WRIGLEY FIELD: THE FRIENDLY CONFINES AT CLARK AND ADDISON a seven-run deficit, Hernandez's smash "drained been 29 years! The wait is over! The Dodgers are KERSHAW SHUTS DOI_IN CUBS; Wrigley Field of any energy."3 going back to the World Series!"4 HERNANDEZ WALLOPS 3 HOMERS Meanwhile, Kershaw faced one above the Hernandez put himself in some rare company, minimum in the first three frames, only walking Kyle becoming just the loth batter to hit three home runs OCTOBER 19, 2017 Schwarber in the first. John Lackey entered the game in a postseason game (and the first Dodgers player in the top of the fouirth as the third Cubs pitcher. to do sos) and the very first batter to drive in seven LOS ANGELES DODGERS 11, CHICAGO CUBS 1 Taylor greeted him with a single, reaching base for runs in a League Championship Series game. He was the third consecutive plate appearance. Turner struck at a loss for words after the game, telling reporters, GAME FIVE OF THE NLCS out and Bellinger singled (his third hit). Lackey "It's unbelievable. It's amazing. The third one, I don't tossed a wild pitch, moving both runners up a base. even know what happened. I honestly don't know By clfuber Puig hit a grounder to third and Kris Bryant fired what happened."' home to catcher Willson Contreras, who tagged Dodgers manager Roberts praised Hernandez, Taylor out. Next up, Forsythe swung at an o-and-i saying, "For Kike to have a huge night, three homers, offering, pulling the ball down the left-field line and just providing so much energy for us and we fed plating both Bellinger and Puig. It was now 9-o in off that."7 On the radio, Steiner told his listeners, A YEAR AFTER RALLYING TO BEAT games (tops in the majors2) and posted a league-best favor of the visitors. After another wild pitch, on "Hernandez had the offensive night of his life and Cleveland for their first World Series title since 2.31 ERA. Interestingly, Kershaw was born in 1988, which Forsythe scampered to third, Lackey retired one of the great postseason offensive nights of 1908, the 2017 Chicago Cubs used a second-half the same year the Dodgers last made the trip into the the hot Hernandez on a popout to short. anybody as the Dodgers win it, II to I."' push to win their second straight National League fall classic. Chicago countered with Jose Quintana, Schwarber worked a full count to lead off the Kershaw also had a major part to play, never Central title. They advanced to the National League who was appearing in just his fourth postseason bottom of the fourth before striking out. Bryant allowing the Cubs to get into a rhythm. He stifled Championship Series for the third consecutive game and making his third postseason start. His then jumped on Kershaw's first pitch and blasted it the Cubs' offense in this final game of the year at season and second straight time against the West 2017 numbers with the Cubs amounted to a record down the left-field line for a home run. Contreras Wrigley Field, allowing only three hits, a walk, and Division champion Los Angeles Dodgers. The Cubs of 7-3, with an earned-run average of 3.74. (For the also singled, but Kershaw retired the side without the solo home run by Bryant. After the game, amid became just the second team in the last 15 seasons season, he was tr-tt with a mark of 4.15.) allowing any more runs. He had faced five batters in the celebration, Kershaw said, "Up there with getting to capture a division title the year after winning Chris Taylor led off the game with a walk. After the fourth, the most he would face in any of the six married and having kids, it's right up there with the World Series (the other was the 2009 Phillies). Quintana struck out Justin Turner, rookie Cody innings he pitched. The Dodgers used Kenta Maeda, one of the best days of my life. Winning the World However, they would not move on, as this year's Bellinger stroked a double down the right-field Brandon Morrow, and Kenley Jansen in the seventh, really all that we play this game for. All the Cubs fell to the Dodgers in five games. Series is line, driving in Taylor, and the Dodgers had a quick eighth, and ninth innings respectively, and the trio individual stuff is great, but at the end of the day, I A frenzied sellout crowd of 42,735 packed Wrigley r-o lead. On the first pitch of the second inning, combined for five strikeouts and no walks. Morrow just want to win a World Series."9 He added, "When Field to root on their Cubbies. After three innings, Hernandez met Quintana's fastball and sent it 399 allowed a weak single up the middle to Ian Happ in you're a little kid, you want to go play in the World none of the home team's fans were making any noise. feet over the center-field fence. This was his first between his three strikeouts, for the only Chicago Series. That's all you ever dream about. I'm going to Enrique Hernandez's hat trick of home runs in Game postseason home run (in 17 games). baserunner against the trio. play in the World Series."'