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Hendricks dials in to help deliver pennant to Cubs
- Updated: October 23, 2016
CHICAGO — The text arrived early Saturday, just as it does on the morning before each of the son’s starts. John Hendricks scripts it to be simple — “You don’t want to clutter him” — and positive, hoping it’s a reminder that Dad is watching and rooting and so very proud.
“Good luck tonight,” started the message to a 26-year-old about to make the biggest start of his life. “Remember, great mechanics and preparation will prevail. Just let it go.”
• Get official gear: Go, Cubs, going to World Series!
Hours later, cramped inside Wrigley Field among the sellout crowd of 42,386, John Hendricks watched through a father’s eyes as his son, Kyle, carved up the Dodgers’ lineup over 7 1/3 innings to lift the Cubs to a 5-0 victory in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series. The win sent the franchise to its first World Series since 1945.
• World Series Game 1: Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. ET air time/ 8 ET game time on FOX
Game Date Matchup Highlights Gm 1 Oct. 15 CHC 8, LAD 4 Gm 2 Oct. 16 LAD 1, CHC 0 Gm 3 Oct. 18 LAD 6, CHC 0 Gm 4 Oct. 19 CHC 10, LAD 2 Gm 5 Oct. 20 CHC 8, LAD 4 Gm 6 Oct. 22 CHC 5, LAD 0 • NLCS coverageShop for postseason gear: Cubs | Dodgers
Hendricks, appearing entirely unfazed by the moment, and Aroldis Chapman, who took the ball with one out in the eighth, combined to face the minimum, never allowing the Dodgers to move a man as far as second base.
“He didn’t flinch,” marveled first baseman Anthony Rizzo afterward.
“The unsung hero of this team,” Kris Bryant called him.
Hendricks pitched the game of his life to get the Cubs to where they haven’t been in the lifetimes of most on hand at a rocking Wrigley Field. And he became the first …
