DYK? Cardinals-Cubs NLDS Game 3
Although the Cubs had their history-making ace on the mound on Monday night, it was their bats that made history in a victory over the Cardinals.
The Cubs put on a power display unlike any other team in postseason history to take a 2-1 series lead in their National League Division Series matchup against the Cards. From rookies teeing off to back-to-back jacks, Chicago made its mark on the postseason record books.
:: NLDS: Cubs vs. Cardinals -- Tune-in info ::
Here's a look at 10 of the top facts and figures to come out of Game 3.
• The Cubs' six home runs on Monday night set a postseason record for a single game. They surpassed the previous record of five, a mark held by five different teams (2005 White Sox, '04 Cardinals, 1989 Athletics, '84 Cubs and '28 Yankees).
• The Cubs not only hit six homers in Game 3, but each of the six came from a different player. No other team in postseason history had ever had more than four different players homer in the same game.
• Even when factoring in the regular season, the six players who left the yard tied a Cubs record. Monday night marked only the fourth game in franchise history, including the regular season, in which Chicago had six players hit home runs, the last of which came on Sept. 12, 1998, against the Brewers. The other two such games came on May 17, 1977 and Aug. 19, 1970, both against the Padres.
• More amazingly, perhaps, is that five of the six players to homer -- Kyle Schwarber, Kris Bryant, Starlin Castro, Anthony Rizzo and Jorge Soler -- are 26 years old or younger. Including the regular season, the Cubs are only the third team ever to have at least five players younger than 27 homer in the same game. The other clubs to do so were the 2013 Astros and the 1996 Brewers, both of whom accomplished the feat during the regular season.
Video: STL@CHC Gm3: Cubs hit six homers in win over Cards
• As for Soler, he successfully reached base in each of his four plate appearances on Monday and has yet to be retired in his young postseason career. Soler, who is now 4-for-4 with two home runs and five walks in the NLDS, has reached safely in each of his first nine postseason plate appearances. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, no other player had ever reached base safely in more than his first five postseason plate appearances.
Video: Soler reaches base in nine straight plate appearances
• One inning before Soler hit his two-run shot in the sixth, Bryant and Rizzo teamed up for back-to-back homers in the fifth. In doing so, they became just the second Cubs duo to hit back-to-back postseason home runs, joining Jody Davis and Leon Durham, who hit consecutive home runs in Game 4 of the 1984 NLCS.
• The Cubs had never had a rookie hit multiple home runs in one postseason prior to this year, but Schwarber and Soler have each accomplished the feat in 2015. Along with Monday night, Schwarber had also homered in Chicago's NL Wild Card Game victory over the Pirates, while Soler went deep in Game 2 of the NLDS.
Video: STL@CHC Gm3: Arrieta strikes out nine over 5 2/3
• While the Cubs' offense was busy making history, however, things weren't going nearly as smoothly on the mound. Chicago starter Jake Arrieta had his overall scoreless streak, including the regular season, snapped at 34 consecutive innings. He also allowed a run while pitching at home for the first time since July 25.
• Arrieta went on to give up four earned runs overall, his most in a single outing since June 16 against the Indians. That also happened to be the last time Arrieta had walked back-to-back batters, something he did to start the fourth inning in Game 3. Those consecutive walks to Stephen Piscotty and Matt Holliday on Monday night came after Arrieta had faced 88 straight hitters without walking a single batter.
• Teams that take a 2-1 lead in the LDS have gone on to win the series 39 out of 49 times (79.6 percent). That said, the last team to win Game 4 on the road, then return home to win Game 5 in the LDS was the 2013 Cardinals, who did so after falling behind the Pirates, 2-1.