By Jeremy Kahn

AP photo: Chicago Cubs hitter Jorge Baez slugs the gamer out of the yard in the eighth inning off the San Francisco Giants in game one of the NLDS at Wrigley Field on Friday night

Jorge Baez sent the Chicago Cubs and their allegiances of fans into a frenzy with just one swing of the bat.

Baez took a Johnny Cueto offering and put it into the basket for a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning, as the Cubs defeated the San Francisco Giants 1-0 at Wrigley Field.

When Baez’s ball left the bat, it looked like it was headed for Waveland Avenue beyond the left field bleachers; however the wind on the North Side of Chicago brought it back and into the basket that overhangs the left field bleachers.

If it was not for the basket, the ball may have landed into the glove of Angel Pagan for a long out; however it gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five National League Division Series.

Jon Lester retired the last 13 batters he faced before he turned the ball over to Aroldis Chapman to close it out.

Lester went eight innings, allowing just five hits and striking out five, as the Cubs picked up their first home playoff shutout since defeating the San Diego Padres in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series in 1984.

Chapman came in to retire the first two batters he faced in the top of the ninth inning, but Buster Posey hit a double off the left-center field wall. Luckily, Chapman was able to retire Hunter Pence on a ground ball to second base to end the game.

On the other hand, Cueto was absolutely amazing, as he went eight innings, allowing just that one run on three hits and struck out 10 in his second consecutive postseason complete game going back to the 2015 World Series while helping the Kansas City Royals defeat the New York Mets for their first World Series Championship in 30 years.

Baez’s home run put an end to the Giants scoreless inning streak at 23 innings going back to Game Seven of the 2014 World Series, where the Giants defeated the Royals to win their third World Championship in five years.

The Giants were able to get to Lester early on, as they got hits in each of the first four innings, including leadoff singles in the first three innings, but Lester was able to get out of the jams on each occasion with the help of David Ross. Lester’s regular catcher threw Gorkys Hernandez at second base in the top of the first inning, and then picked off Conor Gillapsie at first base in the top of the third.

Jeff Samardzjia, who was drafted by the Cubs in the 2005 draft will take the mound in Game Two, as the Giants look to even up the series before heading back to San Francisco for Game Three on Monday. Kyle Hendricks will start for the Cubs, as he will make his third postseason start.