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Maddon welcomes Cardinals to Wrigley Field

The St. Louis Cardinals come to town for three big games this weekend. The Cards moved into a second-place tie with the Milwaukee Brewers Thursday with a victory at home over the Cincinnati Reds.

Just two years ago, the Cardinals won the National League Central but lost to the upstart young Chicago Cubs in the division series after the Cubs beat the Pirates in the wild-card game.

"You have to earn your own turf," said Cubs manager Joe Maddon. "Nobody's giving you anything. Remember 2015, playing in St. Louis early in the season, come-from-behind losses? We're winning, they come from behind and beat us. Guys have a hard time. We struggled through that first month or two. They've still got our number.

"Then by the end of the year, it changed a little bit. Just like Milwaukee's trying to do this year. That's just the nature of all of this stuff. It's up to us now to really maintain what we've earned to this point. We're very capable of doing that. The Cardinals have done it for many years.

"I think it's interesting, entertaining. It's great. I love being part of it. But it don't look at it as any more deeply than that. I feel good about it. I feel good about where we're at. I like playing these kinds of games a lot. I think our players do. It's good for Chicago. It's good for St. Louis. It's good for baseball."

Progress for Arrieta:

Pitcher Jake Arrieta threw on the outfield grass Thursday afternoon before making a few pitches from the bullpen mound.

It wasn't a full-fledged bullpen session, but Arrieta may be able to do that within the next couple of days as he recovers from a right-hamstring strain he suffered last week in Pittsburgh.

The Cubs will evaluate him Friday and schedule the next throwing session.

Russell lets it go again:

Shortstop Addison Russell had another intense session of workouts Thursday as he recovers from a strained right foot and plantar fasciitis. The Cubs believe he is close to returning from the disabled list, where he has been since Aug. 3.

"Addy's feeling really good," Joe Maddon said. "He is pain free right now. It's been going really well. I talked with everybody. They like what he's doing right now, at the plate, on the field, moving around.

"Everything he's doing is like really good. So he's getting very, very close. We'll probably start talking in more specifics tomorrow."

Charity work:

Joe Maddon's Respect 90 foundation is donating $25,000 to the relief efforts in Florida in the wake of Hurricane Irma. Maddon's restaurant also is providing meals to the Salvation Army.

First baseman Anthony Rizzo, who has been active in his own charity work, is the Cubs' nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award for the fifth year in a row.

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