Ricketts believes in his Cubs

LOS ANGELES - Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts no doubt believes his franchise is on the right track for a run of success. That's why he re-signed team president Theo Epstein for five more years. But Wednesday at Dodger Stadium, Ricketts was worried about only one thing.

"Right now I'm just worried about this year," Ricketts said during an onfield visit before Game 4 of the National League championship series. "But the fact we are a good young team is obviously an indication that you might be back to the playoffs in the future, so we're happy about that.

"But right now it's like, 'We don't get that many opportunities. Let's just make sure we execute.' "

The Cubs did just that in Game 4 as their offense finally got going with a 10-2 victory to even the best-of-seven NLCS at 2-2.

"Once you look at it, you realize teams play 162 games to win the division and might win by 2 or 3 games sometimes," Ricketts said. "So in a five-game or a seven-game series, anything can happen. You just have to make sure you execute as well as you can in those five or seven games, so that's where we've got to step up tonight and finish up strong."

Ricketts was asked how he was doing after the Cubs were shut out in Games 2 and 3.

"I'm OK," he said. "Obviously (Tuesday) night was not a good night (a 6-0 loss), but it's only one game. We've been pretty good at bouncing back throughout the year. I don't see why we can't do that now. We've got to win and set the series back on the right course. One of those shutouts wasn't very mysterious. It's Clayton Kershaw. So there was something to be said for that. (Tuesday) night we didn't string together the right number of moments. That's all right. Everyone will bounce back."

They did just that with the rout of the Dodgers.

Sticking with him:

Manager Joe Maddon has kept shortstop Addison Russell in the starting lineup despite a horrible postseason slump.

It paid off with Russell's 2-run homer in the fourth inning. He entered Wednesday 1-for-24 (.042) in the playoffs.

Maddon likes the defense of Russell and second baseman Javier Baez. He also said he liked the lineout Russell hit in Tuesday's game.

"I watched his BP; it was outstanding," Maddon said before Wednesday's game. "I talked with him. He's been great. He's loose. He's just struggling a little bit right now. I can't give you a specific reason why, but I did like the opposite-field, even though it was caught. That was nice to see that. When he was going really well in the first half, the whole field was open to him, I thought.

"Addison and Javy up the middle is our best chance to win."

Lumber liquidator:

First baseman Anthony Rizzo also had been struggling mightily at the plate before his 3-for-5 night that included a home run in Game 4. He was 2-for-26 (.077) in the playoffs entering Wednesday.

In the ninth inning Tuesday, Rizzo reached on an infield hit against Kenley Jansen, who shattered Rizzo's bat.

"Well, first of all, that's one of the best saw jobs I've ever seen in my life," Joe Maddon said. "I was actually ducking because I thought the bat was coming in my direction. I also thought it may have hit off Rizzo's foot.

"I think the Dodgers thought it was a foul ball. Hopefully that does get Riz right."

Apparently, it did.