"Being able to win a game, especially against this team and in this park, it's so cool". Once again, the Cubs have done something they haven't done in over a century: their three consecutive playoff appearances is the first time they've accomplished that feat since 1906-1908. They said the only downside is that Wednesday night's game against the Cardinals will be played in St. Louis.

Where veteran big-game pitcher John Lackey fits into the plans now that lefty Jose Quintana has put together a lights-out September is also a big question to answer.

When Chicago Cubs shortstop Addison Russell took out a St. Louis Cardinals fan's plate of nachos while trying to catch a foul ball, the spectator had no idea he'd end up all over the internet.

"(Lackey) is one of the best people I've ever played with", Jon Lester said.

"It's a blessing to be in a situation to win a World Series on a team and win a division in a tough division the very next year", Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward said. Paul DeJong singled in the lone run for St. Louis. The Cardinals are 5-2 in their last 7 Thursday games, 5-2 in Lynns last 7 home starts and 1-7 in Lynns last 8 starts.

"If there's a reason to be concerned about the 2017 Cubs, it's that they don't have much depth underneath a starting rotation that was worked hard last season", he wrote. You pitch guys inside, sometimes they get hit. He was knocked around for eight earned runs on six hits with one strikeout and two walks in only two-thirds of an inning in an 11-6 loss at the Pirates his last start, watching his ERA to spike upward by a considerable margin from 3.07 before the game started.

"I think we're going to have a good time tonight", Lackey said.

Schwarber singled with one out in the 11th and Taylor Davis, who struck out in his first 3 at-bats, hit a two-out RBI double down the left-field line.

"We just have to keep winning", Maddon said.

The Cubs will head to Washington D.C. for a date with Bryce Harper and the Nationals in the National League Division Series beginning October 6.

A day after clinching their first playoff spot since 2010, the Twins are back on the field for an afternoon game at Cleveland.

There are a variety of reasons the Cardinals will miss the playoffs.

Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks pitched five scoreless innings in his tuneup for the division series against Washington.

We know which five teams will represent the AL in the postseason, but there's still some business to be taken care of. Hendricks and Lester were instrumental in winning the Fall Classic a year ago, and Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo anchor a unsafe offense.