Cubs' Lester says he was prepared to pitch Game 5

Jon Lester will be the starting pitcher for the Chicago Cubs in Saturday's opening game of the National League championship series at Wrigley Field against either the Los Angeles Dodgers or Washington Nationals.

Had the Cubs lost Tuesday at San Francisco, Lester would have been the Game 5 starter against the Giants. He said that was something he was mentally preparing for.

"Yeah, after Game 1, you've got to prepare," he said. "I do my normal workout. I do my normal routine. You can't take any days off in the playoffs. You've got to prepare like you've got a next start. If you don't, that's when it sneaks up on you, and that's when you get in trouble."

The kids can play:

Cubs president Theo Epstein always has been willing to tip his cap to former general manager Jim Hendry and his staff for drafting or signing such young players as Javier Baez and Willson Contreras. Epstein did so again Tuesday night.

Both Baez and Contreras figured prominently in Tuesday night's rally that helped the Cubs beat the Giants 6-5 to win the division series. Contreras singled home the tying runs in the ninth inning, and Baez singled home the game-winner.

"He had a great series in just all phases of the game: baserunning, defense, the quality of his at-bats," Epstein said of Baez. "All our young guys - Willson Contreras, what an unbelievable job there in the ninth inning.

"Those two guys in particular have come such a long way. Albert (rookie Almora) contributed. It was a teamwide effort - young players, veterans. It was something to behold."

This and that:

At 39, David Ross became the oldest catcher to homer in a postseason game and the oldest player in Cubs history to homer in a postseason game. The previous mark for the oldest Cub was held by Moises Alou in Game 7 of the 2003 NLCS. … Willson Contreras recorded the fourth game-tying hit in the ninth inning or later in Cubs postseason history, joining Kris Bryant, Sammy Sosa and Frank Chance. …

Tuesday's victory in Game 4 of the NLDS marked the third time in franchise history the Cubs won a postseason game when trailing after eight innings. The previous time was 1910. … The Cubs were the second team to come back from a 3-run deficit in the ninth inning to win a postseason series clincher, joining the 1986 New York Mets (NLCS).