Cubs VS Nationals (Game 5) Review

Starting Pitchers – Cubs – Kyle Hendricks (RHP) vs Nationals – Gio Gonzalez (LHP)

Gametime – 7:08 (CT)

In game 4 it was all Nationals as they won game 4 (5-0), Dusty Baker decided to stick with the same line up that got the Nationals the win in game 4.  Joe Madden and the Cubs are 4-1 in winner takes all games under the manager..

Top of the 1st – Jon Jay led off with a double in the first inning.  Nationals challenged the play at second, but the play stood as Jon Jay remained safe.  Kris Bryant batted second, on the first pitch to Bryant the pitch slipped out of Gonzalez’s hand and Jon Jay was able to steal third base.  Kris Bryant struck out for the 5th straight time this series, Anthony Rizzo went to bat and knocked in Jon Jay while being thrown out at 1st.  Wilson Contreras batted 3rd and was walked.  Albert Almora Jr batting 4th got a base hit, runners were then at the corners.  Addison Russell hitting 4th while Jason Heyward waited on deck.  Russell was walked as bases were loaded.  Gio Gonzalez had walked 79 batters this year, most in the Majors.  Heyward grounded out and the side was retired.  Three runners were stranded on base.

Cubs 1-0

Bottom of the 1st – Trea Turner led off for the Nationals, Turner got a base hit.  Jayson Werth batted 2nd for the Nationals, during Werth’s at bat Turner stole 2nd base after a late throw from Contreras.  Werth popped up to center field and Turner tagged and advanced to 3rd although Albert Almora made a great sliding catch and throw.  Bryce Harper batted next and made contact with the ball, Baez threw a strike to Contreras and tagged Turner out at home.  Ryan Zimmerman batted next who had went 0-12 against Hendricks that continued as Hendricks struck out Zimmerman again.

Cubs 1-0

Top of the 2nd – Javi Baez popped out at his at bat.  Kyle Hendricks swung at a bad pitch and struck out.  Jon Jay stepped up to the plate as the Cubs got back to the top of the order.  Kris Bryant waited on deck as Jay struck out, a 1-2-3 inning.

Bottom of the 2nd – D. Murphy took the first pitch out the park to tie the game at 1.  Murphy has had four HRs in 18 at bats against Hendricks.  Anthony Rendon stepped up to the plate, Rendon popped one out for a base hit.  85% of Nationals runs have came by HR in this postseason.  Matt Wieters  layed down a bunt that stayed fair, runners were then at 1st and 2nd.  Michael Taylor batted next.  During his at bat Hendricks got a talk at the mound.  Taylor knocked the pitched out the park for a 3 run HR.  Gonzalez was next at bat with two outs and struck out.  Trea Turner wen up to bat, top of the order.  Turner got thrown out at first.  Werth at bat as the Nationals looked to increase it’s lead win their first playoff series.  Werth popped one in the gap for a sliding double.  Bryce Harper stepped up to bat and Joe Madden decided to walk him.  Zimmerman the struck out and that ended the inning.

Cubs 1- Nationals 4

Top of the 3rd – Krys Bryant led off the third, with a hit into the gap for a double getting his first hit after six straight strikeouts.  Anthony Rizzo struck out on possibly an outside the box pitch.  Cantreras batted next and got walked.  Mike Maddox came to talk to Gio.  Alomora Jr.  steps up representing the tying run for the Cubs, runners were at 1st and 2nd.  Just as Gonzalez was in his motion time out was called.  Almora got walked and bases were loaded.  1 out with Addison Russell at bat grounded out but one run scored, 4-2 Nationals.  Jason Heyward stepped up to the plate and hit the first pitch with force but foul.  Gio threw a wild changeup, 1 run scored off the wild pitch, Nationals led 4-3.  Heyward struck out and the side was retired, but Cubs rallied and trailed only by 1.

Cubs 3 Nationals 4

Bottom of the 3rd – Daniel Murphy was first up for the Nationals and struck out.  Rendon stepped up to the plate and popped up for the second out. Wieters batted next and hit a line drive base hit.  Michael A Taylor took the plate, as Dusty Baker looks to be pondering a change at pitcher.  Taylor pops out as Kendricks retires the side.

Cubs 3 Nationals 4

Top of the 4th –  Dusty Bakers brings in Matt Albers at pitcher, Javi Baez batting, 0-10 in the series grounded out for the first out.  In the dugout interview Dusty stated that he was hoping that Gio would go longer but says his control was a little suspect.  Kyle Hendricks stepped up to the plate and grounded out.  Next at bat was John Jay.  who then popped up to Turner and provided the third out to the Nationals.

Cubs 3 Nationals 4

Bottom of the 4th – Victor Robles enters the box to pinch hit for the Nationals starting the 4th.  Robles struck out on a change up.  T. Turner stepped up to the plate and (in field single and a strike out so far), struck out. Hendricks hung strong.  Jason Werth then took the plate and pounded the ball for a base hit (2 for 3),  just out of reach of Russell.  Bryce Harper took the plate and hit a line drive for a base hit.  Runners were at 1st and 2nd.  Fazio then cames to the mound to talk to Hendricks.  Ryan Zimmerman batted next and flied out for the 3rd out.

