. At least, not yet.

"Big outing for him today," Hurdle said. "Great experience for him in a great environment."

It did have a playoff atmosphere, and whether the game's played in Chicago or Pittsburgh, Arrieta vs. Cole threatens be something special.

"Haven't even thought about it. We have games to play yet," Cole said. "But the Cubs are really good. They have a lot of really good hitters with a really good approach and they put good swings on the ball.

"That's a really impressive young team."

But the Cubs were done sneaking up on teams after they turned a St. Louis runaway into an entertaining, three- team race.

"I love playing in what is perceived to be the best division in baseball," said Cubs manager Joe Maddon. "I really respect what both of the other teams have done.

"I like to believe that we've pushed them a little bit in this particular season. That's kind of cool. It's great for baseball. It's great for us. I think it's aided us in getting better quicker."

The Cubs will need the next two to have any shot at chasing down Pittsburgh, and though the Cubs may be the story of the year in baseball, the Pirates don't seem the slightest bit intimidated.

"We'll show up the next couple days and find out," Hurdle said. "Great crowd, great environment and great games."

Playoff baseball is always that way.

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Cubs.com Cubs officially punch ticket to postseason By Carrie Muskat

CHICAGO -- In November, Joe Maddon offered to buy a shot and a beer at his introductory news conference as the new Cubs manager. Late Friday night, Cubs fans were toasting Maddon and his young squad, which is headed to the postseason for the first time since 2008.

Chicago lost to Pittsburgh, 4-3, on Friday, but they still clinched a postseason berth because the Giants lost, 5-4, to the Athletics in Oakland, the game ending about midnight CT. The Cubs trail the Pirates by 4 1/2 games and the Cardinals by 7 1/2. If the season ended today, Chicago would travel to Pittsburgh to face the Bucs in the National League Wild Card Game presented by Budweiser on Oct. 7.

Clinched! Your 2015 Chicago Cubs are heading to the postseason! #FlyTheW pic..com/Q24R9ZrVuB — Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) September 26, 2015

"It's not, in my mind," Chicago catcher David Ross said Friday. "That's my personal opinion. We play good at their place. We've played pretty strong in Pittsburgh."

If the Cubs and Pirates were to end the regular season tied, Chicago would host the NL Wild Card Game because they have already secured the edge in the season series. Who knows what will happen in the final nine games?

It's been a season of Maddon-fueled surprises for the Cubs, beginning in when a deejay livened up the morning stretch in Mesa, Ariz., and continuing with appearances by a magician in New York, team-mandated pajamas on a flight back from Los Angeles and appearances by a penguin and a cheetah on back-to-back days at Wrigley Field this week.

The Cubs' hot streak began after they were humbled by the Phillies, who posted a three-game sweep July 24-26 at Wrigley Field. Since July 27, Chicago has gone 38-18, recording the most wins in the Major Leagues in that stretch. Most of the Cubs said they would probably be sleeping rather than watch the Giants-Athletics game, but they were watching. Dexter Fowler posted on Twitter: "I've never been happier for the @Athletics! #playoffbound"

I've never been happier for the @Athletics! #playoffbound — Dexter Fowler (@DexterFowler) September 26, 2015

This is the first time the Cubs have gotten to the postseason as a Wild Card team since 1989. How'd they do it? Give the kids credit. Kris Bryant has set a franchise record for most home runs (26) and RBIs (98) by a rookie. Kyle Schwarber, just a year after he was the team's first-round pick, ranks among the NL leaders in home runs in the second half. The Cubs' rookie contingent has combined to hit 66 home runs, the highest total in franchise history.

This was Maddon's first season in the NL, and he ignored conventional ways and opted to bat the pitcher eighth. Batting practice, which Maddon says is "archaic," was optional late in the season, and for one week, players were encouraged to show up late to the ballpark.

It's official. Playoffs. Now we go. — Jake Arrieta (@JArrieta34) September 26, 2015

The Cubs have nine players with at least 10 home runs and 40 RBIs, a franchise mark and something that hasn't been done by a NL team since the 2005 Reds. Anthony Rizzo, still a kid at 26, has set career highs in RBIs (95) and posted his second straight 30-homer season. Jake Arrieta leads the Major Leagues with 20 wins, including a no- hitter against the Dodgers on Aug. 30.

The turning point might have been Aug. 7, when Maddon benched Starlin Castro and moved rookie Addison Russell from second to shortstop. The change was motivated because the Cubs wanted to keep Schwarber's bat in the lineup, catcher was back from the disabled list and Castro was batting .236. A three-time All- Star, Castro accepted a move to second and rebounded with a stellar .429 September.

How rare is it for a young team to win? The Cubs have had six players 25 or younger get at least 200 plate appearances. According to ESPN's Jayson Stark, of the last 20 teams to do that in the Wild Card era, two have had winning records: The 2005 Braves and the 2007 Diamondbacks. The other 18 teams averaged 95 losses.

If there's been any pressure, the Cubs' kids haven't shown it.

"It's really impressive that they're unfazed by the length of the season, the fact that they're in a pennant race, the natural ups and downs that come," Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said. "We're relying on numerous rookies and young players, and they're just finding a way to contribute, finding a way to improve through the course of the season, which is not easy to do.

This is what you work all offseason, spring training and season for. #PostseasonBaseball here we come!!! #GoCubsGo — (@JMotte30) September 26, 2015

"I think that's who we are, that's why we are where we are," Epstein said. "I think that's the kind of people they are. They deserve a ton of credit for it."

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Cubs.com Young Cubs sample postseason environment By Carrie Muskat

CHICAGO -- It wasn't the outcome they wanted, but the Cubs still clinched their first postseason berth since 2008 after the Giants lost to the A's late Friday night in Oakland.

David Ross knows what it's like to play in the postseason. His young Cubs teammates do not, and on Friday, they got a little taste of what it might be like.

"That's a special moment that you get to be a part of as a baseball player when you've got 40,000, 50,000 people on their feet cheering for your team," Ross said after the Cubs' 3-2 loss to the Pirates on Friday. "It was a great atmosphere."

Chicago had the game-tying run at third with one out in the ninth against Pittsburgh closer Mark Melancon, who struck out Jorge Soler and Javier Baez to end the game.

"You look at our team in general with a runner on third and less than two outs; we're not really good," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "Just try to get the run in. It doesn't have to be over the fence. There may have to be an adjustment. I say, 'Move the ball, move the ball.' We have to get better at moving the ball." It's all part of the learning process.

"The plays that Addison Russell is making defensively are amazing," Ross said of the rookie shortstop. "You look across the board and guys are having great at-bats. It seems like we're in every inning with a chance to score, and that's a really good guy they have pitching on the other side."

The Pirates started Gerrit Cole, who will most likely face the Cubs in the National League Wild Card Game presented by Budweiser on Oct. 7. Chicago's Jon Lester, who took the loss Friday, believes the kids are ready.

"I don't think there's much more to learn until you get to the battle," Lester said. "We can talk about playoff atmosphere and playoff intensity and all that stuff, but until you're actually there, it's something you can't really describe and explain to guys. We all know what's in front of us, and [the Pirates] will probably be our opponent. I think guys have been learning all year."

Ross, the elder statesmen at 38, sees it, too.

"They keep learning, they keep answering the bell when the fight's brought to them," Ross said. "They do a really good job of that. They're poised. For such a young group and the character that they feature, it's fun to watch on a daily basis how they keep growing."

