After winning their first playoff game at home since 2003 last night, the Chicago Cubs made history today by clinching a playoff series at Wrigley Field for the first time ever with a hard-fought 6-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 4 of the NLDS.
It was a tight game, with Cubs pitcher Jason Hammel giving up two runs in the 1st inning on a Stephen Piscotty home run. But Hammel hammered back with an RBI single in the 2nd, which was immediately followed by a three-run homer from Javier Báez. The Cardinals tied it up in the top of the 6th, but the Cubs continued their impressive home run streak with solo shots from Anthony Rizzo and Kyle Schwarber, who knocked one out to land on top of the right field video screen. The Cards couldn't get another run after that.
The Cubs will now take on either the New York Mets or the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series, starting Saturday.
Like many others stuck at work when the game started at 3:30pm, we watched via Twitter.
Kerry Wood, wearing a No. 14 Ernie Banks jersey and Santo cap, threw out the first pitch before Game 4. #Cubs Getty pic.twitter.com/oqCP6X9Cqm
— Daryl Van Schouwen (@CST_soxvan) October 13, 2015
When #Cubs trail early / You are quite likely to see / Come from behind win
— Ed Nickow (@TheCubsInHaiku) October 13, 2015
1st inning has been toughest for #Cubs Hammel, who posted 5.23 ERA in 1st this season. Of 23 HRs he's given up, 7 came in 1st
— Carrie Muskat (@CarrieMuskat) October 13, 2015
Soler strikes out in 1st, ending his major league-record string of reaching in his first nine postseason plate appearances. #Cubs
— Jay Cohen (@jcohenap) October 13, 2015
2-0 Cards after top of the first. This is the most difficult start since the opening 10 minutes of the movie "Up".
— The Second City (@TheSecondCity) October 13, 2015
Hammel singles in a run from the eighth spot with two outs. I don't think that's analytics. #Cubs
— Rick Morrissey (@MorrisseyCST) October 13, 2015
.@javy23baez follows @HammelTime39's two-out RBI single with a three-run homer! #Cubs lead 4-2 in the 2nd! #LetsGo
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) October 13, 2015
During in-game TV interview, #Cubs Maddon said once it got to be 2 outs in 2nd, opted to let Hammel hit. "He can hit the ball a little bit"
— Carrie Muskat (@CarrieMuskat) October 13, 2015
The best way to predict the future is to create it. #MobUpChicago #Cubs pic.twitter.com/p8lk1ZQYqo
— Chicago History (@Chicago_History) October 13, 2015
We turn on the @Cubs game and @krisvire and @bykotecki won't get back to work. #FlyTheW, I guess. #chigram pic.twitter.com/VTSSGmyFSx
— Time Out Chicago (@TimeOutChicago) October 13, 2015
Things are tightening up on the North Side. #Cubs #CubsTalk https://t.co/PNvoFptZd0
— Comcast SportsNet (@CSNChicago) October 13, 2015
Cards tie game at 4-all, but Jorge Soler prevents go-ahead run from scoring. #Cubs #CubsTalk https://t.co/OqjAPiHUcV
— Comcast SportsNet (@CSNChicago) October 13, 2015
Cards score 2 in the 6th. This thing is locked tighter than a chastity belt. #cubs #MLBPlayoffs #FlyTheW
— The Second City (@TheSecondCity) October 13, 2015
.@ARizzo44 cranks an 0-2 pitch out to right field to put the #Cubs in front, 5-4 in the 6th! #LetsGo
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) October 13, 2015
HOLY S$&T .... Rizzo goes kaBOOM again .... Back to back HR's off Siegrist in 2 nites. #Cubs take 5-4 lead going T7th.
— Dan Plesac (@Plesac19) October 13, 2015
Anthony, how'd you hit that dinger? #Cubs pic.twitter.com/5U8ehd46Lg
— Mike Lavieri (@mlavieri) October 13, 2015
When the #Cubs hit a home run the fans hit #FlyTheW | Cubs lead 5-4 #CubsVsCards pic.twitter.com/WkU2wR4gR9
— Medill Reports (@MedillChicago) October 13, 2015
This is just amazing. Happy to have this bounty hunter on our side. #StarWars #Cubs #FlyTheW pic.twitter.com/pob4n89Lrr
— Marco Solis Martinez (@Jedi_Marcos) October 13, 2015
John Cusack, simmer. #cubs | @jkimpictures photo pic.twitter.com/MYjjOVEpRE
— Amanda Kaschube (@amandakaschube) October 13, 2015
Live look at my house. #cubs pic.twitter.com/tu99mDAF3U
— Jen Lada (@JenLada) October 13, 2015
Props to this guy for not letting the moment stop him from being the best kind of savage #Cubs pic.twitter.com/sZIxcFlkRv
— Doc Rhombus (@iTellBadJokes) October 13, 2015
.@kschwarb12 tacks on a run with a LARGE home run leading off the bottom of the 7th! #Cubs lead 6-4! #LetsGo
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) October 13, 2015
Any time I do something with power and authority, I'm going to call it a Schwarber #Cubs #CubsVsCards
— Bryan Bowden (@thebryanchamp) October 13, 2015
"You must chill. You must chill." -- Lloyd Dobler #Cubs pic.twitter.com/pysXNYj7lJ
— Don Van Natta Jr. (@DVNJr) October 13, 2015
Kyle Schwarber's HR had an exit velocity of 113 MPH... Hardest hit HR of any #Cubs player this year.
— Daren Willman (@darenw) October 13, 2015
Out of fairness, I will not declare the Schwarberization of that baseball. I do think he has earned his own pizza or hot dog. @Cubs #Cubs
— Doug Glanville (@dougglanville) October 13, 2015
My plane for Philly took off just as Schwarber launched that absurd home run. I think I'm going to land before the ball does. #Cubs
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) October 13, 2015
Bryant going into 3rd. #Cubs @Cubs pic.twitter.com/sG0DAd7JWT
— Robert Rubin (@TygerWDR) October 13, 2015
SCHWARBER Home Run is stuck up there pic.twitter.com/ZjOi99ztOj
— Chandler Parrish (@Chandyparrish) October 13, 2015
Hold onto your beers and charge your defibrillators! We're heading to the 9th. #Cubs lead 6-4.
— Harry Caray's Ghost (@GhostHarryCaray) October 13, 2015
The Cardinals have been eliminated by the World Series champion in each of the last three postseasons. Just saying. #Cubs
— Paul Casella (@paul_casella) October 13, 2015
Cubs win! #LetsGo to the #NLCS! Final: #Cubs 6, #STLCards 4. #FlyTheW pic.twitter.com/Sr0gg2eI7S
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) October 13, 2015
Final #Cubs 6 Cardinals 4 pic.twitter.com/0NBxkB7oGv
— Carrie Muskat (@CarrieMuskat) October 13, 2015
One. Step. Closer. #FlyTheW #Cubs #CubsTalk pic.twitter.com/Vp0QBqSJTU
— Comcast SportsNet (@CSNChicago) October 13, 2015
Cubs win!!! This is the year we figure out how many privileged north shore kids it takes to flip a car. #MLBPlayoffs #Cubs
— The Second City (@TheSecondCity) October 13, 2015
Third place in the NL Central. 😁 #FlyTheW pic.twitter.com/m1txQrweZq
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) October 14, 2015
Congrats @Cubs - even @whitesox fans are rooting for you!
— President Obama (@POTUS) October 14, 2015