Pirates hang on to win 3-2.

Cubs score one in the ninth and left the tying run on third. Soler & Baez strike out to end the game.

THE MAGIC NUMBER IS 0!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thrilled to see the Cubs back in the playoffs but I wish they could've clinched on the field with a win. Stupid Giants played a bunch of
AAA guys tonight and lost by 1.

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THE MAGIC NUMBER IS 0!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Looking like a play in game in Pittsburgh. Good news is that the home teams are 2-4 in those match ups and Pittsburgh is 0-2 the last two years.

Had a thought...any way you hold Arrieta back tomorrow and not throw him vs Pirates? I know they have seen him before but maybe that could give a little edge with them not seeing him so recently? Just an idea. Doubt that happens.

I think it depends on today's outcome. If we win today, Arrieta should go tomorrow. Win that one and we'd only be 2.5 games behind. We play KC on Monday and they've already clinched the division. Win that and it's a 2 game deficit with 6 to play for each team. Pittsburgh goes to STL next so I think there would still be a chance to catch them. If we end up tied, the WC game would be at Wrigley since we won the season series. If we lose today, I think you definitely push Jake back to Monday against the Royals.

Arrieta goes yard.

And he has 6 K's through 3 innings.

Perfect game/no hitter gone in the 7th.

Arrieta is the first Cub pitcher with 21 wins since Fergie Jenkins. Since June 21st he's hit two HR's and given up two HR's.

Also, win #90 tonight. I thought they had a chance to make a playoff run this season but I never expected anything like this in my wildest dreams. Let's hope this ride continues for another month and change.

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Arrieta is the first Cub pitcher with 21 wins since Fergie Jenkins. Since June 21st he's hit two HR's and given up two HR's.

Also, win #90 tonight. I thought they had a chance to make a playoff run this season but I never expected anything like this in my wildest dreams. Let's hope this ride continues for another month and change.

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Amen

Poll:

Rather play St. Louis or Pittsburgh in the WC?

Arrieta has dominated the Bucs this year in his 5 starts. So I lean them and would Iike the NLDS matchup vs Cards and their depleted roster.

Personally, I would rather play Pittsburgh in the WC game and give Arrieta the ball. Then have Lester pitch game 1 of the NLDS against St. Louis since he has a 2.59 ERA against them this season.

I want Pittsburgh in the WC game. I think we match up with St. Louis much better in a 5 game series. We've roughed up Wacha multiple times now plus they have some injury issues with Yadi Molina and Carlos Martinez.

Great article about how 9/28/11 got us to where we are today.

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2015/09/28/shepskowski-best-night-in-baseball-history-aided-the-cubs/

What has gotten into Castro??! I'll be the first to admit I wanted him gone at the deadline, but man he's making a strong case he's not done with this team in the future. Good problem to have.

Look what the FedEx man delivered today.

Those are beautiful

It's been 31 years since I last held Cubs World Series tickets in my hand. Hopefully I'll get to use them this time.

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I want Pittsburgh in the WC game. I think we match up with St. Louis much better in a 5 game series. We've roughed up Wacha multiple times now plus they have some injury issues with Yadi Molina and Carlos Martinez.

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don't forget that Dan Haren owns Lance Lynn

God forbid we have to rely on Dan Haren for anything in the playoffs.

to be clear, I'm not campaigning for Dan Haren to make the postseason roster... but with allowing 1 ER over 11-1/3 innings in his last 2 games vs stl, he has somehow discovered how to turn the cardinals' overachieving-marginal-pitcher juju against them

1 game back with 1 to play. If we end up tied with Pittsburgh the WC game will be at Wrigley.

Thrilled with 97 wins and a return to the playoffs.

Pissed that we can't even get a home playoff game and are stuck in a 1 game win or go home Wild Card scenario.

What a great season. I was looking through some of the videos on the MLB site, and there were a lot of great moments hitting, pitching, and fielding. Arrieta's season was nothing short of amazing.

Like I said earlier, I expected to be in a wild card race a year later than now. The Cubs put together what often would have been a division winning season, and the core group of players is young.

But even with optimism for the future, I'd hate for this postseason to be short. It will be a very nerve-wracking Wednesday.

So what's everyone's lineup look like for the WC game? I am torn on Coghlan vs Soler and/or Bryant in RF vs 3B.

CF Fowler
LF Schwarber
RF Bryant
1B Rizzo
C Montero
2B Castro
3B Baez
P Arrieta
SS Russell

Or

3B Bryant
1B Rizzo
C Montero
RF Coghlan
2B Castro

Jackson has been hot lately at the plate. Don't be surprised to see him get the start. Wouldn't surprise me to see Schwarber on the bench either.

6 of the 8 Pirates with at least 10 ABs vs Arrieta are below the Mendoza Line... including Aramis at 2 for 19 and Neil Walker at 4 for 25. The 2 above .200 are Marte (.235/.278/.235 in 17 ABs) and McCutchen (.348/.444/.435 in 23 ABs).

conversely vs Gerrit Cole, Bryant is 3 for 9 (with 6 Ks! and 2 BB) and Rizzo is .353/.450/.412 and Castro is .353/.368/.353 each in 17 ABs... in the way-too-small-sample-size category, Soler and Russell are each 2 for 7, Montero is 3 for 5, and Denorfia is 3 for 6... Fowler is the only other one with significant ABs vs Cole but is just .214 in 14 ABs.

that being said, my guess for Maddon's lineup is
CF Fowler
RF Coghlan
3B Bryant
1B Rizzo
2B Castro
C Montero
LF Denorfia
SS Russell
P Arrieta

with Schwarber, Baez, Soler, and LaStella all available off the bench among others

Denorfia? I'd rather start Baez at 3B and Bryant in LF.

Denorfia is my out on a limb over thinking of what Joe Maddon will do

97 wins - one of the best seasons in Cub history, and they're third in the division!

The NL Central is the SEC West of major league baseball.

Wow!

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First pitch in the Cubs Wild Card game tomorrow is 7:08pm, or 1908 military time. The last time the Cubs won the World Series was 1908. That's 107 years ago and tomorrow is 10/7.

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and back to the future 2..... don't forget about that