Chicago Cubs: Giving the 2016 NLDS comeback another look

Chicago Cubs: Back-end starters dominated on the bump in Game 4

Game 4 began 5:40 PM San Francisco time and with John Lackey on the mound for the Cubs and former Tampa Bay Rays All-Star Matt Moore starting opposite him. Lackey came in with 23 postseason appearances under his belt and this would be his first postseason appearance as a Cub. Moore was making his first postseason start since 2013 when he was with the Rays.

Hope was pretty high for Lackey seeing as he not only had plenty of postseason experience, he had a history of success in October and pitched well in multiple World Series-clinching games in 2002 and 2013. That is the main reason they got him. Moore had a 4.08 ERA, 3.53 FIP, 1.3 WHIP and 9.1 K/9 in 12 starts since he had been dealt to the Giants.

After the Cubs went quietly against Moore in the first, Lackey was in early trouble when Denard Span hit a leadoff double and scored on a Buster Posey sac fly. The next few innings, Lackey was able to settle in and see old man David Ross hit a game-tying solo shot off more in top of the third. That was the Cubs’ first hit.

Then, things got ugly.