Cubs’ top moments of 2017

Cubs lose 5-4 in 18 innings to Yankees, who get the three-game series sweep at Wrigley Field. It was most innings played in a single interleague game in MLB history, taking 6 hours, 5 minutes and ending at 1 a.m. The two teams also set a record for combined strikeouts: 48.

Despite social media pleas for his release, John Lackey solidified his status as a big-game pitcher when he blanked one of the league’s best offenses for seven innings at Coors Field to snap the team’s four-game winning streak with an 8-1 victory.

A pre-game meeting among the players couldn’t prevent an 0-6 trip to the West Coast, but it served as a warning that every team — including the Padres, who won 2-1 — were taking their best shot at the defending World Series champions.

Two outs away from losing three of four to the Nationals, Tommy La Stella and Jon Jay capped a three-run rally without an injured Kris Bryant with RBI hits, as the Cubs won 5-4 in Washington.

White Sox trade Jose Quintana to Cubs for Eloy Jimenez, Dylan Cease, Matt Rose and Bryant Flete. Three days later Quintana makes his Cubs debut, pitching seven innings of three-hit ball with 12 strikeouts in 8-0 victory over the Orioles in Baltimore.

After a mental-cleansing four-day break, the Cubs rolled to an 8-0 lead but needed a ninth-inning home run from Addison Russell to win 9-8 and begin a six-game winning streak to start the second half.

Alex Avila made an errant throw back to the mound that led to a run in the 10th but made amends by hitting a two-run single for the game-winner in the midst of a five-game winning streak, as the Cubs beat the Blue Jays 6-5 in 10 innings at Wrigley Field.

The offense managed only two hits in eight innings off Gerrit Cole, but Alex Avila hit a triple with two outs in the ninth to score Leonys Martin and help snap a three-game losing streak as the Cubs beat the Pirates 1-0 in Pittsburgh.

Milwaukee completes sweep of Cubs in three-game series at Wrigley Field, cutting the division lead to two games over the Brewers and Cardinals. The Cubs scored only three runs in the series and had been outscored 43-16 in their last eight games.

After blowing a 2-0 lead in Milwaukee, Javier Baez hit a game-tying single with two outs and two strikes in the ninth. Closer Wade Davis worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the inning. In the 10th, Kris Bryant clobbered a 3-2 pitch over the fence in right-center to vault the Cubs to an emotional 5-3 victory, reducing their magic number to six.

Despite Stephen Strasburg not allowing a hit for 5 2/3 innings, the Cubs prevailed 3-0 over the Nationals in Game 1 of the NLDS. Kyle Hendricks relied on his mixture of changeups and curveballs to pitch seven innings of two-hit ball. Anthony Rizzo had two RBIs.

Anthony Rizzo knocked in the winning run with a bloop single in the eighth inning to give the Cubs a 2-1 victory over the Nationals in Game 3 at Wrigley Field. The game featured a terrific duel between Jose Quintana and Max Scherzer.

In a game for the ages, one that lasted 4 hours, 37 minutes, the Cubs advanced to the NLCS with a thrilling 9-8 victory over the Nationals in Game 5 at Nationals Park. Wade Davis played the biggest role by throwing 2 1/3 innings and striking out Bryce Harper to end the game.

Facing elimination, Javier Baez homered twice and Willson Contreras once, while Jake Arrieta, in what could have been his final appearance with the Cubs, gave a performance to relish as the Cubs beat the Dodgers 3-2 in Game 4 of the NLCS.

The chance to repeat as World Series champs ended in Game 5 of the NLCS as the Dodgers pounded the Cubs 11-1, behind pitcher Clayton Kershaw and Kike Hernandez, who hit three homers, including a grand slam in the third off Hector Rondon. Joe Maddon summed it up: “The better team won.”