The Chicago Cubs got blanked in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series, a tough 12th time they’ve been shut out in 132 post-season games. But if you’re writing them off for tonight’s Game 2, you better hit pause because their history after getting shut out is seriously something else.
Don’t Blink: Cubs Are Like Post-Season Comeback Kings After a Blanking
Seriously, after getting shut out in a post-season game, the Cubs have a knack for bouncing back. Excluding the one time it happened in a final series game, they’ve gone 7-3 in the very next game. And get this: on the road, where they are tonight, that record jumps to 5-1! They’ve won all three times they were blanked on the road and then faced the same team in the next game, also on the road. Remember 2016? They dropped Game 3 of the Championship Series to the Dodgers 6-0, then came back and stomped ’em 10-2. Then they lost Game 1 of the World Series to the Indians, 5-1, but followed that up with a win. Last year, they lost Game 2 of the Wild Card Series 3-0 to these very same Padres, then turned around and beat them 3-1 at home. The stats don’t lie, these guys know how to respond to getting shut down.
Game 2 Road Woes vs. The Pitching Puzzle
While their post-shutout history is strong, the Cubs do have a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to Game 2s overall. In the post-season, they’re 10-17 in second games. On the road, it gets even tougher, with a 3-11 record. Yeah, two of those wins were the big ones in St. Louis and Cleveland mentioned earlier, plus way back in the 1906 World Series. BUT, in the regular season this year, after losing Game 1s, they were 14-12 in Game 2s. On the road? That was 8-6, including a win right there in San Diego back on April 28. So, there’s a modern silver lining.
Tonight, it’s Kevin Gausman for the Cubs against Nick Pivetta for the Padres, and it’s a huge matchup. Gausman was brought in for his post-season experience, and he’s got it: six appearances, five starts, 30.2 innings, and a 2.93 ERA in last year’s post-season with the Blue Jays. He’s had some good moments as a Cub, but honestly, he’s been a bit of a disappointment overall. Plus, he’s coming off a minor injury to his non-throwing shoulder from his last start a week ago at Wrigley. He faced the Padres on July 12 at Petco Park, giving up three runs in six innings with eight strikeouts. If he can pull off a repeat of that, it might just be enough to push this series to a Game 3.
For the Padres, Pivetta is almost a total mystery this year. He missed basically the entire season from mid-April until early September with a right flexor strain. But since he’s been back for four starts, he’s been lights out: a 1.45 ERA, a 0.911 WHIP, and just two walks in 18.2 innings. He hasn’t faced the Cubs this year, but current Cubs players have hit him for a .252 average with seven homers, including two each from Dansby Swanson and Michael Conforto. What’s wild is his extreme reverse splits this year: a .442 OPS against lefties but a .704 OPS against righties. It’s a small sample size, sure, but it’s something to watch. This guy could be lights out or totally unpredictable.
Tonight is everything for the Cubs. Can Gausman deliver the post-season performance he was traded for? Will Pivetta’s improbable return continue to dominate? A win forces a Game 3, keeping their season alive and proving that getting shut out in Game 1 was just a blip. A loss, and it’s all over, just like that. Get ready for some high-stakes baseball!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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