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Bring it on: Cubs-Cardinals rivalry will escalate to another level

PITTSBURGH – The National League’s marquee Midwest franchises have been playing each other since 1892 — with more than 2,300 games between Chicago and St. Louis — but the rivalry has never seen anything like this before.

The PNC Park fireworks during Wednesday night’s 4-0 wild-card win over the Pittsburgh Pirates will be nothing compared to the Cubs facing the Cardinals in their first playoff matchup ever.

“We’ll deal with the Cardinals tomorrow,” Theo Epstein said, completely soaked inside a raucous visiting clubhouse where cigar smoke hung in the air, champagne sprayed from all directions and loud rap music blasted from the sound system.