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With the Chicago Cubs facing an elimination game in Game 4 of the NLDS on Thursday night against the Milwaukee Brewers, Craig Counsell turned to Matthew Boyd to save the season. While Boyd was an All-Star in his first season with the Cubs, starting him on Thursday had some risk, considering how he struggled in Game 1 of the series last Saturday. It was an outing where Boyd didn't even make it out of the first inning, giving up 6 runs (2 earned) on 4 hits. With the season on line, Boyd made sure Game 4 was his revenge game.
Boyd was excellent in a season-saving performance during the Cubs' 6-0 victory on Thursday night. The series has been defined by each team taking advantage of scoring opportunities in the first inning; however, the National League All-Star not only kept the Brewers scoreless in the first inning, but also through his 5 and 2/3 innings of work. With the support of a three-run home run from Ian Happ in the first inning, Boyd exited the game in the fifth inning with a shutout to his name and six strikeouts.
Matthew Boyd saved the Cubs’ season and made fans eat their words
Starting Boyd on Thursday night at Wrigley Field was always the right move for the Cubs. With Cade Horton on the IL and Shota Imanaga a shell of the ace he was at the start of the season, Boyd is the best starting pitcher the Cubs have in their playoff rotation. While some fans wanted the Cubs to save Boyd for a winner-take-all game on Saturday, the North Siders had to win on Thursday first.
Game 4 was another reminder of how dominant Boyd has been at Wrigley Field this season. In just under 90 innings pitched at The Friendly Confines, Boyd has an ERA of 2.51 with opposing hitters slashing .209/.249/.341.
Suddenly, with a decisive Game 5 on Saturday in Milwaukee, it is the Cubs who have all the momentum. Especially when the offense on Thursday night looked like the offense that carried the Cubs to first place in the division during the opening months of the season. A shocking turn of events, considering how empty the Cubs looked during the first games of the NLDS.