Chicago Cubs turn up the heat in Maddon's 1,000th win
What you see at Wrigley Field these days are Theo Epstein's Cubs and Joe Maddon's Cubs.
There no doubt will be a trade or two before the July 31 deadline, but as of now the brass is sticking with its boys. Those boys helped Maddon to his 1,000th victory as a major-league manager Tuesday night with a 9-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at warm and windy Wrigley Field.
“To the players who have been a part of this, thank you,” said Maddon, who enjoyed a glass of red wine during his postgame news conference. Maddon said his Respect 90 foundation would donate 1,000 meals in Chicago and Tampa Bay (where he managed the Rays) to commemorate the milestone.
The Cubs, who had been struggling, improved to 19-19.
“This is our World Series group, and this is our future group,” Maddon said before the game. “Part of it is you have to understand they have to feel confidence and consistency from me and the organization. You just don't start haphazardly picking names out of a hat or trying to create a different method when it's really not necessary.”
Team president Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer both were on-field visitors before the game as the Cubs returned from a road trip on which they went 2-4.
On the last part of the trip, in St. Louis, the Cubs played without Jason Heyward (disabled list), Kris Bryant (illness) and, for the most part, Jon Jay (back spasms) and Ben Zobrist (back tightness).
Things no doubt have been tough for the Cubs as they continually live in the shadow of last year's 25-6 start on the way to a world championship.
“I think our guys have a great mindset,” Epstein said. “They're a little bit frustrated as anyone would be with how we're playing. They have a lot of heart. They really care.
“I think they know how good they can be, and they want to attain that level. There's no lack of urgency. There's no complacency because we won last year. We're also confident of what we can and will do once guys hit their stride. If someone wants to sell low on the Cubs, sell their stock, we'll buy.”
With a gametime temperature of 87 degrees and a wind of 20 mph blowing straight out, Tuesday promised to be the hitter's night it delivered.
“I think warmer weather, hotter bats,” said Bryant.
The Reds got solo homers from Zack Cozart and Tucker Barnhart in each of the first 2 innings against John Lackey (4-3), but the Cubs scored 3 in the first and 1 in the second against veteran Bronson Arroyo. Kyle Schwarber, one of the Cubs who has been struggling, crushed a solo homer to right-center in the second. The ball traveled 462 feet.
Rookie Ian Happ hit his second homer of the season in the fifth, and the Cubs added 2 more in the sixth before Joey Votto brought the Reds within 7-5 with a 2-run shot in the seventh off Koji Uehara. Addison Russell and Anthony Rizzo added late solo homers for the Cubs.
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