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Kyle Hendricks' masterful start sends Cubs to World Series

CHICAGO — Rick Sutcliffe didn’t do it. Neither did Greg Maddux, Mark Prior or Kerry Wood.

When it comes to pitchers who have won a NLCS game to send the Chicago Cubs to the World Series, the list consists of exactly one member: Kyle Hendricks.

While many expected his counterpart Clayton Kershaw to turn in the night’s defining start, the 26-year-old righthander was brilliant instead. Hendricks threw 7 1/3 innings of scoreless baseball in the Cubs’ 5-0 win in Saturday’s Game 6, allowing only two hits while striking out six and walking none.

Contrast that to Kershaw’s night — five runs over five innings — and it’s not hard to see why the Cubs are advancing to face the Cleveland Indians in the World Series while the Dodgers are heading home.

“That was the best pitching performance I’ve seen,” teammate Kris Bryant said after the game. “He pitched exactly the way he wanted. Keeping them off balance, soft contact. He’s certainly the unsung hero of this team.”

Hendricks had a breakout season in 2016, leading the league in ERA with a 2.13 mark and turning in a 16-8 mark for the Cubs. And while he didn’t pitch poorly for the Cubs in his first two postseason starts, both paled in comparison into what he did with everything on the line in Game 6.

After giving up a single to Andrew Toles to start the game, Hendricks quickly induced a double play from the second batter, Corey Seager. Hendricks would go on to face the minimum amount of batters over the first seven innings, also picking off Josh Reddick in the second after the Dodgers right fielder reached on an error.

Hendricks benefited from failing to fall behind in many counts. Also helping matters was the Cubs offense, which got to Kershaw early and often, scoring in four of the first five innings.

“It allowed me to be more aggressive and attack that lineup a little more,” Hendricks said. “Once (catcher Willson Contreras) and I were on the same page and clicking, it was just like any other game.”

Hendricks came to the Cubs in 2012 as part of the deal that sent Ryan Dempster to the Texas Rangers at the trade deadline. Asked on Saturday if he could have ever envisioned Hendricks would one day send the Cubs to the World Series, GM Jed Hoyer referred to Hendricks’ calm approach to the game.

“The information we had that his makeup was off the charts, that’s why we made the deal,” Hoyer said. “His stuff is not eye popping. It’s about demeanor and execution and he has the intelligence to pull it off.”

Hendricks recorded one out in the eighth inning before allowing a single to Reddick. The Wrigley Field crowd booed as Joe Maddon came to the mound to remove him for closer Aroldis Chapman, but the boos quickly turned to cheers for the incredible performance that Hendricks turned in.

Hendricks was a focal point for teammates wielding champagne in the clubhouse after the game, but he was careful not to think his job was completely over. There’s still at least one start in the World Series for him to make.

“As good as this feels, as much as we’re going to enjoy it, we’re going to have fun tonight, but getting up tomorrow, we know what we’ve got to do come Tuesday,” Hendricks said.

Kyle Hendricks salutes fans after Game 6 (AP)
Kyle Hendricks salutes fans after Game 6 (AP)