Kenta Maeda
The NLCS opened at Wrigley Field with the Cubs' Jon Lester facing Kenta Maeda for the Dodgers. The Cubs moved on top early, scoring in the first on a lead-off single by Dexter Fowler and a Kris Bryant double. The Cubs added to their lead in the second when Jason Heyward tripled to start the inning and Javier Báez doubled him home, putting the lead at 2–0. Báez advanced to third on a wild pitch by Maeda and stole home on a late throw by Dodgers catcher Carlos Ruiz. Lester cruised until the fifth inning when he allowed a pinch-hit home run by Andre Ethier, batting for Maeda, pulling the Dodgers within two at 3–1. Lester was lifted for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the sixth with a runner on second and two out, but the Cubs could not cash in on the scoring opportunity. In the top of the eighth, the Dodgers loaded the bases off Cubs relievers Mike Montgomery and Pedro Strop, bringing Aroldis Chapman into the game with no outs. Chapman struck out the first two batters he faced and appeared to be on the verge of escaping the inning, but Adrián González singled up the middle scoring two runs and tying the game at three. The Dodgers brought in reliever Joe Blanton in the bottom of the eighth to try to keep the game tied. However, Ben Zobrist doubled to lead off the inning. Blanton struck out Addison Russell and the Dodgers chose to walk the left hand-hitting Heyward to face Báez. Báez could not come through, flying out softly to right field. Left hander Chris Coghlan pinch hit for David Ross and was also intentionally walked to load the bases. Batting for the pitcher, Miguel Montero, also a left hander, forced the Dodgers to choose to bring in a lefty reliever to face him and possibly see Willson Contreras instead or face Montero. The Dodgers chose to face Montero and on an 0–2 pitch, Montero hit a grand slam, putting the Cubs up 7–3. Fowler followed with a solo home run and Héctor Rondón gave up a run in the ninth as the Cubs won 8–4 and took the series lead 1–0.