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Cubs.com Lester outdueled in showdown with Bucs' Cole By Carrie Muskat and Tom Singer

CHICAGO -- Gerrit Cole gave the Cubs something to think about regarding a potential rematch in the National League Wild Card Game presented by Budweiser.

Cole struck out eight over seven innings and Michael Morse hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh inning to lift the Pirates to a 3-2 victory over the Cubs in front of 40,432 at Wrigley Field.

"It's put up or shut up time," said Cole, who improved his career record in September to 11-2. "Now's the time to get the job done. I worked really hard in the offseason to prepare for the season and you look up, it's suddenly September."

Said Cubs manager Joe Maddon: "We both have something to play for. As baseball goes this time of year, that was pretty fun to watch."

The Cubs' couldn't reduce their magic number of one, but their postseason spot was secured late Friday night when the Giants lost to the Athletics. The Pirates had already secured a spot, but with every win, they inch closer to capturing home-field advantage on Oct. 7 in a potential Wild Card matchup, which Cole is expected to start -- if they don't overcome the three-game lead the Cardinals hold in the NL Central. They lead the Cubs by 4 1/2 games for the top NL Wild Card spot.

"His fastball played big time and he used his pitches very professionally," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said of Cole. "He was very aggressive on the mound and gave us the innings we needed to get us to the two guys who've been so good for us all year long."

Setup man Tony Watson worked a scoreless eighth and closer Mark Melancon allowed a ninth-inning run on Starlin Castro's one-out triple before nailing down his 51st save.

"There's nobody better to have on the mound than Melancon with a man on third and one out," Hurdle said.

Despite the loss, the Cubs lead the season series against the Pirates, 10-7. If the two teams were to finish tied for the top Wild Card spot, the Cubs would own the tiebreaker and host the game at Wrigley Field. Will they watch the Giants game?

"We have a noon game [Saturday]," Maddon said. "Probably when I have to go to the bathroom at night, I'll check [the score]."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Fanning a rally: A leadoff turned into a big eighth-inning insurance run for the Pirates. Jordy Mercer fanned against reliever Pedro Strop, but the pitch got away from catcher Miguel Montero. Mercer reached on the wild pitch, moved to third on Pedro Alvarez's pinch-hit single and scored on Starling Marte's one-out grounder to short.

"At that point of the game, any run is big, especially on the road. You never know what you need," said Mercer, who scored what turned out to be the winner after Melancon, who had retired 26 men entering this game, allowed the ninth-inning run. "Nobody's perfect forever. But after he gave up that run, Mark got real tough, real nasty."

Start me up: Jon Lester posted his 20th quality start of the season, but he lost his second in a row at a time when the Cubs needed him to deliver. Maddon already has indicated Jake Arrieta would start the Wild Card Game. Lester also was unable to come through at the plate in the second, when he struck out to strand two.

Staring down trouble: Cole faced a big challenge in the sixth inning of a 1-1 game, and he was up for it. After Kyle Schwarber led off with a single, the count ran to 3-0 on Kris Bryant -- but Cole rebounded to fan him on a 96-mph fastball, then quietly retired the side on a fly ball and groundout.

"I went at [Bryant] at first hoping to get a double play, then climbed back in the count, then it was put-away time," Cole said.

Situational hitting: The Cubs did score against Melancon with one out in the ninth, but they stranded pinch-runner at third. The Pirates closer struck out youngsters Jorge Soler and Javier Baez to end the game.

"You look at our team in general with runner on third and less than two outs, we're not really good," Maddon said. "Just try to get the run in. It doesn't have to be over the fence. There may have to be an adjustment. I say, 'Move the ball, move the ball.' We have to get better at moving the ball."

QUOTABLE

"He's got a competitive chip on his shoulder. And an elite skill set. Then add the fact he has a desire to be 'the guy.'" -- Hurdle, on some of the ingredients of Cole's 11-2 record in September

"The more reps you get against anybody, hopefully the more comfortable anybody gets. He's a great starter and he has good stuff, and he had good stuff today. If it does come down to him, we're going to have to bring our 'A' game for sure." -- Chicago's Chris Denorfia, on whether it helps to face Cole prior to possible rematch on Oct. 7

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

Cole's sixth-inning strikeout of Bryant, his eighth of the game, was his 200th of the season, making him only the second right-hander (A.J. Burnett) and fourth pitcher (Bob Veale, Oliver Perez) in Pirates history to reach that total. Lester struck out six, and he is now four strikeouts shy of tying Ken Holtzman's mark of 202 for the Cubs' single- season record for most K's by a left-handed pitcher, set in 1970.

Watson and Melancon closed out a game by working the eighth and ninth innings, respectively, for the 40th time this season; the Pirates improved to 37-3 in those games.

The Bucs also improved their MLB-best record in one-run games to 36-17, but this was only their third win in 11 one-run games on the road against NL Central teams.

REPLAY REVIEW

Pinch-hitter Baez bunted down the first-base line to lead off the Chicago eighth, and he was called safe at first. The Pirates challenged the call, and after a review, the call was overturned.

WHAT'S NEXT

Pirates: Francisco Liriano makes his first Wrigley Field start of the season in Saturday's 1:05 p.m. ET middle game of the series. Since joining the Pirates for the 2013 season, the lefty is 4-1 with a 2.17 ERA in nine starts against the Cubs, with 68 punchouts in 54 innings.

Cubs: Jason Hammel gets the start at Wrigley Field. Hammel is coming off a win over the Brewers in which he gave up three earned runs over five innings. The right-hander is 1-1 with a 3.78 ERA in three starts against the Pirates this season. First pitch is scheduled for 12:05 p.m. CT.

Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV.

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Cubs.com Maddon 'really believed' postseason prediction By Carrie Muskat

CHICAGO -- When Joe Maddon was hired last November, he talked about getting the Cubs to the postseason, which seemed premature at the time.

"I would say that every year anyways," Maddon said before Friday's 3-2 loss to the Pirates. "Sitting over there [at his introductory news conference], I think you guys know me by now to know I really believed it. I don't understand how you approach a season any other way."

And Maddon's vow was finally realized -- despite the Cubs losing on Friday afternoon -- after the Giants fell to the A's, helping Chicago clinch its first postseason berth since 2008.

"There are so many wonderful items already in place here that I was fortunate to lock in on -- the leadership at the top, players on the field, what's going on in the Minor League system," Maddon said. "I was fortunate. The eventual signing of Jonny Lester and the ascension of [Jake] Arrieta this year make it all more possible. I did believe it when I said it."

The Cubs have had a tough assignment, as the three teams with the best records this season are all in the National League Central.

"I love playing in what is perceived to be the best division in baseball," Maddon said. "It's about the end of the season and the last game of the season, and getting to that particular moment. Sometimes it takes a different route to get there.

"I really respect what both [the Cardinals and Pirates] have done. I like to believe we've pushed them a little bit, too, in this particular season. ... I think it's aided us in getting better quicker."

• Maddon did not expect any retaliation in the Cubs' and Pirates' first meeting since shortstop Jung Ho Kang sustained a season-ending knee injury after a collision at second with Chicago's Chris Coghlan on Sept. 17.

"I would hope not," Maddon said. "It was a good baseball play. There was nothing to cause retribution at all. I would hope not. For me, for us, it's a dead issue and that's it. I think the people involved within the Pirates, they understand that. Others that may want to fan the flames are just fanning flames, and they really don't know what they're talking about."

