With 4-2 win, Chicago Cubs begin new month in august fashion
MILWAUKEE — The Cubs woke up Saturday, and suddenly, August was upon them.
Whether this turns out to be an august month for the Cubs will depend on how they do against some stiff competition and tough series.
They got the dog days off on the right foot Saturday night, beating the Milwaukee Brewers 4-2 at Miller Park for their third win in three games of the series and their fourth in a row overall.
The red-hot Anthony Rizzo again was a big reason for the victory.
Rizzo hit a 3-run homer with two outs in the third inning. It was his 20th of the season, and he has homered in four consecutive games.
“I've been looking forward to August all year, to be honest,” he said. “We're home for a long time. It's hot in Chicago in August. We enjoy the hot weather. We know what can happen at Wrigley when it warms up.”
The kinds of streaks Rizzo is in can carry a team down the stretch.
“Absolutely,” said manager Joe Maddon, whose Cubs matched their high-water mark of nine games over .500 (56-47). “Those are the kind of moments that can really get you on the roll you're looking for.”
The Brewers got a run in the fourth inning, but Kyle Schwarber got it back with a booming home run to right-center in the seventh. He helped set the table for Rizzo's home run with an 11-pitch at-bat that culminated in a two-out single in the third
On the mound, the Cubs got 7-plus innings, of 3-hit ball from Kyle Hendricks. He improved to 5-5 with a 3.67 ERA and gained his first victory since July 5. He, too, likes the mood of the team.
“Everything's high,” he said. “We're definitely confident. The lineup's coming around. Guys are swinging it now. We're keeping the runs off the board. The bullpen's doing an unbelievable job, so we feel really confident now. We've just got to keep that rolling through August and September.”
The schedule will toughen considerably beginning Monday, when they travel to Pittsburgh for a three-game series. The Cubs currently are third in the National League Central behind the Cardinals and Pirates.
Featured series this month include two against the Giants, whom the Cubs are trying to stay with in the race for the second wild-card spot. The Cubs also play the Dodgers and the White Sox this month.
“I like the idea of where we are at right now because it's such a tough month to get through — August,” said Maddon. “But you've got to show up every day and play. Everybody gets a little bit fatigued mentally and physically.
“I explained it to the guys: Once you get to September and you're in the hunt, you find the energy every day. It just shows up. The weather starts to break. It's a little bit cooler. Plus the idea that you show up and you know that you're right there and you have this opportunity, energy just happens.
“This is the month you have to manufacture it a little bit, and that's the big push for us, to manufacture the energy on a daily basis.”
However, Maddon said he is not looking forward to any series except the one the Cubs currently are playing. That goes for the Giants, too.
“I don't,” he said. “I didn't even realize we were playing them. I know I'm so disappointing sometimes, but I don't (think ahead to series). It's about today. It's about winning tonight's game and be ready to move on to the next one and so on and so forth. I like the idea that we're playing better. That's what I'm really focused on.”