Denorfia blast gives Chicago Cubs a walk-off win
Kris Bryant found a first baseman's mitt Monday and headed out to do some early work around the bag.
Asked when the last time he played first, Bryant said: "College; Cape Cod League."
At long last, Cubs manager Joe Maddon gave first baseman Anthony Rizzo a start off after Rizzo had played in 154 of the Cubs' first 155 games.
The Cubs and the Kansas City Royals then went out and played scoreless ball into extra innings. In the bottom of the 11th, pinch hitter Chris Denorfia led off for the Cubs and hit a walk-off homer to give them a 1-0 victory in the regular-season finale at home.
The Cubs improved to 91-65 and pulled within 3½ games of Pittsburgh for the top wild-card spot. The Pirates lost at home to the first-place St. Louis Cardinals.
"It's what we play for," Denorfia said. "I've had the opportunity to do that only one other time in my career. It's just the best feeling. I can't describe it. I feel like a little kid, and I'm 35 years old. Running around the bases knowing what just happened and what's waiting for you at home plate, it's really something special."
Bryant is a third baseman who also has played the outfield. In Monday's game, he started at first and wound up playing center field, right field and third base.
Manager Joe Maddon said Rizzo was looking a bit fatigued Sunday. Other than Rizzo, Maddon has given his players plenty of rest during the season.
Right-hander Kyle Hendricks started Monday's game. Hendricks, who has been up and down in his performance all season, worked 6 innings, giving up 2 hits while tying a career best with 9 strikeouts.
"The last 4-5 games, I've had it, but that was definitely the best I felt, in those last innings," Hendricks said.
The game was played before 40,552 fans. That brought the season total to 2,959,812, an increase of 307,699 over last year.
"Every day is a happening, man," Maddon said. "It's every day."
The Castro craze:
The latest craze at Wrigley Field during games is rhythmic clapping when infielder Starlin Castro comes to the plate.
After experimenting with a few walk-up songs, Castro recently settled on "Ando En La Versace" by Omega. The lively phenomenon at the ballpark started when cameras caught Cubs players in the dugout and bullpen clapping along to the song. That, in turn, got the crowd going, and now it's a "thing" at Wrigley.
"I think it's just a song that's catchy," Cubs reliever Justin Grimm said. "A couple guys started clapping. Next thing you know it transfers to the bullpen. They put it on the big screen, and then the fans catch on. It's good for Castro as well."
Castro started at second base Monday. He entered the game with 18 RBI and a .452 on-base percentage in his previous 19 games since Sept. 5. He led the Cubs with a .297 batting average since the all-star break.
"To watch Castro, he's always had a positive mind," Grimm said. "He knows his talent. He knows what he's capable of doing."