In what pretty much amounted to a replica of the previous night’s game, the Chicago Cubs pretty easily defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates last night, 4-0, to advance into the NLDS. They’ll play the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night.

Jake Arrieta was as unstoppable as ever. His game score (90) was his 3rd highest score of 2015, a year in which he has the lowest 2nd half ERA of all time.

PITCHERS	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Arrieta	9.0	4	0	0	0	11	0	0.00

His ERA since the All-Star break, including last night’s game, is now 0.70.

Kyle Schwarber and Dexter Fowler did all the necessary offensive damage. Fowler singled and stole second in the first before Schwarber singled him home. 1-0.

Fowler singled again in the 3rd, and Schwarber took Gerrit Cole out of the park to put the Cubs up 3-0 early.

And finally, Fowler hit a solo shot in his next at-bat in the 5th inning.

The Bucs only really made some noise against Arrieta in the bottom of the 6th. A leadoff single, a hit batsman, and an error by Addison Russell loaded the bases with 1 out. But Arrieta got Starling Marte to ground into a double play (started by Russell) to end the inning and the only Pittsburgh scoring threat of the game.

With 2 outs in the top of the 7th, Tony Watson plunked Arrieta on the butt with his first pitch to the Cubs starter. It was apparently in retaliation for Arrieta’s two hit batsmen earlier in the game (and perhaps for Chris Coghlan’s September slide into Jung Ho Kang at second base, ending Kang’s season). Watson pretty much owned up to it being intentional after the game. Anyway, tempers flared, as tempers do.

Sean Rodriguez took out his frustration on a Gatorade cooler in the dugout after getting into it with former Red Sox great and self-appointed Jon Lester mentor David Ross.

And that was pretty much it.

Red Sox spin: Apart from David Ross getting Rodriguez all riled up, former Red Sox stiff Mark Melancon continued to be one of the most reliable relievers in baseball with a 1-2-3 inning for the Pirates. Technically the last out was a hit by Russell, who got caught stretching for second, but whatever.

Jon Lester will take the mound against the Cardinals’ John Lackey in Game 1 on Friday night.

Today:

Texas Rangers (88-74) at Toronto Blue Jays (93-69) – 3:37 ET, Fox Sports One: Yovani Gallardo vs. David Price. Advantage, Toronto.

Houston Astros (86-76) at Kansas City Royals (95-67) – 7:37 ET, Fox Sports One: Collin McHugh vs. Yordano Ventura. I’m going with the Astros.