Matthew Boyd shook off a horrific outing in Game 1 and helped the Chicago Cubs force a do-or-die Game 5 on Saturday.
Mere days after failing to get out of the first inning in Chicago’s loss, the Cubs starter shook off the bad taste by throwing 4 2/3 scoreless innings in their 6-0 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the NLDS at Wrigley Field.
The Cubs knotted the series at 2. Game 5 will be at American Family Field on 8:08 p.m. ET.
Boyd struck out six and allowed just five baserunners while falling just an out short of his first career postseason win.
Matthew Boyd Survived The First Inning
The Cubs gave Boyd a lead in the first inning of Game 1 on Michael Busch’s leadoff solo homer, and the Chicago starting pitcher gave it right back by surrendering six runs and getting only two outs in their 9-3 loss Saturday.
So facing the end of their season for the second day in a row, and going up against Brewers ace Freddy Peralta for the second time in the series, manager Craig Counsell was watching Boyd closely in that first inning.
It which started inauspiciously with a leadoff walk to Brewers No. 1 hitter Christian Yelich, but Boyd got through the frame unscathed — striking out Jackson Chourio and retiring the Nos. 2-3-4 hitters in order.
“I thought the first inning was just so important,” Counsell said. “Yelich draws a walk, and then he made pitches. But just getting through the first inning was so important to Matthew’s outing.”
Boyd got himself into trouble in Game 1 by leaving off-speed pitches up while allowing three straight doubles to start the game. But in the first inning Thursday, Boyd attacked the Brewers with his fastball — he threw two in his three-pitch strikeout against Chourio and induced Brice Turang to fly out to left on a four-seamer to end the frame.
His six strikeouts were a playoff career high and his most in an outing since Aug. 26 against the San Francisco Giants. Counsell credited Boyd’s full mix of pitches for his success, since he used the fastball to finish four of his six Ks.
“What Matthew is so good at is that hard-soft combination that gets the hitter in between,” Counsell said. “Landing, whether it be the slow breaking ball or the changeup early [in counts], let him kind of play with the hitter’s timing and he did a nice job with it.”
Matthew Boyd Fed Off The Atmosphere At Wrigley Field
Perhaps it was pitching just 90 miles south of Game 1 that made all the difference for Boyd. The lefty was 12-1 with a 2.51 ERA in 15 starts at Wrigley Field during the regular season and has allowed just one earned run in nine postseason innings at the Friendly Confines.
So pitching in front of the 41,770 was a huge lift for Boyd, who felt it even before he took the mound.
“Jogging out to warm up, the fans in the bleachers are just going crazy for you,” Boyd said. “To look up … and the fans have your back 40 minutes before gametime, there’s nothing like that. It’s really special.
“They create a great environment here, and it makes it a great place to play when you’re a Cubby and a tough place to play when you’re not.”
Counsell was unaware that Boyd’s success was that overwhelming in Chicago. But he lauded his starter’s effort with the club’s back against the wall.
“He delivered a great one tonight,” Counsell said. “I know it was really important to him after Game 1, and he gave us exactly what we needed.”
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