After dropping Game 1 of the National League Wild-Card Series, the Cubs are facing a win-or-go-home contest Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field with Yu Darvish on the hill.

Entering the game, manager David Ross explained his mindset, speaking passionately about the thrill of the postseason:

“Maybe I just look at it differently than everybody else, but like, the nerves and excitement are what we come to work for and what we play for,” Ross said Friday morning. “The expectations and coming in every day — it is an elimination game. We gotta win today. That’s exciting. Like, ‘let’s get it, boys. Let’s go.’

“These guys — we worked all year to be in this situation, to be a part of the postseason. The first game didn’t work out for us. That’s baseball. You’re gonna lose some games. You gotta kinda get your head on straight, come in and be the same guy. You can’t change now. I try to be a positive person and come in with a good attitude and make sure I’m doing what I can to help the group.

“I haven’t seen any change in my players. They’re all coming to work. These guys have been down before. You just come in and do the best you can. There’s no attitude change for me.”