After the game at PNC Park, Maddon said he'd heard that Kang had plantar fasciitis, not a serious knee injury. The Cubs manager said that's what they were told in-game.

• Dan Haren, who was skipped in the rotation because of off-days, will start Tuesday in Cincinnati as the Cubs open their final regular-season road trip. Haren last pitched Sept. 18 against the Cardinals and gave up three runs over 4 1/3 innings, and he did not get a decision. The right-hander has said he will retire after this season, and if he stays in the rotation, he would make one final start on Oct. 4 against the Brewers.

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Cubs.com Hammel takes hill for postseason-bound Cubs By Tom Singer

All of Wrigley Field -- the Cubs and more than 40,000 of their closest friends -- were hoping for a celebration on Friday, but the Pirates wouldn't let the party happen so soon with their 3-2 victory. But many hours later, the Cubs clinched their first postseason berth since 2008 after the Giants fell to the A's.

Now that they've clinched, the Cubs turn their focus to chasing home-field advantage in the Oct. 7 NL Wild Card Game presented by Budweiser. The Pirates have a 4 1/2-game lead over the Cubs, and it will be up to Chicago starter Jason Hammel to keep that goal within reach. Hammel will be opposed by left-hander Francisco Liriano, whose last 15 starts have yielded 14 Bucs wins.

In all likelihood, the Cubs and the Pirates are just jockeying to see which team will get to host an NL Wild Card Game for which they are both destined. The competition between the two original NL franchises is only heightened by the fact both are winning teams in the same season for the first time since 1972 -- when was in right field for Pittsburgh, and was at third base for Chicago.

Three things to know about this game

• Mark Melancon could be on the mound looking for his 52nd save, which would tie Eric Gagne (2002) for the fifth- highest NL total since saves became an official statistic in 1969.

• The Cubs will be out to avoid a third consecutive home loss for the first time since July 24-26.

• Despite going hitless in Friday's game, a run-scoring grounder extended Starling Marte's RBI streak to six games, a career high.

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Cubs.com Bryant, Russell, Schwarber in top 10 of rookie rankings By Jim Callis

It has been a special year for prospects graduating to the Major Leagues. The top five prospects in baseball entering the season all made the jump: Byron Buxton, Kris Bryant, Carlos Correa, and Addison Russell. So did four of the top 10 picks in the 2014 Draft: Carlos Rodon, Kyle Schwarber, Aaron Nola and .

Joc Pederson, Miguel Sano and didn't fit into either of those categories, but they're elite prospects in their own right. And there also have been several notable rookie performances by players who received little or no hype in the Minor Leagues, starting with and Odubel Herrera.

The 1982 rookie crop included four Hall of Famers (, , Cal Ripken Jr. and ), setting a standard unmatched in the last 50 years. While it's far too early to start enshrining any members of the Class of '15, several of them have the potential to wind up in Cooperstown two decades from now.

Rather than debate which rookies have had the best 2015 seasons, we're going to forecast which will be the most valuable over the course of their careers. Our top two choices may very well win league Rookie of the Year awards, but current-year performance is only a minor factor. Players who debuted this year but won't lose their rookie/prospect status, such as and Steven Matz, weren't considered.

1. Carlos Correa, SS, Astros

While he seemed destined for greatness, becoming arguably the best shortstop in baseball at age 20 wasn't expected. Correa is an even better hitter and defender than scouts believed he was when Houston drafted him No. 1 overall in 2012, and he's just beginning to tap into his prodigious raw power.

2. Kris Bryant, 3B, Cubs

The best rookie power hitter in the Cubs' 140-season history, he can effortlessly drive the ball out of any park to any field. It will be fun watching Bryant and fellow Las Vegas native battle for NL home run supremacy in the next few years.

3. Byron Buxton, OF, Twins

He doesn't have the glittery stats of the other players on this Top 10, but none of them can match his pure tools. Once Buxton stays healthy, his well-above average hitting ability, speed and center-field prowess and plus power should make him a star. (Note: Buxton has yet to exceed the rookie/prospect limit of 130 big league at-bats but is on pace to do so by season's end.)

4. Franciso Lindor, SS, Indians

While he was coming up through the Minors, his glove consistently overshadowed his bat. Lindor not only has had a huge impact on Cleveland's defense but also has driven the ball for more power than he had shown previously. He's the most valuable defender on this list.

5. Addison Russell, SS, Cubs

He doesn't have Correa's pop or Lindor's Gold Glove ability, but Russell is a better defender than Correa and has more offensive upside than Lindor. He arrived in Wrigley Field sooner than expected, so he hasn't been nearly as consistent at the plate as he will be.

6. Miguel Sano, 3B, Twins

Despite missing all of 2014 recovering from Tommy John surgery and never playing above Double-A, he is tied for the tenth-best OPS (.955) in baseball since Minnesota called him up on July 2. Sano would rank higher if he had defensive value, but he'll wind up at first base or DH.

7. Noah Syndergaard, RHP, Mets

At age 22, Matt Harvey was getting roughed up in Double-A and Jacob deGrom was having Tommy John surgery after pitching in Rookie ball. By contrast, Syndergaard has averaged more than a strikeout per inning while pitching New York to an unexpected division title.

8. , OF, Dodgers

While he's hitting just .214, he has provided Los Angeles with 25 homers, 87 walks and a significant defensive upgrade in center field. Pederson batted .302 in the Minors and will bring that average up in the Majors -- along with his other numbers as well.

9. Carlos Rodon, LHP, White Sox

Stunned to find him available with the No. 3 overall choice in the 2014 Draft, Chicago promoted him to the big leagues in late April and its rotation two weeks later. Rodon continues to devastate hitters with his slider just like he had in college and in the Minors, and he'll become an ace if he can refine his command.

10. Kyle Schwarber, OF/C, Cubs

Selected one pick after Rodon, Schwarber was the best college hitter available in the 2014 Draft. He also was considered somewhat of a signability choice at No. 4, but not any longer after he batted .333/.429/.613 in the Minors and slammed 16 homers in his first 61 big league games. Though he won't stick at catcher and will be limited to left field or first base, he'll hit enough to be a star.

The Next 15

11. Blake Swihart, C, Red Sox 12. , RHP, Yankees 13. Lance McCullers, RHP, Astros 14. Eduardo Rodriguez, LHP, Red Sox 15. Jorge Soler, OF, Cubs 16. Michael Conforto, OF, Mets 17. Aaron Nola, RHP, Phillies 18. , RHP, Nationals 19. Daniel Norris, LHP, Tigers 20. Maikel Franco, 3B, Phillies 21. Greg Bird, 1B, Yankees 22. Andrew Heaney, LHP, Angels 23. Raisel Iglesias, RHP, Reds 24. Ketel Marte, SS, Mariners 25. Stephen Piscotty, OF/1B, Cardinals

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ESPNChicago.com Arrieta, Rizzo and Rookies lead Cubs to playoff berth By ESPN Stats and Information

The Chicago Cubs are back in the postseason for the first time since 2008 and looking for their first postseason win since 2003.

Before we look ahead, let's look back at the keys to the Cubs' impressive season, one that ended a streak of six consecutive losing campaigns for the North Siders.

Rookie contributions

The Cubs have been led by All-Star first baseman Anthony Rizzo, who became just the second left-handed hitter in team history to post multiple 30-home run seasons (, 5x). Though Rizzo leads the way, the Cubs have gotten major contributions from rookies this season, often putting four in the starting lineup.

