CHICAGO — The raucous fans at Wrigley Field got what they wanted, but not what they expected. Their team won even though Jake Arrieta, the Cubs ace who has been almost unhittable since July, was quite hittable.
“I’m actually happy that it happened, so I realize he’s human,” catcher Miguel Montero said with a smile. “I was a little concerned about it.”
Montero could afford to be happy because his team won the game, 8–6, thanks to home runs from six players, a postseason record. And this was all a reminder: Arrieta may be the best pitcher in baseball at the moment, but he was never really the plan.