'Efficient' Chicago Cubs making every hit count
Crazy, crazy baseball.
Cubs manager Joe Maddon called Sunday's 2-0 victory over the Miami Marlins a "nondescript" game.
But it would have been hard to top Saturday night's firecracker of a Fourth of July, when Kris Bryant hit a couple of homers and the fans got to enjoy a real fireworks show afterward.
And Maddon wasn't about to throw away Sunday's prize, even though the Cubs managed just 3 hits and squeaked past the flailing Fish.
"The magic's in the victory," Maddon said. "Efficient, I guess. You have to pitch better than good pitching. Their guy was really good. Our guy was really good."
Here's how efficient the Cubs were Saturday and Sunday:
• They scored 7 runs on 4 hits in their 7-2 victory Saturday. It helped that Bryant hit a 2-run homer and a grand slam.
After Bryant's second-inning slam, the Cubs did not get a hit the rest of the game.
• Bryant singled and scored on a wild pitch in the first inning Sunday to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead. After that, the Cubs did not record a hit until pinch-hitter Chris Denorfia led off the eighth with a double. The Cubs nearly squandered that chance, but Chris Coghlan rescued them with a two-out RBI single after Addison Russell popped out and Dexter Fowler struck out.
"I'm really, really pleased with what we did today," said Maddon, whose team is 44-36 with four games against the Cardinals and three against the White Sox coming up. "I'm really impressed with our guys in general because this has been one of our tough stretches - New York, back to here, day-day, night-day. It's a little bit warm. We continue to play. We continue to grind it out. Good pitching always makes moments like this occur."
That good pitching came from Kyle Hendricks, who turned in the team's sixth straight quality start as he outdueled Marlins starter Mat Latos. In his 7⅓ shutout innings, Hendricks (4-4, 3.82 ERA) gave up 5 hits while walking one and striking out six.
"We're just trying to play good baseball," Hendricks said. "We've been playing good lately. We're just trying to keep it rolling.
"The pitching staff, we've been doing our job of late, keeping the runs off the board as of late. Our offense has been putting out enough. And the defense has been there. We're just playing good baseball. We're excited about it."
The Cubs just got done with a Marlins team that is 35-48. The North Siders are 2-7 against the Cardinals, so it will be important to find the offense sooner rather than later and not put so much pressure on the starting rotation and the bullpen, both of which have been good.
"It's going to get better; we're going to hit," Maddon said. "We're definitely going to hit. You got to go through these stretches. It's obviously very good when you go through these stretches and you're able to win in spite of it. My point is we've got to pitch. The game could have been called 'pitching' as opposed to 'baseball.' I really believe that.
"So when you do that and you catch the ball and you do good things on the basepaths and play the entire game of baseball, then you have a chance to win under these circumstances."
Cubs scouting report
Cubs vs. St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field
TV: WGN today and Tuesday afternoon; Comcast SportsNet Tuesday night and Wednesday
Radio: WBBM 780-AM
Pitching matchups: The Cubs' Jon Lester (4-6) vs. John Lackey (6-5) today at 7:05 p.m.; TBD or Jake Arrieta (8-5) vs. Tim Cooney (0-0) or Tyler Lyons (2-0) Tuesday afternoon; Arrieta or TBD vs. Cooney or Lyons Tuesday night; Jason Hammel (5-4) vs. Michael Wacha (10-3) Wednesday at 7:05 p.m.
At a glance: The Cardinals entered Sunday with a 6-game lead over the Pirates and an 8½-game lead over the Cubs in the NL Central. The Cubs are 2-7 against the Cardinals this year, 1-1 at Wrigley Field. Tuesday's day-night doubleheader came about because of a postponement on April 7. Matt Adams (quad) is on St. Louis' 60-day disabled list, but Matt Holliday (quad) could return from the DL soon. Jon Jay is out with a wrist injury. The Cardinals' 2.62 ERA is the best in the NL. The Cubs are fourth, at 3.36. St. Louis ranks 10th in runs and 12th in homers, but the Cards are a solid third in on-base percentage. Cubs players Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant are together among the league leaders in walks and OBP.
Next: White Sox at Wrigley Field, Friday-Sunday
- Bruce Miles