Chicago Cubs (0-0) vs. Washington Nationals (0-0) RHP Kyle Hendricks [7-5, 3.03] | RHP Stephen Strasburg [15-4, 2.52] Fri., Oct. 6 l 7:31 p.m. l Game #1 / NLDS l Nationals Park l Washington, D.C. Television: TBS l Radio: 106.7 FM The Fan & Nationals Radio Network Standing: 97-65, 1st place, National League East • Home: 47-34 • Road: 50-31 • Streak: -- • Last Five: 2-3 • Last Ten: 5-5 NATIONALS NEWS OPPONENT WELCOME, OCTOBER CHICAGO CUBS In the 13th season since baseball returned to Washington, D.C., the The Nationals and Cubs played seven games in 2017 (four in D.C., three in Chicago), with Washington Nationals were crowned National League East champi- Washington taking the regular-season advantage...Nationals President of Baseball Opera- ons for the fourth time in the last six years...The 2017 Nationals did tions and General Manager Mike Rizzo is a Chicago native and an alum of Holy Cross High so with a balanced attack and a steady approach, with an average of School and the University of Illinois...Manager Dusty Baker went 322-326 in four seasons 16.2 wins per month and a 97-65 (.599) final regular-season record, (2003-06) as the manager of the Chicago Cubs, including a trip to the 2003 National League the second-best mark in the National League (Los Angeles Dodgers: 104-58, .642) and the Championship Series, where they fell in seven games to the Florida Marlins...Bench Coach fourth-best record in all of Major League Baseball...At 50-31 (.617), the Nationals owned the Chris Speier (1985-86) and Assistant Hitting Coach Jacque Jones (2006-07) each spent best road record in the NL this season, as well as a new franchise record (Nationals/Expos) two seasons with the Cubs...First Base Coach Davey Lopes was acquired by the Cubs on for road wins in a single season (50)...The 50 road wins are the most for any NL team since Aug. 31, 1984 and went on to spend two-plus seasons (1984-86) with Chicago...RHP Tanner the 2011 Philadelphia Phillies also went 50-31...The 819 runs Washington scored this season Roark is from Wilmington, Illinois -- approximately 70 miles from Wrigley Field -- and attended were the most in franchise history (Nationals/Expos), as were the 215 home runs the club hit. the University of Illinois. • While they didn’t go “wire-to-wire,” the 2017 Nationals made themselves comfortable in first place, where they resided for all but four days...Washington took over sole possession of THE REGULAR-SEASON SERIES first on April 18 and did not relinquish it for the remainder of the season, ultimately winning The Nationals hold a one-game lead over the Cubs in their all-time series, 44-43...The Nation- the division by a 20.0-game margin. als claimed the 2017 regular-season series, 4-3...In their first match-up this season, June 26-29, the clubs split a four-game set, 2-2, at Nationals Park before the Nationals won two DIVISION CHAMPS! of three at Wrigley Field, Aug. 4-6...Prior to this season, the Cubs claimed the season series The Nationals clinched their fourth division championship on Sept. 10, soaking themselves against Washington for two straight seasons (2015 & 2016). in champagne after a 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies was coupled with the Atlanta Braves’ 10-8 extra-innings walk-off win over the Miami Marlins...The Nationals have won 2017 REGULAR SEASON / BY THE NUMBERS back-to-back division crowns for the first time in Nationals history (2005-present), and four 2017 W-L ................................................................................4-3 (2-2 in D.C., 2-1 in Chicago) in the last six seasons. Streak ............................................................................................................................. Won 1 • The Nationals’ celebration on Sept. 10 marked the earliest clinch in Nationals history, best- Aggregate Score / 2017 ........................................................................ Nationals 39, Cubs 28 ing the 2014 Nationals, who sealed the division crown on Sept. 16 with a 3-0 win over the Home Runs Hit / 2017 ............................................................................. Nationals 9, Cubs 10 Atlanta Braves at Turner Field. • Via the Elias Sports Bureau, since 2005, only the Nationals, Detroit Tigers (2011-14), Los ALL-TIME SERIES / BY THE NUMBERS Angeles Angels (four of five from 2005-09), Philadelphia Phillies (2007-11), and Los Ange- W-L / Nationals (2005-present) ........................................................................................44-43 les Dodgers (2013-17) have won four division championships in a six-year span. W-L / Home (2005-present) ..............................................................................................23-22 W-L / Nationals Park (2008-present) ................................................................................17-18 D.C POSTSEASON HISTORY W-L / Away (2005-present) ...............................................................................................21-21 In securing the 2017 NL East Crown, the Nationals earned the seventh D.C. Postseason