Cubs need Hendricks to step up in Game 2 of NLDS
ST. LOUIS - Jake Arrieta continued to amaze in the Chicago Cubs' 4-0 wild-card win over the Pirates Wednesday night.
Jon Lester followed Arrieta to the mound in Game 1 of the National League Division Series Friday at Busch Stadium, and the $155 million left-hander pitched well enough to win but was not quite able to match Cardinals counterpart John Lackey at Busch Stadium.
Long before the postseason started, the Cubs felt very good about Arrieta and Lester at the top of the rotation.
Now, it's time to check the second tier.
Kyle Hendricks gets the ball in Game 2 of the NLDS today, and he's at least built up some momentum heading into the biggest start of his career.
In his last two outings of the regular season, Hendricks (8-7, 3.95 ERA) pitched 6 scoreless innings against the Brewers last Saturday and 6 scoreless innings against the Royals on Sept. 28.
Against Milwaukee, the 25-year-old right-hander allowed only 1 hit and had 8 strikeouts. Against Kansas City, he allowed 2 hits and had 9 strikeouts.
"As far as how I was pitching and the pitches I was making, I felt a lot better in my last two starts," Hendricks said. "I was finally getting the ball down with some angle. So I'm just trying to build off that, stay in that same zone, stay in my lane and just make good pitches tomorrow."
Hendricks made only one start against St. Louis this season, allowing 4 runs on 6 hits in 5 innings during a 7-4 loss at Busch Stadium on May 5.
Manager Joe Maddon has a feeling the Cardinals are going to see a different pitcher the second time around.
"Really sharp strike throwing, if that makes any sense," Maddon said of Hendricks' late finishing kick. "He was better in better counts, just more strike throwing with that sinker and fastball, and that set up his changeup and the use of his breaking ball."
Jaime Garcia starts Game 2 for St. Louis, and he makes his first appearance against the Cubs since early in the 2012 season.
"I haven't even seen him pitch in person," Maddon said. "I've watched him from a distance, I know how good he is. It can somewhat work in his favor, I would think. If I had to project upon it, I would think that it should.
"We will do our homework on him, but I think when a pitcher faces a group of hitters for the first time, he should have an advantage with that."
Garcia, 10-6 with a 2.43 ERA in 20 starts this season, has been sidelined with a variety of injuries the past three years.
The 29-year-old lefty has been solid since joining St. Louis' rotation in late May, and Garcia is 5-2 with a 1.70 ERA in 10 starts at home.
"There is always room for improvement, but I feel like I've been doing a pretty good job this whole season of not letting how I feel physically or mentally define what I'm going to," Garcia said. "My goal is when I take that mound, no matter when it is, go out there and basically compete until the manager takes the ball out of my hand."
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