Cubs Game 5 Preview: Can Chicago Escape From LA With the NLCS Lead?

The postseason continues for the Chicago Cubs with the National League Championship Series. To advance, the North Siders defeated the San Francisco Giants in dramatic fashion to win the NL Division Series. Now, the Cubbies are facing the Los Angeles Dodgers in a best-of-seven series. Here's your quick guide to what you need to know before the first pitch of Game 5 is thrown.

2016 NL Championship Series: Cubs vs. Dodgers

The best-of-seven series is tied, 2-2. Check out the Game 4 recap.

GAME 5

First Pitch: 7:08 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20

Where: Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles

TV | Radio | Streaming: Fox Sports 1 | 670 the Score (WSCR-AM), ESPNRadio 1000 (WMVP-AM) | Fox Sports Go

Pitching Matchup: Jon Lester (1-0, 0.64 ERA) vs. Kenta Maeda (0-1, 9.00 ERA)

Can Cubs Hitters Stay Hot in Game 5? If you asked a Magic 8-Ball that question, its answer would probably be, "Signs Point to Yes." The last — and only — time Dodgers starting pitcher Kenta Maeda faced the Cubs it was in Game 1 of the NLCS. He gave up three runs off four hits in four innings of work and picked up the loss. And that was before Anthony Rizzo and Addison Russell remembered they're supposed to be dangerous hitters at the plate.

Cubs Postseason History 101: The 13 hits in Wednesday's game marked the most Chicago has had in a single game during the 2016 postseason. In fact, the Cubs had more hits in the nine innings of Game 4 than they did in the 13-inning Game 3 of this year's NLDS. Game 4 also is in a three-way tie for the fifth spot on the list of Cubs postseason games with the most hits, according to the team stats on Baseball-Reference.com. Here's a look at that ranking:

• 2003 NLCS, Game 2 (16 hits)
• 1984 NLCS, Game 1 (16)
• 1945 World Series, Game 6 (15)
• 1908 World Series, Game 1 (14)
• 2015 NLDS, Game 3 (13)
• 1945 World Series, Game 1 (13)

Around the Playoffs

American League Championship Series: The Cleveland Indians defeated the Toronto Blue Jays in the series, 4-1. They will meet the winner of the NLCS in the World Series.

More Cubs Coverage on Patch

• Cubs Tie NLCS With Convincing Game 4 Win Over Dodgers
• Cubs vs. Hornets' Frank Kaminsky: Who Won Their Twitter Trash Talk Tussle?
• Dodgers' Adrian Gonzalez: Refusal to Stay at Donald Trump's Chicago Hotel a Private, Personal Matter
• Chicago Cubs 2016 Postseason Schedule
• Cubs Games Come on Too Late for Plainfield Girl, So She Writes to MLB Commissioner
• Are Bob Newhart and Lance Briggs the Best Celebrity Cubs Fans?

Images via Patch archives

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