NLCS Game One: Cubs find themselves in a familiar position, fall 4-2 to Mets

Kyle Schwarber goes deep in losing effort

Chicago Cubs rookie Kyle Schwarber cut New York’s lead down to two runs by launching a long solo bomb to right field off pitcher Matt Harvey, but it wouldn’t be enough to beat the Mets in tonight’s NLCS opener at Citi Field.

We all knew how tough this match-up was going to be, but Harvey and the Mets proved that Chicago’s going to need to hit more than just home runs if they have any hopes of advancing to the World Series.

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Harvey, like John Lackey during Jon Lester‘s previous start, cruised through this powerful Cubs lineup and received early run support when Daniel Murphy clubbed a solo bomb to right field in the first.

Murphy has pitched well against top-notch pitcher’s this week and tonight’s home run was his third in as many games. It really got this crowd of over 42,000 into this game pretty quick.

Lester was tagged for all four runs on eight hits while issuing one free pass and striking out five prior to exiting after 6 2/3 innings of work.

The Cubs wouldn’t get their first base runner until Anthony Rizzo was hit by a pitch to lead off the top of the fifth inning, setting it up for second baseman Starlin Castro.

Castro jumped on the first pitch of the at-bat and drove it over the head of center fielder Juan Lagares to score Rizzo from first, tying the game up at one apiece.

Outfielder Yoenis Cespedes had himself a terrific play moments later after fielding a Javier Baez single and throwing out Castro at home for the second out of the inning.

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New York added on to their lead when catcher Travis d’Arnaud launched his first postseason home run to straight away center field, hitting the Big Apple which made it a two-run ballgame during the bottom of the sixth.

They would add two more runs during the seventh and eighth inning, the last being a sacrifice fly off the bat of Curtis Granderson, recording his second RBI of the contest.

Granderson had himself an RBI knock back in the fifth inning when third baseman Kris Bryant failed to turn a double-play on a bunt that was a laid down by Harvey.

Bryant covered third base for the first out but mishandled the ball out of his glove, allowing Harvey to beat out the play to keep the inning alive for the Chicago-native.

Tomorrow could be seen as a must win for the Cubs as Jake Arrieta looks to bounce back from a shaky Game 3 performance as he’ll take on Noah Syndergaard before this series heads to Wrigley for three games.

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