The Cubs lead the major leagues in hits, runs, home runs and RBIs from rookies this season, with over 100 more RBIs from rookies than any other team.

In particular, they are led by rookie of the year candidate Kris Bryant, who set the Cubs franchise record for rookies in both home runs (26) and RBIs (98) and still has nine games left to play.

Arrieta emerges as Cy Young candidate

Jake Arrieta became the majors' first 20-game winner this season, the fourth Cub to do so, and the first 20-game winner for the Cubs since in 2001. He is the third Cubs pitcher since 1900 to have 20 wins and 200 strikeouts in a season ( 1967-71, 1909).

He has been incredible as of late; Arrieta's 0.86 ERA since the All-Star break is on pace to be the lowest in major league history (min. 12 starts).

A good sign for the Cubs' postseason hopes is that Arrieta has been so good against playoff-caliber teams. Against teams currently .500 or better, Arrieta is 11-2 with a 1.32 ERA this season. That’s the fifth-lowest such ERA in the past 100 years and the lowest since in 1968 (1.25).

Circle these games

The Cubs had a knack for walk-off wins all season, and their much-hyped rookie hit a big, walk-off home run. On July 29, the Cubs blew a 7-4 ninth-inning lead and trailed the Rockies 8-7 with two outs and a man on base in the bottom of the ninth. Kris Bryant won the game with a walk-off home run against .

A week earlier on July 21, another rookie, Kyle Schwarber, hit a game-tying, two-run home run in the ninth inning and then followed it up with a game-winning solo shot in the 13th to give the Cubs yet another come-from-behind- win.

Jake Arrieta defined big performances for the team, setting the tone for his 2015 with seven scoreless innings in the team’s second game of the season, against the Cardinals on April 8.

The hallmark of his season was a no-hitter against the Dodgers on on Aug. 30 in which he struck out 12 and walked only one.

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ESPNChicago.com Cubs clinch postseason berth for first time since 2008 By Jesse Roger

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs are back in the playoffs.

Three hundred and twenty-six days after manager Joe Maddon talked postseason baseball in his opening press conference, he was proven right late Friday night when the San Francisco Giants lost to the Oakland Athletics, helping the Cubs clinch a postseason berth for the first time since 2008.

"I would say it any year anyway," Maddon joked Friday morning. "I really believed it."

The Cubs couldn't clinch on the field earlier, losing 3-2 to the Pittsburgh Pirates. But the Athletics took care of business, extending the Cubs' lead to 10 games in the wild-card race with nine to play. Bolstered by a 42-24 second-half run, Maddon's team came together months after making an offseason splash when they signed Maddon and free-agent pitcher Jon Lester.

"The eventual signing of Lester and ascension of [Jake] Arrieta this year made it possible," Maddon said. "But I did believe it when I said it ... His [Lester's] particular signing indicated to us and to the fan base this is definitely possible. You need that kind of presence."

Meanwhile, Arrieta is a Cy Young Award candidate and 23-year old Kris Bryant is a shoo-in for Rookie of the Year. He led a strong class of first-year Cubs players that included the slick-fielding Addison Russell and outfielder Kyle Schwarber, who arrived in the majors at the exact time the team took off. Maddon knew the talent his new organization possessed and brought out the best in them in a fantastic march to the postseason.

"There were so many wonderful items already in place here," Maddon declared.

While the manager and players get credit for an incredible season to this point, the front office saw its long-term plan come to fruition this year after five straight fifth-place finishes. Rebuilding works if the young players acquired and drafted are good. There's little doubt now that Theo Epstein and his people brought a huge haul of youthful talent into the organization, and those players have given the city a playoff team.

The Cubs haven't won a postseason contest since before Steve Bartman touched that ball in 2003. Under the current wild-card format, they'll have one game to prove they belong with the final eight teams vying for the World Series. In this improbable year which should end with more than 90 victories, the Cubs have as good a chance as anyone of moving on through the National League playoffs.

Could a Cubs fan have asked for anything more?

Meanwhile, Cubs players couldn't wait to share their excitement: (see article for tweets)

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ESPNChicago.com Even as Cubs waited to uncork celebration, playoff specter of Gerrit Cole loomed large By Jon Greenberg

CHICAGO -- The wait was ... almost over.

The Chicago Cubs almost clinched a playoff spot Friday afternoon, before losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2.

They almost tied the game during a raucous ninth inning, before two rookies struck out on Mark Melancon , stranding the tying run on third.

So close, so close. The Cubs were so close to getting to the playoffs that, after the loss to the Pirates, players were asked if they would celebrate Friday night if the San Francisco Giants lost to the Oakland Athletics -- which the Giants indeed did, to send the Cubs to the playoffs for the first time since 2008 -- and the Cubs backed into a clinch. Everyone said no, because of a noon start Saturday, but Saturday afternoon through the wee hours Sunday is a different story.

“We’re going to celebrate,” outfielder Chris Coghlan said. “We’re not a team that misses out on a celebration.”

Now that the Cubs have clinched at least a wild-card berth, everyone -- from president Theo Epstein to long- suffering fans in bar rooms and their living rooms -- should celebrate the franchise's official return to the postseason accordingly. Pop some bubbly, find an old case of Special Export Light, buy a Schwarber shirsey. Do your thing.

Because everyone should party for the playoffs. It’s been a while.

The hangover is what awaits them in the postseason: a one-game playoff in Pittsburgh with Gerrit Cole on the mound.

And the anticipation and pressure builds in Chicago, where a winning Cubs team brings up religion, mysticism, psychology, history and a careful study of batting average with runners at third and fewer than two out.

For all the buildup -- the press box was jammed Friday, TV folks crowded the dining room, national reporters have been filtering in and out for weeks -- there could be a very quick conclusion to the postseason.

As we've known for some time, facing Cole -- who will almost assuredly face the Cubs in that one-game, winner- takes-all scenario -- is the prize for having the third-best record in the National League. And as we saw Friday, beating Cole isn’t going to be easy.

The 6-foot-4 right-hander averaged 97.6 mph on his 84 four-seam fastballs Friday, according to Brooks Baseball. Cole got 16 “whiffs,” according to the site, with that pitch.

“He’s got plus stuff,” said Coghlan, who walked, struck out and grounded out against the 25-year-old. “Anytime you face an ace, you know that, with that kind of stuff it’s going to be a grind, and when he misses his pitches, you’ve got to capitalize on them.”

In four starts against the Cubs, Cole has a 2.13 ERA (six earned runs, eight total, in 25⅓ innings). He’s struck out 32, given up just one extra-base hit, and walked four, half of which came Friday. One extra-base hit! (It was a Tommy La Stella double Sept. 15.)

“I think anytime you face him, the more you face him, as a hitter, the more I face a pitcher, the better I feel,” Coghlan said. “Just because of how they’re going to attack. He attacked differently today, for me, than he did the first time. It’s just a game of adjustments.”

It’s not as if the Cubs can’t scratch a few runs against Cole. They had six hits and scored three earned runs, four total, against Cole the previous time they faced him, Sept. 15 in Pittsburgh. Cole left after 6⅓ innings and got a no- decision in a 5-4 Pirates victory.

In fact, Friday marked the only time this season Cole has gotten through seven innings against the Cubs.

The good news for the Cubs is the Pirates didn’t have to face their ace, Jake Arrieta, who has a chance to build on his Cy Young candidacy with a Sunday Night Baseball start. The Cubs’ $155 million man, Jon Lester, was very good Friday opposite Cole, but Arrieta is a shutout waiting to happen.

