Seven years ago today, Jake Arrieta and the Chicago Cubs defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2015 Wild Card Game.
Jake Arrieta was one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball in 2015. With him on the mound, it felt like the Cubs could’ve beaten anyone in a winner-take-all game. Unfortunately for the Pittsburgh Pirates, they ran straight into the buzzsaw that was Jake Arrieta.
Before the game, Jake Arrieta sent a tweet that perfectly encapsulated how much confidence he had going into that matchup.
Naturally, Jake Arrieta threw a complete game shutout as the Cubs won 4-0. Arrieta finished the game with 11 strikeouts and allowed only four hits. The Cubs seemed to be in command for the entire game. Momentum swung hugely in the Cubs’ direction early on when Kyle Schwarber hit one of the most colossal home runs in franchise history.
Rookie Kyle Schwarber drove in three runs in this game – his first playoff game. Dexter Fowler managed to score three times, including a solo home run in the 5th inning. Sadly, these two players would collide with each other at the beginning of the following season. That would cause Schwarber to miss nearly all of 2016 with an ACL tear until his triumphant World Series return.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have not returned to the playoffs since this game. For the Cubs, this game was their first playoff win since 2003. This core went on to make the playoffs in each of the next three seasons and then again in 2020. Of course, the Cubs would win the World Series the following year in 2016. The legendary 2015 Wild Card Game is where this memorable playoff run all began.
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