Chicago Cubs had reasons to be optimistic heading into Game 3. Jake Arrieta, the former Cy Young pitcher, took to the mound, and they dealt with Clayton Kershaw in Game 2. Los Angeles Dodgers hadn’t won a game without Kershaw pitching in October until last night. Cubs fell 6-0 to Rich Hill and Los Angeles. Cubs offense continues to look in freefall. Can they fix it?

Reasons to be encouraged
They nearly had a big inning in the second – This is a huge turning point in the baseball game. If Addison Russell drives in Anthony Rizzo and Jorge Soler, it’s a 2-0 Cubs lead in the early goings of this game. Hill looked uncomfortable through the first two innings, and once his curve got going, their offense was hopeless.

Those bats aren’t going stay cold forever – Baseball is one of the those sports where slumps don’t last forever. Cubs are likely going to see Julio Urias and Kenta Maeda in the next two games. I don’t think Kershaw will pitch until Game 6 even if Dodgers go up 3-1. This is the Cubs chance. Forget home runs, they need to find a way to manufacture runs especially early on. If Chicago gets a run or two in the first three innings, it could be a waterfall of runs, and if not, these demons will get into their head.

Reasons to worry
Their middle of the order is ice cold – If Chicago ends up losing this series, the media will come down hard on their young players – Kris Bryant, Rizzo and Russell who all really haven’t had much of an impact minus Bryant’s game-tying home run in Game 3. One or two of them needs to find their rhythm and do it very quick.

Kershaw isn’t the only one looking like Cy Young – Here’s what boggles my mind about the Cubs going cold. Dodgers do not have a good pitching staff beyond Kershaw and Kenley Jensen. They don’t have much of a bullpen, and after Kershaw, there’s not much in the starting rotation. Yet Chicago has struggled with all types of Dodgers pitchers.

Cannot wait for Game 4.