LOS ANGELES -- Jon Lester has been where the Chicago Cubs want to go, and this postseason he has done everything he can to help his inexperienced teammates get there. The "there" is of course the World Series, and with another vintage Lester playoff performance in Game 5, his club is one big step away from it.

Chicago's 8-4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday puts them up 3-2 in the National League Championship Series, with Game 6 on tap for Saturday at Wrigley Field and on the precipice of an epic celebration in Wrigleyville. But before the game, there was the usual talk about Lester's chronic issues with throwing to first base, and whether the Dodgers would try to exploit that during the game. They did. It didn't work.

"It's certainly a credit to him," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "I thought that when we did get a little bit of traffic I thought that we put a little pressure on him. But he's a great pitcher. He's a great pitcher who competes and finds ways to get outs when he needs to."

Boy does he. Especially over the second half of the season. Los Angeles was 0-for-4 against Lester with runners in scoring position. Opposing batters are 1-for-8 overall in those spots during the playoffs. Since the All-Star break, postseason included, they are 7-for-68 -- an absurd .103 batting average. That's how much the big leads off base and the hitters showing bunt have thrown Lester off his game. Even the only run Lester allowed during his seven innings came on an out.

"There's always plotting going on," Cubs manger Joe Maddon said. "And like I said before, the most important thing is that Jon throws the ball well to home plate. That's the important part."

Lester tries to stay nonchalant about all, but the emotion he showed on the field betrayed his public face. Joc Pederson attempted to bunt his way on with two outs in the second. Lester fielded the ball out and threw him out at first with the bounce throw he has developed to help keep things under control. Before he stalked off the mound, he glared into the Dodgers' dugout. Other times, he pumped his fist demonstrably after getting out of an inning. When you're that clutch, why not be passionate about it?

"I just get fired up getting outs," Lester said. "I don't care how it happens. So obviously not a great way to start the game with a walk. You know, just especially after we score one run in the beginning of the game. We can't allow free base runners, especially with what they're trying to do up there. I was just happy to get out of that inning more than anything. I play this game with emotion, and if it rubs people the wrong way, oh well."

Somehow, the narrative of the Cubs' postseason has often centered around the ace pitchers they have struggled against. It's an issue that remains pertinent with the Dodgers sending Clayton Kerhsaw to the mound on Saturday and, if needed, Rich Hill will go in a Game 7 on Sunday. Behind them looms a suddenly rested elite closer in Kenley Jansen.

But you know what? The Cubs have a dominant playoff pitcher as well. Lester. In this three playoff outings this October, he has allowed just two runs in 21 innings for a 0.86 ERA. According to research by ESPN Stats & Information, Lester's playoff ERA during the wild-card era is the third-best of the 41 pitchers with at least 10 starts -- behind Madison Bumgarner and Curt Schilling.

So maybe he can't throw to first base. As Lester pointed out, when you have players like Adrian Gonzalez trying to bunt for base hits -- which he did in Game 5 -- it actually plays to his advantage. And now that he has done his job, and put his team in position, he'll turn it over to the kids he has helped nurture along the way.

"We're not going to run away from anything," Maddon said. "It's within our reach right now."