So while we didn’t get the full postseason preview Friday, we got a teaser with a taut game full of playoff moves by the managers, small mistakes and timely hits that paid big dividends.

“Great game,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. “We both have something to play for, that was a great game today. Loved every second of it, obviously prefer winning it. As baseball goes this time of year, that was pretty fun to watch.”

In the third, Lester gave up a double to Jordy Mercer and a single to Cole. In the seventh, he gave up a double to Aramis Ramirez and a run-scoring single to Michael Morse. Pedro Strop gave up another run in the eighth.

The Cubs nearly came back in the ninth, with the end result Jorge Soler and Javier Baez striking out with pinch runner Quintin Berry 90 feet from tying the game. But close won't cut it in a one-game playoff.

The Cubs are dead last in the National League in batting average with a runner at third and fewer than two out, hitting .236. More important, they are tied for next-to-last with 154 RBIs in that situation and next-to-last with 162 runs scored. It’s an issue.

“With a runner at third and less than two outs, we’ve got to move the baseball,” Maddon said. “That’s been a big problem for us.”

So 90 feet away from a tie is no reason to celebrate, but while this was a preview for observers, the Cubs, old and young, can’t prepare for the postseason, at least according to one grizzled playoff veteran.

“We can talk about playoff atmosphere and playoff intensity and all that stuff, but until you’re actually there, it’s something you can’t really describe or explain to guys,” Lester said. “We all know what’s in front of us, and this is probably going to be our opponent.”

Cole wasn’t about to give any juicy preview quotes.

“Nothing about the playoff,” he told reporters.

The Pirates are now up 4½ on the Cubs for home field in the wild-card game but are still trying to catch St. Louis for the division. They trail by 3 entering play Saturday, and they host the Cardinals next week.

Here's what I learned Friday: The feeling of inevitability, whether you’re an eternal optimist or a hardened cynic, has returned to Wrigley Field. Some only see the impossible becoming possible, while others envision a clear future.

No one does October anticipation like the Cubs, and that’s actually a good thing. That feeling of something wonderful coming around the corner is why this whole business exists.

But in this specific situation, there is the lyrical narrative of “This is the Year!” and there is reality.

It's a Cole World and the Cubs are just living in it.

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ESPNChicago.com Cubs to celebrate late on Friday? Don't count on it By Jesse Rogers

CHICAGO -- All right, the party has to wait at least a day. Or maybe it’ll start up late on Friday night as the Cubs can back into the playoffs before taking the field again despite losing 3-2 to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday afternoon.

If the San Francisco Giants lose to the Oakland Athletics in a game that starts at 9:05 pm CT, then the Cubs are back in the postseason for the first time since 2008. Surely the team will be watching every pitch of that game.

“Yeah, no chance,” pitcher Jon Lester said. “We’ll show up tomorrow and hopefully celebrate tomorrow and have a good time.”

OK, but manager Joe Maddon will find out before tomorrow -- though it might be after he goes to bed.

“Probably when I have to go to the bathroom,” Maddon joked.

He suspected some players would stay up, but the Cubs will celebrate on Saturday one way or another -- if they get in.

“I’d rather wait until tomorrow,” catcher David Ross said. “These old bones don’t get up too early after a late night of drinks.”

Maddon had a thought about how to celebrate on Friday if the Giants lose while still getting proper rest for a 12 pm CT first pitch on Saturday.

“Like via text,” he said.

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ESPNChicago.com Cubs come up short in potential wild-card preview By Jesse Rogers

CHICAGO -- Considering it felt like a playoff game, let's analyze the Chicago Cubs' 3-2 loss Friday to the Pittsburgh Pirates as if it were one. It could very well play out in a similar manner come Oct. 7, when these teams will likely face each other in a wild-card affair. It's looking more and more likely that game will be played in Pittsburgh.

The Cubs had their chances but didn't execute in several key moments against a team that is playing its eighth straight road game after coming to town Thursday night from Colorado. The Pirates were the sharper team by one run -- and it made the difference.

Key moment No. 1: Even though it came in the third inning, Pirates pitcher Gerrit Cole had a key RBI single off of Jon Lester, scoring the game's first run. Considering the final margin of victory, it was a big play.

"We had a game plan," Lester said. "Tried to execute a pitch. Probably could have been inside more."

Cole hit a 94 mph fastball for a base hit up the middle, so Joe Maddon's pregame compliments of the Pirates pitcher rang true.

"I didn't know what a great athlete he was," Maddon said. "That part concerns you even more. You watch him swing a bat, you watch him field his position. He's a very good athlete."

File that for Oct. 7. Cole can handle himself on the mound, at the plate and on the basepaths. Lester didn't beat himself up too much about that hit, though.

"Sometimes you have to tip your hat," he said.

Key moment No. 2: With the Pirates leading 2-1, Pedro Strop took over for Lester in the eighth inning and promptly allowed leadoff man Jordy Mercer to reach on a dropped third strike ruled a wild pitch. It was Strop's sixth wild pitch this season, and Mercer would prove to be the eventual winning run. Catcher Miguel Montero had just entered the game as well. He's had a few high-leverage wild pitch/passed ball type plays in key moments this year.

According to Baseball Info Solutions, Montero ranks 32nd out of 63 catchers in blocking low pitches. His 32 "wild pitch misplays" rank 16th. According to Fangraphs, Montero has minus-2 defensive runs saved, ranking him 37th of 54 catchers with at least 300 innings caught.

In other words, Montero is average at most of these defensive statistics, which corresponds with the eye test. He could be better at some of those finer points behind the plate, but there are worse defensive catchers in the game. However, it could be a factor in a tight game.

Key moment No. 3: With Mercer on third later in the inning and one out, Maddon had his infield in to cut off the insurance run as the Cubs still trailed 2-1. Mercer took off for home on a chopper to short. Starlin Castro decided to go to first after seemingly bobbling the ball. Did he have a play at home?

"I thought he might have," Maddon said. "The only way to know is if he threw the ball to the plate. It would have been bang-bang."

Without a bobble, Castro has to come home as the risk is worth the reward. The Cubs didn't need another run to chase in a low-scoring game, but if he bobbled it then first base was the right move. Of course, some will argue Maddon had his third-best defensive shortstop playing in a one-run game. It's a play you could envision Javier Baez making -- he made a tougher one at home just recently. Either way, it was a key run.

Key moment No. 4: The Cubs cut the lead to one, 3-2, after a Chris Denorfia double and Castro triple in the ninth off of closer Mark Melancon. In the biggest moments of their career to date -- with the 40,432 in attendance on their feet -- Jorge Soler and Baez had a chance to tie the score. With one out, Soler needed to make contact.

"Doesn't have to be over the fence," Maddon said. "Just move the ball and force the defense to play. Get the high chopper like they did, for example."

Soler struck out on five pitches, the last one a nasty curve that hit the dirt in front of the plate. The Cubs' .236 batting average with men on third base and fewer than two outs ranks last in the National League. They also rank first in strikeouts in those situations by a wide margin. Baez followed Soler with a strikeout as well.

"Runner on third, less than two outs," Maddon said. "We have to move the baseball right there. That's been a problem for us."

Though they lost, maybe the Cubs learned a few things about playing playoff-type baseball. The game could easily have cost them home-field advantage in the wild-card game as they trail the Pirates by 4.5 now. But maybe the needed experience trumps the meaning in the standings.

