Written by Ted Berg at USA Today.com
Five takeaways from the Cubs’ 3-2 win over the Dodgers in Game 4 of the NLCS at Wrigley Field on Wednesday:
1. Wade down
With a bullpen that owned a 6.35 ERA in the postseason entering play Wednesday, Joe Maddon leaned on closer Wade Davis for a two-inning save. Davis got the job done, but a shaky outing meant he required 48 pitches to get the six outs. That’s more than he threw in the outing against Washington in Game 5 that kept Davis out of the early part of the NLCS. Maddon said after the game that Davis would not be available Thursday. Given the length of his recovery after the last long outing, he could still be limited for a Game 6 in Los Angeles on Saturday if the series gets that far.
2. The Cubs still aren’t hitting
Javier Baez ended his postseason 0-fer with a two-homer night, but the Cubs managed only five total hits with no walks and 11 strikeouts in the win, and they’ve still yet to score off the Los Angeles bullpen in the series. Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo both struggled again in the Game 4 win. What the Cubs need to get back into the series in earnest is a laugher, an offensive breakout that takes some pressure off the shaky bullpen. What they’ve got is an absent offense and a matchup with Clayton Kershaw on Thursday.
3. The Dodgers’ bullpen keeps chugging
Starter Alex Wood went only 4⅔ innings, but the Dodgers’ bullpen continued mowing down the Cubs’ lineup. A ninth-inning single off Tony Cingrani marked only the third hit the Cubs have notched off Dodgers relievers in the series, and they’ve yet to score a run against the bullpen. Plus, manager Dave Roberts avoided using setup man Brandon Morrow and closer Kenley Jansen in the game, meaning he could likely ride them for up to four combined innings if Kershaw exits early on Thursday.
4. Justin time
Justin Turner went 2-for-2 with a homer and two walks in the game. Among all MLB players in history with at least 100 postseason plate appearances, the Dodgers’ hirsute third baseman is the all-time leader in on-base percentage and ranks third in OPS behind only Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth. Both he and Yasiel Puig have reached base more than half the times they’ve come to the plate in the series to date.
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