Cubs, Lackey looking to close out Giants in Game 4 of NLDS
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After failing to sweep the San Francisco Giants Monday night in Game 3 of the National League division series at AT&T Park, the Cubs have the luxury of turning to John Lackey in Game 4 tonight.
Signed to a two-year, $32 million contact last December, Lackey will be making his 24th postseason appearance (21st start) when he takes the mound against the Giants.
As the 37-year-old righty said after an Aug. 3 start against the Miami Marlins, he joined the Cubs with one goal in mind.
“We're trying to win the World Series,” Lackey said. “I didn't come here for a haircut. You know what I mean? We're trying to get it on. I came here for jewelry.”
Lackey always seems to sparkle in the playoffs, and he was the St. Louis Cardinals' best starter in last year's NLDS against the Cubs.
Lackey shut down the Cubs in Game 1 with 7⅓ scoreless innings. Coming back on three days rest, he wasn't as sharp in Game 4, allowing 4 runs in 3 innings.
Over his 14-year career, Lackey is 8-5 with a 3.11 ERA in the playoffs.
“I've had several postseason starts, and one doesn't really affect the next one,” Lackey told reporters Monday. “You kind of know what to expect on the outside, like as far as the flyovers and all the more time in between innings and that kind of stuff. You know how to handle that, but once you get in the game it's another game, another challenge.”
Lackey faced the Giants once during the regular season in a Sept. 4 game at Wrigley Field. Making his first start since Aug. 14 after landing on the disabled list with a strained throwing shoulder, Lackey allowed 1 run on 1 hit in 5 innings.
Many Giants fans feel Matt Moore should have started Game 2 of the NLDS against the Cubs instead of Jeff Samardzija, who lasted just 2 innings.
Moore gets the ball in Game 4 opposite Lackey, and he'll try to get the series back to Wrigley Field for the deciding Game 5.
“I think every starter, you're excited for the opportunity to come up big for your team,” Moore said. “This has got to be the biggest reason why we play the game, why we start training early in November and getting ready for this month, for these series, these moments.”
Acquired in an Aug. 1 trade from the Tampa Bay Rays, Moore was 6-5 with a 4.08 ERA in 12 starts for San Francisco over the final two months of the regular season. The 27-year-old lefty did not face the Cubs this year.
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