After a late night thriller in Game 1 with 13 combined runs, the Cubs only needed three runs to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates (67-63) in Game 2.
Kyle Hendricks (13-7, 2.09 ERA) went seven innings, giving up three runs, striking out four and walking only one. Hendricks has been consistently effective this year, throwing only 98 pitches, and a first pitch strike to 14 of the first 19 batters he faced. Lowering his league-leading ERA to 2.09.
Hendricks proved exactly why the Cubs nicknamed him “The Professor” by limiting the Pirates power hitters—Gregory Polanco, Starling Marte, Andrew McCutchen, and Josh Bell—to a 2-for-12 performance.