Cubs vs. Pirates 2015 live stream: Time, TV schedule for the NL Wild Card Game

Teams with two of the three best records in MLB will meet Wednesday night in Pittsburgh.

Oct 7, 2015, 1:30 PM UTC

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

For the third time in three years, the National League Wild Card Game will be held at PNC Park, with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday night hosting the Chicago Cubs in a one-game battle to advance to the Division Series.

On just the second day of the MLB postseason, Wednesday night promises to be one of the best matchups of the playoffs, since the 98-win Pirates and 97-win Cubs feature two of the top three records in baseball. But both are in the same division as the 100-win St. Louis Cardinals, who will host the winner in the NLDS beginning Friday night.

But first things first, on Wednesday night we get to see a stellar pitching matchup between National League Cy Young Award candidate Jake Arrieta for Chicago, and young ace Gerrit Cole for Pittsburgh, a No. 1-overall pick just four years ago.

Much of the focus on Wednesday will be on the pitching, and rightfully so, but the Pirates and Cubs boast capable offenses as well, finishing fourth and sixth, respectively, in runs scored in the National League.

Andrew McCutchen (.292/.401/.488, 36 doubles, 23 home runs) and Starling Marte (.287/.337/.444, 19 home runs, 30 steals) pace the Pirates both on offense and with stellar outfield defense.

Chicago boasts arguably the best collection of young talent in the game, with Rookie of the Year candidate Kris Bryant (.275/.369/.488, 26 home runs) and Kyle Schwarber (.246/.355/.487, 16 home runs in 69 games) among those backing 25-year-old veteran first baseman Anthony Rizzo (.287/.387/.512, 31 home runs, 38 doubles).

The Pirates were 53-28 at home this season, though were just 4-6 at PNC Park against the Cubs, who won 11 of 19 meetings between the two teams in 2015.

This is Chicago's first playoff appearance since 2008. The Pirates missed out on the playoffs from 1993-2012, but this is their third consecutive season making the postseason as a Wild Card team. In the 2013 game, they beat the Cincinnati Reds, 6-2, but in 2014 lost to Madison Bumgarner and the eventual World Series champion San Francisco Giants, 8-0, with both games at PNC Park.

TBS will begin coverage of the NL Wild Card Game with a pregame show at 7:30 p.m. ET, with host Casey Stern joined by analysts Pedro Martinez, Gary Sheffield and Dusty Baker.

Game coverage begins on TBS at 8 p.m., with first pitch scheduled for 8:08 p.m., with Ernie Johnson on play-by-play, Cal Ripken Jr. and Ron Darling as analysts and reporter Matt Winer also on the broadcast.

Online streaming of the game will be available on TBS.com or the TBS app, with authenticated users needing to login using their television provider information. In addition, Postseason.tv will offer up to 10 live alternative camera angles during the broadcast.

ESPN Radio will also broadcast the game, with Jon Sciambi and Chris Singleton on the call.