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Cubs clinch the playoffs with Giants loss

If you're a Cubs fan who stayed up late Friday night, it was well worth your while.

The Cubs could not treat their fans to a clinching victory Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field, but close to midnight, they made the playoffs anyway as their magic number went to zero as the San Francisco Giants lost 5-4 to the Athletics in Oakland.

Earlier in the day, the Cubs fell 3-2 to the Pittsburgh Pirates before 40,432 amped-up fans, who watched a Cubs rally fall just short in the ninth inning.

But the math caught up with the Giants Friday night, and the Cubs clinched at least a wild-card spot in the National League. At worst, the Cubs will be the second wild-card team and face the Pirates Oct. 7 in Pittsburgh.

Either way, making the playoffs is a remarkable achievement for a franchise that was deemed at least a year away from making the playoffs as a massive rebuilding project neared fruition. The Cubs left Wrigley Field late Friday afternoon knowing they might make the postseason, but with a noon game scheduled for Saturday, most with the team seemed ready to get a good night's sleep rather than stay up and watch the Giants.

"I'd rather wait 'til tomorrow," said catcher David Ross. "We got a day game tomorrow. These old bones don't get up too early after having a late night of drinks. I may watch the game, but I may go to bed early. We got (a game) at noon tomorrow, so we'll have a little sleep-in Saturday night for Sunday. That's my hope."

Cubs manager Joe Maddon watched his team fall to 89-64. That put the Cubs 4½ games behind the Pirates (94-60) for the top wild-card spot and home-field advantage for the October 7 one-game playoff.

"Great game," Maddon said. "Yeah, we do, we both have something to play for. Great game today. Loved every second of it. Of course, you'd prefer winning it. As baseball goes this time of year, that's pretty fun to watch."

Cubs starting pitcher Jon Lester took on Pirates ace Gerrit Cole, who would likely start the wild-card game. Each pitcher worked 7 innings, with Lester (10-12) giving up 2 runs to Cole's 1 as Cole improved to 18-8. The Pirates went up 1-0 in the third before Addison Russell's forceout tied it in the bottom of the fourth. Pittsburgh pushed across single runs in the seventh and eighth.

The Cubs stranded two runners in the eighth, as Anthony Rizzo struck out. In the ninth, pinch hitter Chris Denorfia led off with a double to right against Pirates closer Mark Melancon (51st save). One out later, Starlin Castro tripled home Denorfia, but Melancon struck out Cubs youngsters Jorge Soler and Javier Baez. It didn't appear the Cubs were overwhelmed by the importance of the game or the atmosphere at the ballpark. Maddon has preached being on an even keel all year long.

"Guys have been on their game," said Lester, a veteran of pennant races from his days with the Red Sox. "Guys have stepped up. I think playing like this all year has helped guys prepare for now.

"I keep going back to the mindset of how these guys prepare every day for their starts or for the game. Every day is the same for them. They prepare the same. They show up ready to play, whether Joe gives them the day off or not. When you're prepared and ready to play, I've always felt like that nervous energy is easier to control or deal with while you're in the game."

Maddon, who has kept his team loose and relaxed - there was no batting practice again Friday - said he saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"I was happy with our group today," he said. "I thought that we were ready to play. I felt sameness, which I kind of liked. We had the right guy pitching for us today. The big thing was their pitcher and how do we beat their pitcher. That was the concern. We talked about it before the game. He was all of that. He's that good. We went toe-to-toe. They beat us by a run. Bully for them."

The Pirates will be in the postseason for the third straight year, so the scene surrounding Friday's game was nothing new to most of their players.

"We've played games like this," said manager Clint Hurdle. "Not like we haven't done it. Played a very good team on the road and got a great start from Cole."

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@BruceMiles2112.

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Chicago Cubs shortstop Addison Russell stops a ground ball hit by Pittsburgh Pirates' Francisco Cervelli during the first inning. Associated Press
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