Albert Almora Jr. lined a two-run home run off Clayton Kershaw to give the Chicago Cubs a lead in the fourth inning, but the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied to come away with a 5-2 win in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series.
Pitching two days after a relief appearance, Jose Quintana faced the minimum through four innings. The Dodgers’ lone baserunner to that point came on Logan Forsythe’s one-out single in the second inning. It was offset by Austin Barnes grounding into a double play.
Quintana began the bottom of the fifth by striking out Kiké Hernandez. It was his eighth consecutive batter retired. But Forsythe followed with a walk, then Quintana walked Barnes to put two on with one out.
Yasiel Puig again turned the postseason into his own showcase by driving a booming RBI double off the wall in left-center field. It was accompanied by his patented bat flip.
Charlie Culberson, on the NLCS roster because of Corey Seager’s back injury, tied the game with a sacrifice fly. The five innings was it for Quintana as he gave way to Hector Rondon.
The right-handed reliever was added by the Cubs to their NLCS in lieu of the struggling Justin Wilson. Rondon promptly allowed a go-ahead home run to Chris Taylor. Then in the seventh, Puig led off with a fly ball of a home run to left field off Mike Montgomery.
It was noteworthy not only in that it came against a left-handed pitcher, but the homer was also Puig’s first in the postseason. Culberson later scored another insurance run on Justin Turner’s base hit to left field, though it was controversial in that replay overturned the out call.
Cubs manager Joe Maddon was irate after the replay center ruled Willson Contreras blocked Culberson’s path to the plate, and he got ejected. The Dodgers bullpen combined for four perfect innings to wrap up the 5-2 win.
