Cubs @ Pirates: Arrieta vs. Cole (Game 163; NL Wild Card Game)
This is it--one game, four years in the making.
CHC (97-65): RHP Jake Arrieta (22-6, 1.77)
PIT (98-64): RHP Gerrit Cole (19-8, 2.60)
First pitch: 7:00pmCT
Arrieta is 3-1 with a 0.75 in his five starts against the Pirates this year--that is, 3 ER in 36 innings. They are batting .151 with no HRs in those games. He’s 2-0 with a 0.82 in the three games at PNC. For his career, these Pirates are 31-176 (.176) against him. McCutchen is the only real threat (8-23, .348).
Cole is 2-1 with a 2.13 in four games against the Cubs this year, three of which were at Wrigley. They are batting .225 against him. The Cubs are 36-126 (.286) against him, overall: Fowler (3-14, .214), Schwarber (1-5, .200), Bryant (3-9, .333), Rizzo (6-17, .353), LaStella (1-6, .167), Castro (6-17, .353), Montero (3-5, .600), and Russell (2-7, .286).
Arrieta has not pitched in the postseason. Cole pitched twice in the NLDS in 2013, going 1-1 with a 2.45 against the Series-bound Cardinals. (He won Game 2 and lost Game 5.)
If the Cubs win, they’ll play in St. Louis on Friday. If they lose, they’ll be playing in March in Arizona.
Parachat will be happening--leave your shoes and sense of decorum at the door.
Go Cubs!
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