PITCHERS Kyle Hendricks and Travis Wood produced on the mound and at the plate Saturday to propel the Chicago Cubs to a 5-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants and a commanding lead in their Major League Baseball playoff series.
The Cubs, in search of their first World Series win in more than a century, lead the best-of-five National League Division Series 2-0 and will try to book their spot in the NL Championship Series in game three in San Francisco on Monday.
Wood, who took over on the mound after starter Hendricks was hit on the forearm by a line drive off the bat of Angel Pagan in the fourth inning, earned the victory – and also became the first relief pitcher since 1924 to belt a home run in the post-season.
In all the Cubs used six pitchers. Aroldis Chapman retired three straight Giants in the ninth, striking out two for his second save in as many games.
“Obviously the bullpen today was unbelievable,” said Hendricks. “They won that game.”
Before departing, Hendricks delivered a two-run single to spark the Cubs’ three-run second inning.
Jason Heyward belted a leadoff double in the second. Javier Baez walked and Willson Contreras lined a base hit to right to load the bases with none out.
Hendricks, a .138 hitter during the regular season, singled to shallow center to score Heyward and Baez.
Contreras reached third on Dexter Fowler’s sacrifice and came home on Kris Bryant’s base hit.
That gave made it 4-0 for the Cubs, who had put one run on the board in the first inning after Fowler doubled and scored on Ben Zobrist’s two-out single.
San Francisco responded with two runs in the third, pulling struggling starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija early for a pinch hitter.
Hendricks’ outing ended with two out in the fourth. Afer he was struck, he threw several warm-up pitches before it was decided he should seek treatment on his pitching arm.
“When it first hit me I didn’t really feel it,” he said. “Once I started throwing a little more off the mound it just was tightening up on me.
“X-rays were negative though, so hopefully it’s just a day-to-day thing.”