"That's what it's supposed to look like at this time of the year," Maddon said. "They beat us by a run. Bully for them."

In October, it will mean the difference between moving on or going home for the winter.

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ESPNChicago.com Rapid Reaction: Pirates 3, Cubs 2 By Jesse Rogers

CHICAGO -- The Cubs lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2 on Friday afternoon. Here’s a quick look at the game.

How it happened: The Pirates pulled ahead 2-1 on a Mike Morse single in the seventh off of Jon Lester after former Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez doubled to open the inning. Gerrit Cole drove in the first run of the game with a third-inning single before the Cubs tied it in the fourth on a fielder’s choice by Addison Russell after Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo both singled to start that inning. The Pirates added what turned out to be an important insurance run in the eighth on an RBI groundout by Starling Marte. The Cubs scored one in the ninth when Starlin Castro hit an RBI triple after a pinch-hit double by Chris Denorfia, but the potential tying run was stranded on third when Jorge Soler and Javier Baez struck out to end the game. The Cubs had a chance in the eighth as well, but Rizzo struck out with the tying runs on base. Lester went seven innings, giving up five hits without walking anyone, and suffered his 12th loss.

What it means: The champagne is on hold for at least a few hours as the Cubs failed to clinch a wild-card berth, falling behind Pittsburgh by 4½ games. They could still celebrate later Friday if the Oakland Athletics beat the San Francisco Giants; otherwise they’ll have another chance to do it on the field on Saturday. Lester wasn’t the problem, though a better pitch to Cole in the third inning might have helped him.

The Cubs couldn’t manage much off of Cole, who went seven innings and gave up four hits. But the game could have gone either way -- which is the feeling you'll likely get when these teams meet in the wild-card game on Oct. 7. The Pirates have won seven in a row, all on the road.

Pitching rotation: Before the game, Joe Maddon announced that would pitch on Monday against the Kansas City Royals and Dan Haren would return to the rotation on Tuesday in Cincinnati. He was skipped in the previous turn.

What’s next: Game 2 of the series takes place Saturday afternoon, when Jason Hammel (9-6, 3.79) takes on Francisco Liriano (11-7, 3.41).

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ESPNChicago.com An inside perspective on the Cubs-Pirates series By Jon Greenberg

CHICAGO -- , a 58-year-old coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates, looks the epitome of the baseball lifer, standing with a bat in his hand outside the team’s visiting on-deck circle.

He had just finished pitching batting practice to the second-best team in baseball as they prepared to play the third-best, his hometown Chicago Cubs, in a preview of the National League wild-card game Oct. 7. The home field in the game is still up for grabs, so this series carries extra importance.

I wanted to know what his father, the late, great Bill Jauss, a longtime sportswriter for the Chicago Tribune and panelist on "The Sports Writers on TV," would say about the Cubs and Pirates being in this situation. Bill Jauss, who passed away almost three years ago, was a true Chicago original and a beloved media personality.

“I hate to put words in his mouth because there’s nobody who could put words in his mouth, because he was one of the best speakers, let alone writers, that I know,” Jauss said. “Its people and the city, that’s what he would be talking about. It’s neat that Pittsburgh’s here, but just for Chicago to get back to where they’re a city and team of prominence, he’d be talking to every Andy Frain (usher), I don’t think they call them Andy Frain anymore, every concession guy, every Old Style salesman. I hope they still sell Old Style here. He’d be talking to all these people and every fan here and not worrying about [Joe] Maddon or [Anthony] Rizzo or [Clint] Hurdle or [Andrew] McCutchen.

“When he taught at Northwestern, that’s what he taught his students, that you have to get into the city to know who the people are to write for them.”

Jauss grew up in Rogers Park and then pitched at New Trier East and then for Amherst College, where he said his dad would send him typed letters that his roommates would steal because they were so well-written. Then, with his parents’ support, he embarked on a baseball life. He managed in the minors and the Dominican League, has been a bench coach with the Mets, Dodgers and Orioles and worked in various roles for the Red Sox for a decade. He joined up with the Pirates as a scout in 2011 and joined the coaching staff in 2013, just as the Pirates ended their two-decade playoff drought.

Is he the good luck charm?

“No, the organization is a very good luck charm, and it’s not by luck, it’s by design,” Jauss said. “It’s the best organization I’ve been involved with, and I’ve been involved with a lot of them.”

Jauss said his father encouraged him to go into sports, and he’s done the same for his son DJ, who was drafted out of UMass-Amherst by the in 2014. He’s now pitching in Germany. When DJ got a job offer from a man who called baseball a “hobby,” Dave Jauss said his son replied, “Well my dad is 58 and he’s still doing it.”

“I learned that from my dad, and my son learned it from me,” Dave Jauss said.

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ESPNChicago.com Already-in Pirates sense something special about almost-in Cubs By Christina Kahrl

CHICAGO -- The Pittsburgh Pirates have already made it to the postseason after clinching a wild-card spot in Colorado, and they’re riding a six-game winning streak. But they’ve come to Chicago to face a Cubs team that is a game away from doing likewise -- against their likely opponent in the one-shot play-in game that a wild-card invite gets you after 162 games.

It adds a bit of obvious drama in what’s already becoming yet another charged-up rivalry in the NL Central, which features three of the four best records in baseball. But it also is one that has perhaps a different tenor than, say, Cubs vs. Cardinals. They’ll have played 19 head-to-head regular-season games after this weekend’s series; the Pirates and Cubs are likely to be playing an elimination game in their 20th. It’s a remarkable turn of events for two teams long associated with losing, something the Pirates changed in 2013, when they ended their 20-year losing streak with a return to the postseason. The Cubs' frustrations stretch back more than a century.

“You’d have to be blind not to see it,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said about the energy in Chicago around this Cubs team. “They’re a good team, there’s no doubt it’s the most competitive team that I’ve seen from them in quite some time. I went back in the day when they actually had good teams as well -- this is an exciting team.”

“I think it was a work in progress the years before, when the new front office came over, that had direction, that had purpose,” Hurdle added. “Everybody has direction and purpose, no matter how it plays out. Nobody ever shows up on a new job and says, ‘You know what, let me wake up and see how I can screw things up.’ They have a very fertile and solid foundation to their team, that have skills. They’ve created a pitching staff that has experience and went about that a couple of different ways.”

Of course, there’s another source of potential rivalry involving these two teams, which is between Hurdle and the man in the other dugout, Cubs manager Joe Maddon. Both are leading candidates in what’s sure to be the most interesting NL Manager of the Year vote in years.

Hurdle’s Pirates have the second-best record in baseball and a 3.5-game lead on the Cubs, but both teams have exceptional records relative to their expected wins. The Pirates are five games better than their runs scored and allowed would suggest, while the Cubs are six games better. And both teams have outstanding records in one-run games. Some might call that luck, but it also suggests both teams have reaped the benefit of good managers getting good results from their in-game gambits.

If there’s supposed to be an element of competition between the two men in the dugouts that goes beyond what you see in the standings, Hurdle wasn’t sharing.

“You know you need to be prepared [managing against Maddon],” Hurdle blandly noted. “I like the fact that he’s engaging, I believe he cares, he’s had success, and for all the right reasons, but outside of that, that’s a topic I don’t sit down and think a lot about.

