Major League Baseball Playoffs: Cubs advance to NLCS; Dodgers force Game 5

The Cubs became the first team this season to move on to a championship series when they beat the Cardinals 6-4 on Tuesday in Game 4 of the NL Division Series at Wrigley Field.

Closer Hector Rondon, one of seven relief pitchers used by the Cubs in Game Four, replaced Pedro Strop to pitch in the ninth and sealed the win for the home team as the Wrigley Field fans erupted in celebration.

“They deserve it”, Rizzo said in the middle of the party.

The Chicago Cubs, whose 106-season title drought is the longest in North American sports history, became betting favorites Wednesday to win baseball’s World Series as they recalled a dubious anniversary.

On Monday, the Cubs set a Major League record with 6 home runs, the most-ever in a playoff game.

The Dodgers downed the host Mets 3-1 Tuesday to force a fifth game Thursday in Los Angeles to decide that series.

Chicago Cubs catcher Miguel Montero (47) tags out St. Louis Cardinals’ Tony Cruz (48) during the sixth inning of Game 4 in baseball’s National League Division Series, Tuesday, October 13, 2015, in Chicago.

The Cubs had their two-run lead back, and they didn’t let it go.

Anthony Rizzo homered to right in the bottom of the sixth, and Kyle Schwarber one-upped him, pelting a ball off the video board above the right field seats in the bottom of the seventh.

The Cubs said they will encase the ball in Plexiglas to protect it from the elements, and the team then will retrieve it after the postseason concludes.

“Eventually they (the Cardinals) did tie it up, but I don’t want to not be proactive in advance of the game being tied so I did what we did”.

Hammel settled down after giving up a two-run homer to Piscotty on the game’s fourth pitch.

At New York, Adrian Gonzalez singled in a run and Justin Turner doubled in two more in the third inning to put the Dodgers ahead 3-0.

Baez followed with a three-run homer and the Cubs jumped in front 4-2. With two New York runners on base in the eighth and the count full, he retired Murphy on a fly to right field, which brought the inning to an end. Fans paid an average of only $1,140.19 per ticket on the secondary market for World Series games at San Francisco’s AT&T Park past year. Hammel, the starting pitcher, lasted just three innings, but singled in a run.

“I’ll tell you what about our young guys”, said Maddon on the field after the game.