Chicago first baseman Anthony Rizzo said on January 15th the Cubs would win the division. That title may have gone to the 100-win Cardinals and Wild Card home field advantage may have gone to the 98-win Pittsburgh Pirates, In the end, it was the 97-win Cubs who reigned over both division opponents.
Rizzo, Javier Baez and Kyle Schwarber all homered to knock the Northsiders past the Cardinals with a 6-4 win and National League Divsion Series victory in four games.
After the Cubs set a major league record with six home runs on Monday, they clinched their first playoff series at Wrigley in the 101-year history of the park.
Stephen Piscotty, who hit a two-run homer on the fourth pitch of the game to put the Cardinals on top, made the final out, missing on a Hector Rondon breaking ball in the dirt.
“I’ll be shocked if they’re not in the World Series or winning it,” said Piscotty.
Mike Matheny postgame highlights (:45)
John Lackey, Adam Wainwright and Kevin Siegrist (:37)