ERA champ Hendricks prepared for G2 start

CHICAGO — Within a rotation that features a pair of two-time World Series champs and the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, it was the 26-year-old former Dartmouth economics major who was actually the stingiest of them all during the Cubs’ 103-win season.

And so it won’t be Jake Arrieta or John Lackey taking the mound for the Cubs in Game 2 of the National League Division Series against the Giants on Saturday, but rather Kyle Hendricks, who retooled his repertoire en route to posting the lowest ERA by (2.13) a starting pitcher this season. He’ll be opposed by Jeff Samardzija, whose departure in a midseason trade two years ago helped pave the way for Hendricks’ arrival to the big leagues.

First pitch on Saturday is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT. The game will be televised on MLB Network.

Game Date Time Matchup TV Gm 1 Oct. 7 SF @ CHC FS1 Gm 2 Oct. 8 8 p.m. SF @ CHC MLBN Gm 3 Oct. 10 9:30 p.m. CHC @ SF FS1 *Gm 4 Oct. 11 8 or 8:30 p.m. CHC @ SF FS1 *Gm 5 Oct. 13 8 or 8:30 p.m. SF @ CHC FS1 *- If necessary | All times listed ETShop for postseason gear: Cubs | Giants • Complete Postseason coverage

“To be able to pitch here in front of these fans, Game 2, it’s a dream come true,” Hendricks said. “Really, it was a dream come true last year just to be pitching in a playoff game. But for the team, for [manager] Joe [Maddon] to have confidence in me to hand me the ball for this game is big.”

Indeed, it’s not an unfamiliar stage, …

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