NLDS Game 1: Javy Baez's eighth inning home run lifts Cubs in NLDS

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If this is the year the Chicago Cubs break their 107-year World Series drought, they might as well win their postseason games in style. They did just that Friday, taking Game 1 of the National League Division Series on a dramatic home run by infielder Javy Baez.
Baez proved to be the only offensive highlight in a game dominated by starting pitching. Both Jon Lester and Johnny Cueto matched each other the entire way, throwing up zeroes until the eighth.
In a game so tight, all it took was one swing of the bat to turn everything around. Baez delivered that in the eighth, hitting a solo home run into the basket in left.
With the narrowest of leads, Cubs manager Joe Maddon turned to closer Aroldis Chapman, who delivered a scoreless ninth to secure the Cubs’ victory.

Javier Baez provided the offense with a solo hime run for the Cubs. (AP) •*Javy Baez came through for the Cubs. The 23-year-old not only hit the go-ahead solo home run in the eighth inning, but he was the only player on the team who seemed to figure out Cueto. Aside from the home run, Baez also knocked a single earlier in the contest. He was the only Cubs starter with multiple hits, finishing 2-for-3, with one run scored and one huge RBI.
•*This was a pitcher’s duel, and Johnny Cueto led the way for much of it. Cueto was unhittable early. He carried a perfect game through the first three innings before Kris Bryant broke it up with a one out double in the fourth. He then continued to mow down a dominant Cubs lineup, going eight*excellent innings. Cueto gave up just three hits and struck out 10 during the outing. He was undone by one swing of the bat.
• Cueto was matched by Cubs starter Jon Lester, though. While Lester didn’t flirt with history in the start, he was just about as impressive. Lester held the Giants scoreless over eight innings. He allowed five hits and struck out five. Throwing to first base didn’t prove to be an issue either, as Lester made a number of great defensive plays from the mound.

•*There wasn’t much offense to speak of in this one, so no player had a particularly strong game at the plate. With that said, both Dexter Fowler and Ben Zobrist struggled mightily in Game 1. The two combined to go 0-for-6, striking out four times against Cueto.
•*On the Giants’ side, Brandon Belt couldn’t seem to get things going offensively. Belt went 0-for-3 out of the second hole, striking out twice against Lester.

It may have taken eight innings, but one Cub finally figured out Cueto. With one out in the eighth inning, Javy Baez smashed a 3-2 fastball from Cueto out to left field for the go-ahead solo home run. The ball looked to be crushed off the bat, but barely made it out, landing in the basket just beyond the ivy.

Jon Lester’s eight scoreless innings set the tone for Chicago. (AP) The excellent performances of both Cueto and Lester. Both aces brought their best stuff for this one, turning in a postseason pitching duel*for the ages. Given how well both players pitched, it was a shame one of them had to pick up the loss. The two pitchers combined to give up just one run over 16 innings. They gave up just eight hits and combined for 15 strikeouts.

Baez’s eighth inning blast proved to be a historic one for Chicago.

The Cubs have never won a postseason 1-0 game on a HR. Here is Chapman for the ninth.
— Jesse Rogers (@ESPNChiCubs) October 8, 2016
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Lester’s start was pretty good too.

Jon Lester: first #Postseason start of 8+ scoreless innings by a #Cubs lefty since Hippo Vaughn in Game 5 of 1918 World Series
— Christopher Kamka (@ckamka) October 8, 2016
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The Cubs will send Kyle Hendricks (16-8, 2.13 ERA) to the mound to take on Giants starter Jeff Samardzija (12-11, 3.81 ERA) in Game 2 of the NLDS. The contest will take place Saturday, Oct. 8 at 8:00 p.m. ET at Wrigley Field. It will be broadcast on FS1.
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik