The outcome, though, was just as Cubs fans hoped it would be, a Chicago victory.
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Ace Jake Arrieta gave up four runs and failed to make it out of the sixth inning — his worst start since mid-June, but his teammates more than made up for his sub-par outing.
Cubs hitters blasted a half-dozen home runs, setting a major league postseason single-game record, and the home team beat the Cardinals 8-6 in Game 3 of the NLDS to grab a 2-1 series lead.
Kyle Schwarber hit the first Chicago homer, a solo shot to left-center in the second. That put the Cubs up 1-0.
Starlin Castro hit the second one, another solo shot. This one tied the score 2-2 in the fourth inning.
Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo went back-to-back in the fifth. Both were mashed, and when the crowd finally simmered down, the Cubs led 5-2.
The next one was the backbreaker. Jorge Soler continued to torment the Cardinals in this series with a two-run blast off Adam Wainwright. That one gave the Cubs a 7-4 lead, and it was the ninth time in nine plate appearances in this series that Soler had reached base—two homers, a double, a single and five walks.
Dexter Fowler added the finishing touch with a solo shot to right off Jonathan Broxton in the eighth. That gave Chicago an 8-4 lead.
