CHICAGO – Miguel Montero delivered one memorable swing, Javier Baez stole home with a daring dash down the line and Jon Lester turned in another steady performance.
Business as usual this year for the Chicago Cubs, who are off and running in the NL Championship Series.
Montero snapped an eighth-inning tie with the third pinch-hit grand slam in postseason history, and Chicago beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 8-4 in Game 1 on Saturday night, moving the Cubs a step closer to their first pennant in 71 years.
Right-hander Kenta Maeda failed to guide the Dodgers to a winning start, giving up three runs over four innings. Maeda did not figure in the decision but allowed four hits and three walks, surrendering a leadoff single to Dexter Fowler before Kris Bryant hit an RBI double to hand the Cubs the lead after eight pitches.
Maeda came close to tying the game in the top of the second inning with a two-out single to left with runners on first and second, but Adrian Gonzalez was tagged out at the plate, and Maeda struggled on the mound again in the bottom half of the frame.
Jason Heyward tripled and Baez doubled to shallow center to drive in another run before Maeda’s one-out wild throw advanced Baez to third. The Chicago second baseman then stole home, sprinting to the plate as catcher Carlos Ruiz tried to pick him off at third.
“I got caught on misplaced pitches,” said Maeda, who had two strikeouts in his 66-pitch outing. “I haven’t pitched well in the postseason and that’s due to my mistakes and lack of ability. I haven’t been able to pitch with conviction.”
Lester pitched six effective innings, and Fowler homered after making two diving catches in center field — breaking his belt on the second grab.
The win was Chicago’s first in the NLCS in 13 years. The Cubs were swept in four games by the New York Mets in last year’s NLCS. Lester & Co. are back again and already in better shape following a crazy eighth inning.
The Cubs led 3-1 until Gonzalez tied it 3-3 with a two-out, two-run single off Aroldis Chapman.
Ben Zobrist hit a leadoff double in the bottom of the eighth before pinch hitter Chris Coghlan was intentionally walked with runners at first and second and two outs, bringing up Chapman’s spot in the batting order.
“That was the right thing to do,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. “I probably would have done the same thing.”
Maddon sent up Montero, who drove an 0-2 slider from Joe Blanton, who took the loss, halfway up the right-field bleachers for his first hit of the playoffs.
“I trust Joe. I’ve trusted him all year long, he’s been great for us,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “Left a pitch up. . . . It just didn’t work out.”
The crowd of 42,376 at Wrigley Field roared as Montero rounded the bases and kept cheering until the veteran catcher popped out of the dugout for a curtain call.
“I never even thought I was going to hit at that point,” Montero said. “To be honest, I thought Maddon put me out there just to bring the lefty and get (Willson) Contreras to pinch-hit for me, and they didn’t bring the lefty for Contreras.”
Fowler homered on the next pitch as the Cubs rebounded quickly from a shaky bullpen performance. Hector Rondon allowed Andrew Toles’ RBI double in the ninth before Chase Utley lined into a game-ending double play.
Chapman retired Yasmani Grandal on an inning-ending groundout and was credited with the win.
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