Tonight, the Chicago Cubs played their second October 2016 game at AT&T park, otherwise known as Game 4 of the NLDS. And to shorten an extremely complicated picture, things did not look like they were headed their way.
After struggling to create anything resembling an offense for eight straight innings against Matt Moore, Bruce Bochy and the Giants turned to the bullpen for the final three outs of the game. And although the Giants’ bullpen had struggled mightily throughout the season, the Cubs had an extremely uphill battle to climb.
No seriously, their odds were down to just 2% (1.7% to be exact, but who needs that, you nerds):
The Cubs winning percentage was down to 2% in the bottom of the eighth and they came back and won.
— Michael Cerami (@Michael_Cerami) October 12, 2016
But the first three relievers couldn’t record a single out, and somehow Jason Heyward (the game winning run) found himself at second base with Javy Baez at the plate. And then, Baez did as Baez does, hitting a game winning single into center field:
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All in all, the Cubs scored four runs in the top of the ninth inning, which is apparently the largest ninth inning comeback in a postseason clinching game ever. Aroldis Chapman closed things out in the ninth, and the Cubs advanced to the NLCS for the second consecutive year. Eight more wins, and history might just be made.
Getting clutch.@WContreras40: https://t.co/IJMHZXVMRY@javy23baez: https://t.co/YwE2BOf8Hz #FlyTheW pic.twitter.com/CVYx1xR7OZ
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) October 12, 2016