berth W-L / Franchise (Expos/Nationals) ...............................................................................315-291 in 84 seasons of Major League Baseball in the nation’s capital (2017, 2016, 2014, 2012, 1933, 1925, 1924)...The Nationals claimed the NL East title in 2016, 2014 and 2012, while the AL 2017 REGULAR SEASON AGAINST THE CUBS DATE RESULT WIN-LOSS-SV TOG DATE RESULT WIN-LOSS-SV TOG Nationals/Senators won the World Series in 1924 and claimed American League flags in 1933 6/26 L, 4-5 Butler-Gonzalez-None 3:54 8/4@ W, 4-2 Roark-Hendricks-Doolittle 2:43 and 1925...This year’s division title is the franchise’s (Nationals/Expos) fourth in 48 National 6/27 W, 6-1 Scherzer-Arrieta-None 3:09 8/5@ L, 4-7 Lackey-Jackson-Davis 3:31 6/28 W, 8-4 Strasburg-Lackey-None 2:50 8/6@ W, 9-4 Kintzler-Edwards Jr.-None 3:06 League seasons, although the 1981 (30-23, .566 post-ASB) and 1994 Montreal Expos (74-40, 6/29 L, 4-5 Pena-Treinen-Davis 3:12 .649) finished atop the NL East in seasons affected by labor stoppages. • The Nationals hope to snap D.C.’s 84-year World Series drought (1933) and its 93-year NLDS ROSTER MLB World Championship wait (lone World Series win: 1924). The Nationals’ NLDS roster is comprised of 11 pitchers (six right-handed pitchers, five left-handed pitchers), two catchers, six infielders and six outfielders.The Nationals’ veteran- POSTSEASON PROS laden squad will get a dash of youthful exuberance, but familiarity will be in their corner as 19 The 2017 Nationals have 19 members of their roster with previous Postseason experience members of Washington’s 25-man roster have previous Postseason experience. -- and multiple who are no strangers to significant Postseason success: PITCHERS (11) CATCHERS (2) INFIELDERS (6) OUTFIELDERS (6) • 2B Daniel Murphy: The 2015 National League Championship Series MVP, Murphy al- RHP Matt Albers C Jose Lobaton INF Wilmer Difo OF Brian Goodwin most single-handedly led the New York Mets to the World Series...In 19 career Postseason RHP Brandon Kintzler C Matt Wieters 1B/OF Adam Lind OF Bryce Harper games, Murphy has hit .351 (26-for-74) with two doubles, seven home runs, 17 RBI, 11 RHP Ryan Madson 2B Daniel Murphy INF/OF Howie Kendrick walks, three stolen bases, 16 runs scored, and a .662 slugging percentage...Murphy has RHP Tanner Roark 3B Anthony Rendon OF Victor Robles reached base in every Postseason game he’s ever played in (19 straight), the second-most RHP Max Scherzer SS Trea Turner OF Michael A. Taylor to begin a career in Major League history (Boog Powell: 25), via Elias. RHP Stephen Strasburg 1B Ryan Zimmerman OF Jayson Werth • LF Jayson Werth: Werth has played in 58 career playoff games spanning eight different LHP Sean Doolittle seasons...In helping lead the Philadelphia Phillies to back-to-back World Series appear- LHP Gio Gonzalez ances (and the 2008 title) in 2008-2009, Werth hit .292 with seven doubles, two triples, LHP Oliver Pérez nine home runs, 18 walks, 17 RBI and 22 runs scored...Werth’s career in Washington is LHP Enny Romero not without its own Postseason highlights, as his iconic walk-off home run in Game 4 of the LHP Sammy Solis 2012 NLDS is one of the most celebrated in Nationals history...On the whole, Werth’s 15 career Postseason home runs rank fourth-most among all active Major Leaguers. MIKE RIZZO • SS Trea Turner and 1B Ryan Zimmerman combined to hit .333 in the 2016 National The architect of the Washington Nationals, President of Baseball Operations & General Man- League Division Series (5 G, vs. LAD) as Turner, then a rookie, went 7-for-22 with an RBI, ager Mike Rizzo has overseen the organization’s swift ascension into a perennial contender... a walk, two stolen bases, and a .333 on-base percentage out of the leadoff spot in the Na- The first hire made by the Lerner Family after assuming control of the franchise in July of tionals’ lineup...Zimmerman, who hit a career-best 36 home runs in 2017, perhaps began 2006, Rizzo set out to build the Nationals into a playoff team by first addressing the Nationals’ his renaissance season early, going 6-for-17 with two doubles, two RBI and three walks. farm system -- building it into a powerhouse feeder system for the big league team -- and CAREER POSTSEASON STATISTICS / NATIONALS then keyed the organization’s transition to success at the Major League level...That success PLAYER G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO AVG OBP SLG is borne out in the numbers: Since 2012 only one team in baseball has collected more MLB Difo 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000 Goodwin 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — — — victories than WSH’s 555 (LAD, 1st: 559)...Washington also has a +664 run differential in this Harper 14 57 10 12 3 1 4 7 8 17 .211 .318 .509 stretch -- the best by far in the Major Leagues -- exemplifying how strong its teams have been Kendrick 30 103 11 22 4 1 2 6 2 22 .214 .226 .330 Lind 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — — — on both sides of the ball under Rizzo’s tenure, particularly in the last six seasons.