| 2017 National League Championship Series | ||||||||||
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| Dates | October 14–19, 2017 | |||||||||
| MVP | Justin Turner andChris Taylor (Los Angeles) | |||||||||
| Umpires | Lance Barksdale (Games 1–2) Eric Cooper (Games 3–5) Alfonso Márquez,Todd Tichenor,Bill Welke,Mike Winters (crew chief),Jim Wolf | |||||||||
| Broadcast | ||||||||||
| Television | TBS | |||||||||
| TV announcers | Brian Anderson,Ron Darling andSam Ryan | |||||||||
| Radio | ESPN | |||||||||
| Radio announcers | Dan Shulman andAaron Boone | |||||||||
| NLDS |
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The2017 National League Championship Series was abest-of-seven playoff inMajor League Baseball’s2017 postseason pitting the overall #1 seedLos Angeles Dodgers against the defending World Series champion and third-seededChicago Cubs for the National League pennant and the right to play in the2017 World Series. The series was a rematch of the2016 NLCS, which Chicago won four games to two en route to their firstWorld Series victory since 1908. This was just the 10th time two teams have met in at least two straight League Championship Series, which have existed since divisional play began in 1969.[1] The series was the 48th in league history. The Dodgers beat the Cubs in five games to win the NL pennant for the first time in 29 years, their last one in 1988.
This was the first time in history that the NLCS andALCS teams were from the fourmost populous U.S. cities: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Houston.[2]
For the first time,Major League Baseball soldpresenting sponsorships to all of its postseason series; this NLCS was sponsored byCamping World and was officially known as theNational League Championship Series presented by Camping World.[3][4]
The Dodgers would go on to lose to theHouston Astros in theWorld Series.
This was the Dodgers' second consecutive appearance in the National League Championship Series, and 12th all-time (with this being their third appearance in the past five seasons). In 2016, they lost in six games to the Chicago Cubs, the eventualWorld Series winner. By having the best regular season record in the NL and MLB, the Dodgers held home-field advantage throughout the entire playoffs.
This was the Cubs' third consecutive appearance in the NLCS. In2015, they were swept in four games by the New York Mets. In2016, they defeated the Dodgers (4–2) in six games, eventually going on to win their first World Series since1908.[5]
This was the third postseason meeting between the Cubs and Dodgers. The clubs have split their two previous postseason meetings. Los Angeles swept Chicago in the2008 NLDS (3–0) and the Cubs defeated the Dodgers in the 2016 NLCS in six games (4–2).
This was just the tenth time two teams have met in at least two straight League Championship Series, which have existed since divisional play began in 1969. The last time two teams met in the NLCS consecutive years was back in2008 and2009, in which the Phillies defeated the Dodgers in five games on both occasions (4–1). The last time a team avenged an NLCS loss with an NLCS win against the same opponent the following year was the Astros over the Cardinals in2005 (4–2) after losing to the Cardinals in2004 (4–3).
The Dodgers offense took a big hit before the series even began when All-Star shortstopCorey Seager was left off the NLCS roster as a result of a back injury suffered in game three of the division series.[6]
Los Angeles won the series, 4–1.
| Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | October 14 | Chicago Cubs – 2,Los Angeles Dodgers – 5 | Dodger Stadium | 3:24 | 54,289[7] |
| 2 | October 15 | Chicago Cubs – 1,Los Angeles Dodgers – 4 | Dodger Stadium | 3:20 | 54,479[8] |
| 3 | October 17 | Los Angeles Dodgers – 6, Chicago Cubs – 1 | Wrigley Field | 3:39 | 41,871[9] |
| 4 | October 18 | Los Angeles Dodgers – 2,Chicago Cubs – 3 | Wrigley Field | 3:15 | 42,195[10] |
| 5 | October 19 | Los Angeles Dodgers – 11, Chicago Cubs – 1 | Wrigley Field | 3:06 | 42,735[11] |
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Los Angeles | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | x | 5 | 8 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| WP:Kenta Maeda (1–0) LP:Héctor Rondón (0–1) Sv:Kenley Jansen (1) Home runs: CHC:Albert Almora Jr. (1) LAD:Chris Taylor (1),Yasiel Puig (1) Attendance: 54,289 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Being without All-StarCorey Seager for the series, the Dodgers used journeymanCharlie Culberson at shortstop in Game 1 for just his second start of the season.
