Chicago Cubs at Washington Nationals Game 1 score, TV channel

They were challenged by an upstart and even younger Brewers team right into the final month and were as under-the-radar as the first Cubs team to be defending a World Series title in 108 years possibly could be.

The left-hander said he had been preparing to pitch in Game 3 at Wrigley Field until he was told Wednesday to get ready for Game 2.

Washington Nationals manager has named Stephen Strasburg as their starter for Game 1 against the Cubs, which was not unexpected.

Still, the way the Washington Nationals lost Friday night’s opening game of the best-of-five National League Division Series 3-0 to the Chicago Cubs makes you wonder if they ever will win a postseason series. The best defense is to keep them off base to begin with. This is a game. ” … But I don’t know, other than trying not to lose again, for me you realize you just got to get there”.

The 27-year old is entering his prime with his future securely set in Chicago, showing more of his potential with each passing start. He said he has no extra motivation about facing Chicago.

Strasburg allowed the two unearned runs with one walk.

“It’s good to have so many interchangable parts like that”, manager Dusty Baker said of his relievers. “Speed in general is important in the playoffs”. He allowed one earned run on two hits with eight strikeouts and five walks over six innings in a loss to the Cubs earlier this season. The Cubs were back to their recent October ways.

But the Cubs pitcher also surprised.

“Coming into this postseason, we have a “knowing” that we didn’t have previous year”, Maddon said. It seems the Cubs aren’t the favorites, but we’re all fine with that.

“Those are situations I want to be up in”, Rizzo said.

Arrieta, who strained his right hamstring on September 4 and missed his final regular-season start to rest up for the playoffs, threw a bullpen session Wednesday, and president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said it went well. Rendon and Murphy are big bats, but this team needs Harper at close to 100 percent. That they look like the team they did in the first half of the season. The victor of Game 1 in these best-of-five series wins the series 72 percent of the time.

Much like the Cubs, Washington knows what it’s like to wait for a championship. “But the health of Max, I think, is No. 1”.

While we do have what appears to be a premier pitching match-up, this game should turn into a battle of the bullpens. Hendricks was even better, giving up only two singles in seven strong innings. He also confirmed that lefty Gio Gonzalez will start Game 2 on Saturday.

At least until Game 2. While normally the game one start would go to postseason master Jon Lester, #Joe Maddon and the Cubs are going a different route with #Kyle Hendricks. “It’s one thing you really can’t take for granted”, Strasburg said, “and you’ve got to make the most of every opportunity you get”. Will this be the year we trade our disappointment for bragging rights?

The statuses of Scherzer and Arrieta (not to mention Harper) loom over this series.

Unlike No. 1 overall draft pick Strasburg, Hendricks went in the eighth round.

“He had that same look”, said Baker, with a grin Thursday.

In July, when the starting rotation was in question, the Cubs made the acquisition of left-handed pitcher Jose Quintana with the hopes he would establish himself in the rotation. “He’s a good athlete”.