The Chicago Cubs have at least ensured themselves of a one-game playoff if they can hold on to the second Wild Card spot. But with a three game set with the Cardinals that started with a 9-0 pounding in game one, the Cubs are looking for more than just a one game playoff for the 2015 season.
The Cardinals have led the NL Central for most of the season without much of a threat from anyone else in the division. But in their last ten games, the Cards are just 5-5, as the Cubs look to take advantage and try to steal some games.
Well they started on the right track on Labor Day, after coming off a weekend sweep of the Diamondbacks. The offense gave Dan Haren an early 8-0 lead after just three innings and he ran with it and shut down the Cardinals for seven strong innings, allowing no runs on seven hits, walking two and striking out five.
Dexter Fowler led off the first inning with a line drive home run to right field, his 17th on the season to put the Cubs up 1-0. Then in the second, Fowler struck again as he hit a two-run double to left field scoring Starlin Castro and Addison Russell to put the Cubs up 3-0.
In the third, Anthony Rizzo doubled home Chris Coghlan, Miguel Montero then singled home Rizzo and Russell launched his 13th homer on the season, a three run shot, to put the Cubs up 8-0.
In the fifth, Haren hit a sac fly to center to score Montero to end the scoring for the Cubs. But that is all they would need as the pitching staff did their job in shutting down St. Louis.
The Cardinals still have a sizable lead over the Cubs at 7.5 games and 25 left, but with two more games left in the series, the Cubs can alter their future if they continue their current trend of winning baseball.
Exciting baseball in the NL Central……. stay tuned.
David Conde
David is the Co-Founder and Executive Editor of Legends On Deck®, as well as a Co-Host on Legends On Deck Podcast. David was a Senior Editor for MetsMerizedOnline.com, MetsMinors.net and Contributor for Hardballchat.com that spanned from 2010 to 2014. David made his MLB Debut as a writer in June 2014, while covering the NY Mets at Citi Field, for MetsmerizedOnline.com. David also coaches baseball for ages 13-15, a Babe Ruth League team in his local community. David's passion is coaching the game he loves to the future Legends of Tomorrow as well as making available a website that people can have fun sharing and reading. David is also passionate about his career as a Mortgage Loan Officer which allows him to help many families reach their dreams of owning a home. Connect with David via his Social Media pages as he loves to chat all about baseball.
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