“The one thing I don’t put a lot of stock is me managing against the manager,” Hurdle said. “I think a lot of other people make a lot out of that, but I don’t think it plays out the way people want it to. I need to know the personnel that they have. I need to know what their players’ skill sets are. I need to know what ours are, their tendencies, when they hit-and-run, steal, do they like to safety squeeze, all that kind of information, not manager-against- manager so much. I think that gets overplayed.”

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CSNChicago.com Party like it's 2008: Cubs clinch playoff berth with Giants loss By Tony Andracki

The Cubs are heading back to the playoffs.

With the San Francisco Giants' loss Friday night in Oakland, the Cubs clinched a playoff berth for the first time in seven years.

The Cubs had a chance to secure a postseason spot with a win of their own Friday but lost to the Pirates, 3-2, at Wrigley Field.

Either way, it's party time now for a team that certainly knows how to celebrate.

The Cubs haven't been in the postseason since 2008, when they led the league with 97 victories but were swept out of the National League Division Series by the in three games.

Since then, the Cubs have finished fifth in the NL Central five times and second once (2009), losing 542 games from 2009 to 2014 (an average of 90 losses a season).

Entering Saturday, the Cubs are still 4 1/2 games behind the Pirates in the race for home-field advantage in the one-game wild-card playoff, so Joe Maddon's team has to keep things in perspective despite clinching a postseason spot.

"I think our guys are definitely mature enough and understand exactly what's going on," Maddon said. "Our goal is to catch the Pirates still and to bring that game back here (to Wrigley), for us and for our fans."

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CSNChicago.com Jon Lester’s big-game reputation gave Cubs credibility in rebuild By Patrick Mooney

The Cubs know nine-figure contracts for 30-something pitchers are ticking time bombs. They understood what the data said when they gave Jon Lester six years and $155 million guaranteed. They felt like they couldn’t afford to not take the risk.

“His particular signing indicated to us – and to the fan base – this is definitely possible,” manager Joe Maddon said. “You need that kind of a presence – especially within your pitching staff – to get this particular moment. Jonny definitely has elevated us this season.”

A crowd of 40,432 didn’t get to see the Cubs clinch their playoff spot on a beautiful Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field. The Cubs had to wait at least several more hours to pop champagne bottles, their magic number stuck at one after a 3-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates that felt like an October preview.

Lester didn’t beat Gerrit Cole, but he showed why the Cubs will be dangerous if Jake Arrieta wins the National League’s wild-card game.

“We all know what’s in front of us,” said Lester, who allowed two runs across seven innings. “I don’t think there’s much more to learn until you actually get into the battle. We can talk about playoff atmosphere and playoff intensity and all that stuff.

“But until you’re actually there, it’s something that you can’t really describe and explain to guys.”

The Cubs wanted Lester to lead by example and believed he could handle anything after beating cancer and dealing with all the pressure and baggage that comes with wearing a Boston Red Sox uniform.

This marked a turning point in the rebuild, the Ricketts ownership group taking the plunge and Theo Epstein’s front office making a splash in free agency. Lester also had to take a leap of faith to commit to a last-place team and believe all this young talent could play.

This was before Arrieta turned into a 20-game winner and a top-two Cy Young Award candidate. Before Kris Bryant, Addison Russell and Kyle Schwarber made their big-league debuts. Before we understood what The Maddon Effect would mean beyond Simon the Magician and Warren the Pink Flamingo.

“He grew up in an environment where every moment was big,” said David Ross, Lester’s personal catcher. “He learned to adapt to that and that’s why he’s a big-game pitcher. That’s why he’s got the reputation he does. That’s why he’s got two World Series rings. That’s why he gets paid all the money he gets paid. Those guys are hard to find in this game.”

Maddon had seen enough of Lester while managing the Tampa Bay Rays – and probably had enough red wine that night – to confirm the deal as the news leaked out last December at the in .

While Cubs officials couldn’t comment on the record, reporters spotted Maddon inside the Manchester Grand Hyatt and got a money quote: “We won the baseball lottery.”

“I (had) worked against him for so many years in Boston,” Maddon said. “It was never any fun. In the past, I saw him get better when it mattered. And that’s what he’s doing right now.”

Lester cruised into the seventh inning before giving up a leadoff double to ex-Cub Aramis Ramirez, who lined a ball into left field and got replaced by a pinch-runner. Francisco Cervelli’s sacrifice bunt set up Michael Morse, who drove a ball through the right side of a drawn-in infield to score the go-ahead run.

Lester is a quiet, thoughtful type who came here to make history and win another championship – not simply play meaningful games in September. But he is still going to party, whenever the Cubs clinch.

“We’ll let these guys that have never experienced this really enjoy it,” Lester said. “Hopefully, they don’t hold anything back. I know we got another week or so to go and a lot of things can happen. But not too many guys get the opportunity to play in the postseason.

“I hope guys really soak it in. I’ve played with a few guys through the years – Adam Dunn in particular waited (almost) 15 years to get to a one-game playoff – so hopefully these guys make sure they enjoy it when we do get in.”

Lester’s 10-12 record for an 89-win team is misleading. The lefty’s put up a 3.43 ERA, 19 quality starts and almost 200 innings, plus the confidence and credibility that can’t be measured in a rebuilding situation.

“We can play with these guys,” Lester said. “Look at Kansas City last year. No one expected them to go to the World Series, let alone the playoffs. You get hot at the right time.

“Your pitching staff falls into place at the right time, your bullpen falls into place at the right time, you get a couple big knocks. And you look up and you’re standing at the end – and hopefully you’re holding that trophy.”

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CSNChicago.com Joe Maddon: No place for retribution in Cubs-Pirates rivalry By Patrick Mooney

The Pittsburgh Pirates know where to find Chris Coghlan if they believe in eye-for-an-eye justice.

That’s how a Pittsburgh Tribune-Review column previewed this showdown at Wrigley Field: “Will Pirates-Cubs finally boil over?” These two teams already appeared headed toward a collision in the National League’s wild-card game on Oct. 7.

And then Coghlan took out one of Pittsburgh’s most valuable players when he slammed into Jung Ho Kang last week at PNC Park, breaking the infielder’s left leg and tearing a knee ligament with an aggressive slide.

“It was a good baseball play,” manager Joe Maddon said before Friday’s 3-2 loss. “There’s nothing to cause retribution at all. I would hope not. For me, for us, it’s a dead issue. And that’s it.

“I think the people involved within the Pirates, they understand that. Others that may want to fan the flames are just fanning flames. They really don’t know what they’re talking about.”

That column mentioned a feeling around the Pirates that mirrored the reaction from Pittsburgh fans on social media: Why did Maddon sound insensitive, downplaying a potential knee injury and saying he heard Kang had plantar fasciitis?

“It wasn’t my thought,” Maddon said. “It was coming from the Pirates’ side. That’s what I was hoping — that it wasn’t that serious. There’s no way I would ever make something like that up or even think about that.

“That’s what we had heard. And I thought: ‘Oh, good, then he’s not that badly hurt.’ That was my first thought. That’s all.”

Coghlan is a deeply religious person who plays with an edge and doesn’t take this for granted. He knows what it’s like to turn a double play, come back from a serious injury, get non-tendered and compete for a job after signing a minor-league deal.

Kang, a shortstop/third baseman from South Korea, is looking at a six-to-eight month recovery period after making his mark (15 homers, 58 RBIs, .816 OPS) during a superb rookie season. Hours after that devastating play, Kang exonerated Coghlan with a statement released through his agent.

