Cubs feeling good after another win over Cards
Is that good feeling coming back to the Cubs again?
Maybe.
Manager Joe Maddon says he can sense it all around him. And the Cubs may have brought it all the way back Sunday night with a 7-6 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals to give them a sweep of the three-game series and put them back over .500 at 28-27. Rookie Ian Happ was the hitting star, with a pair of home runs, including a 3-run blast in the fourth inning.
The good feelings may even have started during the depths of the recent 0-6 road trip to the West Coast.
“There has been a little mindset change,” said starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks, who was without his command Sunday and lasted only 4 innings. “I don't know what to attribute it to, honestly. The guys kind of got together and talked amongst ourselves, and I think maybe there's just that team confidence back. Everybody's just a little more relaxed, focused on ourselves. That's just what we needed to get back to and play our brand of baseball.”
Right fielder Jason Heyward, author of the famous “rain-delay meeting” in Game 7 of last year's World Series, said last week's get together in San Diego was “chill.”
“You just want to hear each other,” said Heyward, who made a diving catch in Sunday's first inning and got himself caught in a rundown to allow the go-ahead run to score in the seventh. “What have we got, guys? If somebody's got something off the field bothering him, on the field, whatever. Who knows? You just want to check in and get on the same page because regardless of what our coaches tell us, regardless of whatever kind of work you put in, if you're not on the same page as a team, it's not going to go anywhere.”
Happ lined a solo homer in the third to give the Cubs' a 1-0 lead before the Cardinals scored 4 in the fourth off Hendricks. Happ's 3-run blow keyed a 5-run response in the bottom of the inning.
“Awesome, awesome moment,” the rookie said. “These fans are unbelievable, the energy in the stadium is great.”
The Cardinals tied the game with 2 in the sixth before the Cubs got the eventual game-winner in the seventh on Jon Jay's pinch single to score Anthony Rizzo from second. Heyward, who was on first base, sensed a close play at the plate, so he drew the throw from the outfield and got caught in a rundown long enough for Rizzo to score.
For Maddon, he said he began sensing the shift in feelings Friday, when the Cubs won to begin the sweep.
“The best way I can tell you or describe it is I can feel the difference in the dugout,” he said. “I thought it the first day here. You saw the two games we've played over the first two days are more familiar. Pitching's been really good. We've caught the ball and made some really good plays. Haven't killed the ball offensively. We've had some really good at-bats.
“The believability is in the dugout.”
Scouting report
Cubs vs. Miami Marlins at Wrigley Field
TV: Comcast SportsNet Monday and Tuesday; WGN Wednesday
Radio: WSCR 670-AM
Pitching matchups: The Cubs' Eddie Butler (2-1) vs. Dan Straily (4-3) Monday; Jake Arrieta (5-4) vs. Jeff Locke (0-0) Tuesday; John Lackey (4-5) vs. Jose Urena (3-2) Wednesday. All games 7:05 p.m.
At a glance: The Marlins are fresh off Saturday's no-hitter by Edinson Volquez. They entered Sunday buried in fourth place in the NL East. Former Cubs farmhand Justin Bour entered the day with a line of .296/.371/.593. He led the Marlins with 16 homers and was tied for the RBI lead (40). Giancarlo Stanton recently became the franchise's all-time RBI leader. He was at .291/.361/.571 with 15 homers and 39 RBI. Marcell Ozuna had 14 homers and 40 RBI. Onetime Cub Straily leads the Marlins with a 3.56 ERA. Locke is fresh off the disabled list.
Next: Colorado Rockies at Wrigley Field, Thursday-Sunday
— Bruce Miles