Len & Bob's baseball blog

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* The Dodgers lead the best of 5 series 2-0. The Cubs have been down 0-2 six times in franchise history (prior to 2008) and have lost each series (2007 NLDS vs. Ari, 1998 NLDS vs. Atl, 1938 WS vs. NYY, 1932 WS vs. NYY, 1929 WS vs. Phi (AL), and 1910 WS vs. Phi (AL)). The Cubs are just 1-5 in Game 3’s when down 0-2 in franchise history. The Cubs have lost eight consecutive playoff games, extending their franchise-worst postseason losing streak. Their last postseason win was October 11, 2003 at Florida to take a 3-1 lead in the NLCS. * All four Cubs’ infielders made an error in Game 2, marking just the second time in playoff history that all four starting infielders committed an error in the same game. The only other time this has happened was in Game 1 of the 1934 World Series when the Detroit Tigers accomplished the dubious feat versus the St. Louis Cardinals. First Baseman Hank Greenberg (Hall-of-Famer), Second Baseman Charlie Gehringer (Hall-of-Famer), Shortstop Billy Rogell, and Third Baseman Marv Owen (2 errors), all committed miscues in an 8-3 Cardinals’ victory at Tiger Stadium. * The Cubs offense had just two extra-base hits in the first 15 innings of the series, before collecting four doubles in the final three frames on Thursday (all after the score was already 7-0 Dodgers). The Cubs have now scored just 24 runs in nine meetings with the Dodgers this season (2.7 runs per game) and have not scored more than five runs in any of the nine games. * Rich Harden went 10-2 with a 2.07 ERA in 25 starts (combined Oak & ChC) in 2008. Since 2005, Harden is 25-9 with a 2.56 ERA and opponents have hit just .192 against him (lowest opp. BA in ML since 2005, min 50 GS). Game 3 will be Harden’s second career postseason start (fourth appearance). * The Dodgers have been ahead 2-0 in a postseason series seven times (prior to 2008) in franchise history. Two of the last three times the Dodgers led a postseason series 2-0 they went on to lose the series (1978 WS vs. NYY – lost series 4-2, 1985 NLCS vs. StL – lost series 4-2, and 1988 WS vs. Oak – won series 4-1). * The Dodgers have won two straight postseason games, after dropping 12 of their previous 13. The Dodgers are 27-20 in the postseason all-time at Dodger Stadium, but have dropped six of their last seven postseason games at Chavez Ravine. * Manny Ramirez has gone 4-for-8 (.500) with 2 home runs and 3 RBI thus far in this series. Since the 2004 postseason, Ramirez (in 33 postseason games) has hit .355 (44-for-124) with 10 HR and 34 RBI. His 26 career postseason home runs are the most all-time. * Hiroki Kuroda went 1-1 with a 0.59 ERA in two starts versus the Cubs in 2008, including a 4-hit shutout (11 strikeouts) at Dodger Stadium on June 6. Kuroda has walked two men or less in 16 consecutive starts, dating back to a June 12 start at San Diego when he walked four men.

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* The Cubs struck first in yesterday’s contest, scoring two runs in the second inning, but the Dodgers responded with seven unanswered runs to win Game 1 7-2. * Los Angeles won its second postseason game in 14 tries since winning the 1988 World Series. The Dodgers seven runs were their most in a playoff game since also scoring seven in Game 5 of the 1988 League Championship Series against the Mets. * Chicago has now lost seven straight playoff games, the longest streak in franchise history previously held by Cubs teams that lost six straight between 1989 and 1998. * After the All-Star break, Chad Billingsley was 7-2 with a 2.99 earned run average, having won his last four decisions of the season. * Carlos Zambrano has never defeated the Dodgers in three starts at Wrigley Field with Zambrano has compiling a 5.12 ERA in the starts. However, in his one home start against Los Angeles in 2008, Zambrano allowed only one run in eight innings, earning a no decision in 2-1 Cubs win in 10 innings. * Russell Martin is 8-for-13 (.615 batting average) with one home run against Carlos Zambrano in his career. * In 13 career Division Series playoff games, Mark DeRosa is batting .429 (12-for-28) and slugging .714 (20/28). * With his seventh inning blast off Sean Marshall, Manny Ramirez became the first player in Major League history with 25 career postseason home runs.

Copyright 2008 STATS LLC

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* The Cubs have won five of the seven meetings between these clubs this season. * The Cubs are making back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time in 100 years and are in the playoffs for the fourth time since 1998. * The Dodgers have reached the playoffs for the 16th time since coming to Los Angeles in 1958 and will be looking to make it past the first round for the first time since 1988. Since beating Oakland in the 1988 World Series, the Dodgers have won just one postseason game (10/9/2004). * Joe Torre will be making his 13th straight postseason appearance as a manager and has more postseason victories (76) than any manager in Major League history. * In his last two starts at Wrigley Field, Derek Lowe has no decisions despite a 2.08 ERA in 13 innings of work. Overall, Lowe is 4-0 with a 0.50 ERA in his last six starts. * Ryan Dempster won a career-best 17 games this season and will be making his first career postseason start. * Manny Ramirez has hit 24 postseason homers with 14 coming on the road, both are the most all-time. * The Dodgers led the NL with a 3.68 ERA this season while the Cubs had the third-lowest ERA (3.87).

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Finally, the wait is over and it's playoff time. Who better to get you set for the Cubs-Dodgers matchup than Len and Bob? As always, our podarama can be downloaded to your iPod or mp3 player in the audio format, or you can watch our favorite pair via the video version. If you would like, you can watch the podcast on your computer right at your desk.

Thank for watching and listening - let us know what you think.

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Just a note of thanks to some important people as we get set for our final broadcast of the season. To all of our posters throughout the season, thanks for chiming in and in many cases, keeping us honest. We're not perfect and whenever we slip up, you're the first to let us know. We keep the WGN Baseball Blog up and running 365 days a year, so please continue to stop by throughout the post-season and into the hot-stove league season as well.

This has been an incredible year of Cubs baseball on WGN Sports and we hope you've enjoyed our coverage. Special thanks to our entire production crew, led by our Executive Producer (and Podfather) Bob Vorwald, Producer Pete Toma, Director Skip Ellison and Associate Producer Marc Brady. It's a total team effort and Bob and I can't thank them all enough for their hard work and for making us look and sound good on a daily basis. Today is Pete's final broadcast with WGN after 11 great years with the station. He is going to tackle some new challenges and we wish him nothing but the best. He'll always be a part of the WGN and Cubs' families.

From everyone at WGN Sports, thanks for watching every day--you're the greatest fans in sports. Enjoy October. We'll be right there with you cheering on the Cubs!

Len

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