° 5 gave Los Angeles seven runs of support, quieted the In the third inning, the first four Dodgers got hits With a 9-1 lead, the Dodgers had one more The Cubs hit only .156 and averaged 1.6 runs per crowd and put an exclamation point on the series. to raise the lead to 3-o. Taylor doubled and scored scoring opportunity. With Mike Montgomery on game (despite hitting seven home runs) in the 2017 Los Angeles handily won the first three games on Turner's single. Bellinger and Yasiel Puig both the mound, Bellinger struck out to lead off the ninth NLCS against the Dodgers, while the Chicago of the NLCS. After the Game 4 loss to the Cubs, singled to load the bases. Cubs skipper Joe Maddon inning. Puig singled and Forsythe flied out to deep pitching staff allowed 28 runs and issued 28 walks in Dave Roberts, LA's manager, said, "I think we're strolled to the mound to replace Quintana with right field. Hernandez stepped into the batter's box. the five-game series. in a pretty good spot. We have our number-one right-hander Hector Rondon. Rondon struck out This time he took two pitches (both balls) before In making it to the postseason, the Dodgers had pitcher going."' That starter was seven-time All Star Logan Forsythe on three pitches. Hernandez came launching his third home run of the game, to left- won 104 games in 2017, one better than the 2016 and three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton up and swung at Rondon's first offering, blasting the center. The Dodgers now led 1i-t, and that would be Cubs and 12 more than Chicago's 2017 squad. The Kershaw. He had not pitched at Wrigley Field since 87-mph slider over the right-center wall for a grand the final score. When the final out of the game was Dodgers earned home-field advantage in the World Game 6 of the 2,016 NLCS, when the Cubs got to slam. The ball landed 390 from home plate into the made, Los Angeles play-by-play announcer Charley Series, which for the first time was determined by him for five runs and clinched the pennant. Despite netting above the wall. With the Cubs now facing Steiner described the scene: "The Dodgers win! It's overall record. Maddon tipped his cap to the NLCS missing five weeks of the season, Kershaw won 18 champs, saying, "The better team won over the 322 323 WRIGLEY FIELD: THE FRIENDLY CONFINES AT CLARK AND ADDISON course of these five games. They kind of out-pitched 4 Phil Rosenthal, "End of Game 5 Sounded Different in us and everything else. So give them credit. I just Chicago, L.A. and Across the Country," Chicago Tribune, WRIGLEY FIELD October 20, 2017, found online at want to say, 'Congratulations.' [We] know what it chicagotribune.com/sports/ baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-dodgers-broadcast-rosenthal-spt-tort- BY THE NUMBERS feels like coming off of last year — we were celebrating 20r7r020-story.html. Accessed October 2017. versus them in this exact same spot. So they've had 5 Carrie Muskat and Ken Gurnick, "Hollywood & Vines: LA By Dan Yields themselves a spectacular year, and I want to wish Wins NLCS at Wrigley!" mlb.com, October zo, 2017, found them all well in the World Series.'"' online at m.mlb.com/news/article/259m8988/dodgers-rout- cubs-win-nlcs-make-world-series/. Accessed October 2017. 6 Anthony Castrovince, "Trio Grand! Hernandez Has 3-HR, 7-RBI Clincher," mlb.com, October 20, 2017, found online In addition to the sources mentioned in the notes, the author at m.mlb.com/news/article/259105534/enrique-hernandez- The ballpark was known as Weeghman Park 2 consulted baseball-reference.com. Note: has-monster-game-5-in-nlcs/?game_pk=526508. Accessed until1919 and as Cubs Parkfrom 1920 through 1926. Grand slams by the New York Mets during the October 2017. sixth inning on July 16, 2006, against the Cubs. Cliff NOTES 7 Kuc. 0 Floyd hit one off Sean Marshall, and Carlos Beltran x Dylan Hernandez, "Game s Should Be a Fitting Moment for 8 Rosenthal.