Albert Almora hit a two-runhome run offClayton Kershaw in the fourth inning. Cubs' starterJose Quintana held the Dodgers offense to just one baserunner through four innings. However, the Dodgers tied the game in the fifth inning with aYasiel Puig double and Culbersonsacrifice fly after two consecutive walks.Chris Taylor and Puig hit solo home runs in the sixth and seventh offHector Rondon andMike Montgomery, respectively. With two runs batted in, Puig became the first Dodger to have three multi-RBI game in the team's first four postseason games sinceDusty Baker in 1977.[12]
After Puig's home run, Culberson doubled and was tagged out at home trying to score onJustin Turner's single offJohn Lackey. Chicago managerJoe Maddon was ejected from the game by Home plate umpireLance Barksdale after the Dodgers challenged the call, which was overturned upon video review and gave Los Angeles a 5–2 lead. Culberson was determined to have had his path to home plate blocked by Cubs catcherWillson Contreras before he had possession of the ball.[13]
Kershaw allowed four hits and two runs in five innings of work before the Dodgers bullpen held the Cubs hitless over the next four innings.Kenta Maeda earned the win, getting two groundouts and a lineout on five pitches.Kenley Jansen struck out all four batters he faced to earn his third save this postseason.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Los Angeles | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| WP:Kenley Jansen (1–0) LP:Brian Duensing (0–1) Home runs: CHC:Addison Russell (1) LAD:Justin Turner (1) Attendance: 54,479 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In the second game,Jon Lester andRich Hill each pitched four scoreless innings before allowing solo runs in the fifth, a solo homer byAddison Russell in the top half and a two-out RBI single by Justin Turner after a leadoff double byCharlie Culberson. The bullpens kept the game tied until the bottom of the ninth when Turner hit a walk-off three-run home run offJohn Lackey after walks toYasiel Puig offBrian Duensing andChris Taylor off Lackey.[14]It was the Dodgers' first walk-off homer in the post-season sinceKirk Gibson's homer in game one of the1988 World Series, exactly 29 years prior.[15]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Chicago | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| WP:Yu Darvish (1–0) LP:Kyle Hendricks (0–1) Home runs: LAD:Andre Ethier (1),Chris Taylor (2) CHC:Kyle Schwarber (1) Attendance: 41,871 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The series moved toWrigley Field inChicago for Game Three.Kyle Schwarber homered offYu Darvish in the first inning to give the Cubs an early lead, but it was the only run Darvish allowed in 61⁄3 innings, while he struck out seven Cubs batters.Andre Ethier, making his first start of the post-season, tied the game up with a solo home run in the second offKyle Hendricks and Chris Taylor homered in the third to put the Dodgers ahead 2–1. The team added on against the Cubs' pitching staff.Joc Pederson doubled to lead off the fifth and scored onChris Taylor's triple. Next inning, the Dodgers put two on with no outs off Hendricks, who was relieved byCarl Edwards. Edwards walked two to force in another run. In the eighth,Mike Montgomery allowed a leadoff walk and single, then threw two wild pitches that allowed another run to score beforeKyle Farmer's sacrifice fly made it 6–1 Dodgers. Their bullpen continued to shut down the Cubs and this was the sixth straight post-season game they won, a franchise record.[16]
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Chicago | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | x | 3 | 5 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| WP:Jake Arrieta (1–0) LP:Alex Wood (0–1) Sv:Wade Davis (1) Home runs: LAD:Cody Bellinger (1),Justin Turner (2) CHC:Willson Contreras (1),Javier Báez 2 (2) Attendance: 42,195 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In game four,Jake Arrieta struck out nine batters over 62⁄3 innings in game five for the Cubs while Dodgers starterAlex Wood struck out seven in 42⁄3 innings. All the runs in the game were on solo homers.Cody Bellinger and Justin Turner for the Dodgers in the third and eighth off Arrieta andWade Davis, respectively.Willson Contreras hit one in the second andJavier Báez hit two home runs in the second and fifth for the Cubs, who staved off elimination with a 3–2 win, despite managerJoe Maddon being ejected for the second time this series. Davis pitched the last two innings for the save.[17]
This would be the last Cubs’ postseason victory of theTheo Epstein-era (2012-2020).
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 16 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Chicago | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| WP:Clayton Kershaw (1–0) LP:José Quintana (0–1) Home runs: LAD:Enrique Hernández 3 (3) CHC:Kris Bryant (1) Attendance: 42,735 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Dodgers jumped on top in Game 5 offJose Quintana whenChris Taylor drew a leadoff walk in the first and scored onCody Bellinger's one-out double. A home run in the second byEnrique Hernández made it 2–0 Dodgers. Next inning, Taylor hit a leadoff double and scored onJustin Turner's single. Quintana allowed two more singles to load the bases with no outs.Hector Rondon in relief struck outLogan Forsythe, but Hernandez blew the game open with a grand slam, becoming only the fourth Dodger to hit a postseason grand slam (joiningRon Cey andDusty Baker from the1977 NLCS andJames Loney in the2008 NLDS). Next inning, Forsythe's two-run double offJohn Lackey made it 9–0 Dodgers.Kris Bryant scored the Cubs' only run via a solo home run in the fourth. Every run scored by the Cubs in this series was via home runs.[18] Hernandez's two-run home run in the ninth offMike Montgomery extended the Dodgers' lead to 11–1. His seven RBIs in the game set a NLCS record.Kenley Jansen retired Bryant,Anthony Rizzo and Contreras in the bottom of the 9th inning as the Dodgers won the pennant and went to their first World Series since1988.Chris Taylor andJustin Turner were votedco-MVPs of the series. As for Chicago, their World Series reign was over.[19] This was the third straight year the National League pennant winning team clinched atWrigley Field.
2017 NLCS(4–1):Los Angeles Dodgers beatChicago Cubs
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Chicago Cubs | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 24 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 1 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 28 | 42 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Total attendance: 235,569 Average attendance: 47,114 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Dodgers +20 run differential for the entire series is tied for the fourth largest in a postseason series.[20]