In six playoffs starts with the Padres, Darvish has gone 6+ innings while holding his opponents to less than three runs in all six starts. He’s backed by one of the top bullpens during the regular season with a 3.06 ERA. Their bullpen has allowed just one run in 9.1 innings thus far and the Cubs are only hitting .175 as a team in the first two games of this series. James Taillon pitched well down the stretch allowing two runs, or less, in each of his last six starts with top five bullpen in the NL this season.

Jameson Taillon is 17-6 on the over this season, including 8-2 in his last 10 starts. Taillon faced the Padres earlier this season and allowed 1 walk in 5.1 innings pitched.

Yep, I'm paying out the wazoo for insurance but I don't care as a Cubs fan (+1 is fine). I have no interest in sweating this game Thursday, and this may help a little. Needless to say, my memories of winner-take-all Cubs games vs. the Padres are not great. 1984: I punched/kicked (Karate Kid phase) so many Steve Garvey pics. And Leon Durham. But I believe SD manager Mike Shildt make a mistake Wednesday by pulling a dominating Dylan Cease after 3.2 innings. Now his stellar bullpen is taxed behind a struggling Yu Darvish (5.38 ERA) -- irreplaceable lefty Adrian Morejon, who got the win today, has thrown both games and 2.1 innings on Wednesday. Fire-balling righty Mason Miller has been similarly busy.