So much was made about how the Cubs had to overcome San Francisco superhero Madison Bumgarner in the NLDS. Which wasn’t really true considering there would be potentially four games in which he did not start that Chicago could win, but whatever.
Bumgarner was merely ordinary in Game 3 on Monday, but the Giants still avoided a sweep with a 6-5, 13-inning home victory that took more than five hours. Just like that, this series became a lot more tense.
3 DOWN
That eighth inning
With his team six outs from a sweep, Cubs manager Joe Maddon turned to closer Aroldis Chapman. Kind of like when White Sox skipper Ozzie Guillen handed the ball to closer Bobby Jenks in a similar situation in Game 2 of the 2005 ALDS against Boston.
Only in the Cubs’ case, former Sox infielder Conor Gillaspie smacked a two-run triple to right-center to reclaim the lead at 4-3 and essentially keep the Giants alive. Until then, the Giants had not scored a run off the Cubs bullpen all season, a streak that lasted more than 33 innings. Ugh.
Totally unnecessary
You have to feel for Matt Moore. The Giants pitcher, who will start Game 4 on Tuesday against the Cubs’ John Lackey, was tapped for the most awkward of interviews in the top of the third inning. He basically complimented the Cubs profusely and all the while must have been thinking “Your timing sucks, Fox Sports 1.” The Giants trailed 3-0 at the time and even if they had not come back to force a Game 4, one has to question whether in-game interviews should go the way of the VCR.
Don’t you live in Chicago?
Thumbs down to Maddon’s weather toughness, or lack thereof. The Pennsylvania native was wearing gloves Monday night despite the fact that the temperature was in the mid-50s. What’s he going to do if his team makes the World Series?
3 UP
Jump for Jake
Lost somewhat in all the praise Jake Arrieta and Bumgarner received entering Monday’s game was how well they hit. The former hit .262 with two home runs in 2016 while the latter batted just .186 but did crank three homers.
Well, on the heels of Game 2 when Kyle Hendricks and Travis Wood drove in three runs, Arrieta matched that output with one swing off Bumgarner in the second inning. His three-run bomb meant the Cubs became the first team since the 1924 New York Giants to have two pitchers go deep in the same postseason series.
That Cubs fan who caught Arrieta’s home run
He loses a few cool points for bringing his mitt to the game, but that guy came awfully close to Internet sensation status. Too bad the Cubs couldn’t hold on.
We’re not worthy, Albert
Despite the Cubs having committed five errors in this series, they’ve turned in some jaw-dropping defensive plays. The best Monday featured outstretched right fielder Albert Almora diving toward the line to snare a fly ball, then getting up to double the runner off first base to end the bottom of the ninth. Without that masterpiece, the Cubs would have lost then and there.
@redeyesportschi | chsosa@redeyechicago.com