Even if there are no fireworks this time — Maddon compared the St. Louis Cardinals to “The Sopranos” last weekend — Pirates manager Clint Hurdle has certainly noticed a different vibe around the Cubs.

“You’d have to be blind not to,” Hurdle said.

After enduring 20 consecutive losing seasons, the Pirates have become a model organization in many ways, combining scouting-and-player-development methods with a strong analytical structure to clinch a playoff spot for a third straight year.

After stripping down the big-league product and sitting through five consecutive fifth-place finishes, the Cubs are on the verge of securing a wild card in Year 4 of the Theo Epstein administration.

“It was a work in progress,” Hurdle said. “When the new front office came over, they had a direction and a purpose. Everybody has direction and purpose. How it plays out? Nobody ever shows up on a new job and says: ‘You know what, let me wake up and see how I can screw things up.’ No. Managers don’t. Coaches don’t. Front- office executives don’t. General managers don’t.

“There comes a point in time where things make more sense. They find more rhythm and rhyme — and they have. They’ve been able to cultivate a very fertile and solid foundation of young players that have skills. They’ve also created a pitching staff that’s got experience, and (they) went about that a couple different ways. They have a good team. There’s no doubt.”

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CSNChicago.com Hunt for October: Maddon 'eager' to see Wrigley's playoff atmosphere By CSN Staff

Cubs manager Joe Maddon has been impressed with the nightly atmosphere at Wrigley Field.

"For me personally, it's pretty incredible," Maddon said. "I've been in some good baseball situations, some significant moments — World Series, All-Star Games, playoff wins and all kinds of good stuff. The atmosphere on a nightly basis, for me, is unparalleled."

But the skipper is especially eager to see what things feel like when the Friendly Confines host a playoff game.

"I'm eager to find out what it's like to be in a playoff game here at Wrigley because even when it's not a playoff situation, it kind of feels that way."

Check out what else Maddon had to say about the corner of Clark and Addison in the video above.

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CSNChicago.com Gerrit Cole getting stronger as wild card game vs. Cubs looms By JJ Stankevitz

For all the unbridled optimism and positivity surrounding the Cubs, they’ll still have to get through Pittsburgh Pirates ace Gerrit Cole to make their first playoff appearance since 2008 count.

The 25-year-old Pirates right-hander fired seven innings of one-run ball on Friday at Wrigley Field, limiting the Cubs to four hits and two walks with eight strikeouts. As a result, the Cubs’ celebration for clinching a playoff spot — and another time facing Cole in Oct. 7’s wild card game — will have to wait after a 3-2 loss in front of 40,432.

“It’s put up or shut up now,” Cole said. “You gotta get the job done.”

Cole threw 84 fastballs in 109 pitches against the Cubs and averaged 97.6 miles per hour on those heaters, according to BrooksBaseball.net. He’s a fastball-heavy pitcher, throwing it about two in every three pitches with an average velocity of 95.6 miles per hour in his 32 starts before Friday.

That uptick in velocity supports what manager Clint Hurdle said before the game: Cole is getting stronger instead of wilting in the first 200-inning season of his career.

“Nobody has any idea what he does in between (starts),” Hurdle said. “Nobody pays attention. All they do is count innings, most of them. He’s in a very good place right now. I think he’s dealing from a position of strength that’s going to make him better.”

This is Cole’s third year in the major leagues, and he’s handled his first significant innings increase well. Injuries limited him to 138 innings in 2014, but he’s at 201 following his Friday start. He’s lined up to pitch one more time next week, so he’ll enter the wild card game with about a 70-inning increase from his previous high.

Chris Stewart, who caught Cole’s first three outings against the Cubs before Francisco Cervelli started Friday, agreed — Cole hasn’t experienced any drop-off from his All-Star level earlier in the season.

“He’s still going strong, still confident in himself,” Stewart said. “He’s our guy that we’re going to lean on. Strength- wise, everything’s coming out normal, mentality-wise, he’s still as strong mentally as he was at the beginning of the season.”

Shutting down his team's likely wild card opponent is nothing new for Cole, who has only allowed one extra-base hit in four starts against the Cubs. He lowed his ERA to 2.13 in 25 1/3 innings and upped his strikeout-to-walk ratio to 32/4 in those games. There’s a reason why Hurdle tweaked his rotation earlier this month to line up Cole to pitch in the wild card game.

The Cubs will have to find a solution for Cole. They didn’t have one Friday afternoon.

“We knew that facing an ace with that kind of stuff, it's gonna be a grind,” outfielder Chris Coghlan said. “When he misses his pitches, you have to capitalize on it. ... If we play them in the playoffs, we need to do a better job.”

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CSNChicago.com Playoff celebration on hold as Cubs lose to Pirates By Tony Andracki

Hold the confetti. Keep the champagne bottles corked. Unplug the smoke machine.

For a few hours, at least.

The Cubs could have clinched a playoff berth with a victory Friday, but instead came away with a 3-2 loss to the Pirates in front of 40,432 fans at Wrigley Field.

The defeat forced the Cubs to wait and watch the scoreboard to see the outcome of the Giants-A's game late Friday night in Oakland. With the Cubs' magic number at one, a Giants loss would put the North Siders into the playoffs.

The Cubs couldn't do much against Gerrit Cole - whom Pittsburgh will likely throw in the wild-card game - as they managed just four hits and a run off the Pirates ace.

Joe Maddon doesn't believe the young Cubs are putting any undue pressure on themselves right now.

"I don't sense anything negative from our group," Maddon said. "Our group's fabulous. They come to play every day. It was a well-played baseball game.

"If you're a Cubs fan - or just a baseball fan in general - you have to have loved what you saw out there today."

The Cubs rallied in the ninth when pinch-hitter Chris Denorfia doubled to lead off the inning against Pirates closer Mark Melancon and came around to score on Starlin Castro's triple. But Jorge Soler and Javy Baez struck out to end the game, stranding the tying run just 90 feet away.

Jon Lester started for the Cubs and allowed just two runs on five hits in seven innings, but was still saddled with the tough-luck loss.

Cole knocked in the first run of the game in the third inning when he drove Lester's pitch past Russell and into center field to plate Pirates shortstop Jordy Mercer.

The Pirates tacked on in the seventh on a Michael Morse single and then scored again in the eighth when Mercer reached on a dropped third strike and came around to score on Starling Marte's groundout.

The Cubs are now 4.5 games behind the Pirates in the bid to host the one-game wild-card playoff.

With a Noon game Saturday, will the Cubs be staying up late to watch the Giants, who kick off their game at 9 p.m.?

"[I'll check the score] probably when I have to go to the bathroom at night," Maddon joked.

Lester said there was "no chance" he'd stay up to watch the late game. Catcher David Ross admitted he won't be up late celebrating because "these old bones don't get up too early after a late night of drinks."

If the Cubs do clinch a playoff berth overnight, rest assured - there will be a celebration at some point.

"We're not a team that misses out on celebration," Chris Coghlan said.

"We'll show up tomorrow and hopefully celebrate tomorrow," Lester said. "We'll have a good time and let these guys that have never experienced this really enjoy it. Hopefully they don't hold anything back.

"I know we got another week or so to go. A lot of things can happen, but not too many guys get the opportunity to play in the postseason, so I hope guys really soak it in.

"I've played with a few guys through the years - Adam Dunn, in particular - who waited 15 years to get to a one- game playoff. Hopefully these guys make sure they enjoy it when we do get it."

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