Cubs 3 Nationals 4

Top of the 5th – Max Scherzer (Blue Eyed Bandid) took to the mound for the Nationals and faced Kris Bryant.  Kris Bryant grounded out.  Next Anthony Rizzo popped out to Taylor.  Cantreras batted next and hit and infield single.  Madden went to the bench for Ben Zombrist who hit a looper to left center field to put runners at 1st and 2nd.  Next up was Addison Russell, Russell hit a fair ball down the left field line and scored two, Cubs 5 Nationals 4.  Heyward at the plate (0-2), was intentionally walked.  At bat was Javier Baez, Javi got to first and a runner scored.  Weiters missed the tag at home plate, a review was done and the play stood.  Cubs 6- Nationals 4.  Tommy La Stella came in to pinch hit and the ball caught the glove of the catcher and allowed La Stella to get to first.  John Jay batted next and got hit, forcing in a run.  Weiters gets a conversation at the mound.  Cubs had bases loaded.  Bryant popped out and the side was retired.

Cubs 7 Nationals 4

Bottom of the 5th – Daniel Murphy led off and Brian Duensing comes to pitch for the Cubs.  Anthony Rendon was at bat for the Nationals and popped out for the 1st out.  Wieters took the plate and you could almost feel the breeze from the swing and a miss.  Wieters then took a strike out.  Pedro Strop then took to the mound facing Michael Taylor striking him out to end the inning.

Cubs 7 Nationals 4

Top of the 6th – M. Kintzler took to the mound for the Nationals.  A. Rizzo at the plate, grounded out to the pitcher for out number one.  Up next was W. Contreras, grounded out.  B. Zobrist went to bat and got walked.  Cubs dugout began to look confident.  A. Russell stepped up to the plate and hit a ball to left field, Zobrist scored easily and Cubs now lead 8-4.  Field lights may have been an excuse for not getting to the ball, I’m just saying.  J. Heyward was next at back and was almost hit by a pitch.  Heyward popped out to Taylor but helped add to the lead.

Cubs 8-Nationals 4

Bottom of the 6th – At bat W. Difo pinch hitting for the Nationals.  Strop now pitching for the Cubs.  Difo hits a ground ball out.   Tre Turner then was up to bat, hits to Bryant for an easy out.  Jason Werth at bat 2 for 3 so far got walked.  Joe Madden then makes the call to the bullpen, calls in Mike Montgomery.  Bryce Harper at bat and hits a fair ball double.  Runners were at 2nd and 3rd.  Mike Zimmerman was at the plate with runners at 2nd and 3rd.  3-2 pitch fouled.  Nex pitch got away and a run scored, Cubs 8 Nationals 5. Up next Daniel Murphy., as the camera panned over to Carl Edwards Jr warming up.  Murphy hits one off the wall and two runners scored Cubs 8 Nationals 6.  Rendon got walked then Waiters popped out.

Cubs 8 National 6

Top of the 7th – S. Solis pitching for the Nationals, gets Javie Baez who bunted out.  Kyle Schwarber pinch hit, top of the seventh, made nice contact with the ball hitting off the wall but held at first for a single.  John Jay was next at bat and got a base hit, Schwarber on third.  Runners now were at the corners.  Ryan Madson took the mound, 4th time in the series facing Kris Bryant.  Kris Bryant was up to bat with runners at 1st and 3rd with one out, grounded out but a run scored, Cubs 9 Nationals 6.  Dusty Baker contested the slide to first, slide went down as legal.  Rizza got to bat, grounded out for the third out.

Cubs 9 Nationals 6

Bottom of the 7th – Carl Edwards Jr took the mound.  Michael Taylor was at bat .  Edwards got a visit at the mound after only a couple of pitches.  M. Taylor took a walk to first base.  Madden went to talk to his pitcher again, with umpires, Jose Contana then took to the mound facing Jose Lobaton who popped up for the 1st out.  T. Turner was next up to bat and connected for a base hit, 1 out.  Runners were on 1st and 2nd.  Jayson Werth wnet up to bah, got walked and then the bases were loaded.  B. Harper sac flied and a runner scored.  Cubs 9 Nationals 7.  Wade Davis stepped in for the Cubs at pitcher against Ryan Zimmerman with 2 runners on and two outs, Zimmerman struck out.

Cubs 9 Nationals 7

Top of the 8th – R. Madson (6th Washington pitcher) pitching to W. Contreras, Conteras scored twice on the night.  Contreras hit a high ball called out at first.  B. Zobrist at the plate to pinch hit, grounded out for second out.  Addison Russell was up next and tip fouled out.

Cubs 9 National 7

Bottom of the 8th – W. Davis pitching for the Cubs, Daniel Murphy at bat and got walked by Davis.  Anthony Rendon was up next for the Nationals, Davis walked Rendon, runners were then on 1st and 2nd.  Chris Bazzio walked to the mound to speak with his pitcher Davis, (it was the moment of truth)  Adam Lind was up for the Nationals,  ground ball double play completed by the Cubs.  Home plate Umpire got caught by the ball (Jerry Lane), Michael Taylor then hit a single that scored a run.  Jose Lobaton was next up for the Nationals, Lobaton hit a base hit to center field.  runners were then on 1st and 2nd with Turner at the plate.  Controversial call as Lobaton was called out at second.  Don’t know if I agreed with the call but I guess I didn’t have the best view.

Cubs 9 Nationals 8

Top of the 9th  – J. Heyward at bat, S. Doolittle now pitching for the Nationals.  Jason Heyward went down swinging, 1st out for the Cubs.  Javier Baez was next at bat, struck out on a high pitch.  L. Martin was third at bat for the Cubs popped out. Cubs, 3 up 3 down.

Bottom of the 9th – Wade Davis was now in pitching for the Cubs with Turner at bat for the Nationals, Turner popped out, 1st out.  Up next was Jayson Werth, fly ball hit hard fouled off. Werth eventually was struck out by Davis.  2 Outs, 1 more out for a Cubs win.  Bryce Harper stepped up with two outs.  BRYCE HARPER STRIKES OUT, CUBS WIN AND MOVE ON!!!!