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Despite strikeouts, Maddon not considering sending Ian Happ to AAA

Ian Happ struck out as a pinch hitter in Wednesday's 11-2 Cubs loss to the Colorado Rockies. Happ, who began the season with a home run, has slumped to a line of .233/.282/.384 with a team-high 36 strikeouts in 73 at-bats.

Happ has lost regular playing time in center field to Albert Almora Jr. But Cubs manager Joe Maddon said he is not considering a trip to Class AAA Iowa for Happ.

"I'm not even talking about that with Theo (team president Epstein) or anybody yet," Maddon said. "It's my job to really to really incorporate him. I thought the last two days (starts on Monday and Tuesday) were perfect, based on the schedule and how we've been doing. Give him a chance to hit right-handed. Give him a chance to hit left-handed. I thought that was important, also.

"You have to understand, when you're in April-May, you're trying to get people playing structure so that they look good in August and September. That's what you're always pointing toward. He's going to be very good by that time. But in the meantime I don't worry about sending somebody back. Our current concern is about getting him going right now, and we believe that we can.

"I've just got to keep talking with him. We've got to keep working at things. Of course he's frustrated, but he's handling it so well."

Working well together:

Joe Maddon isn't using the term "personal catcher" for Victor Caratini working with pitcher Kyle Hendricks. But Hendricks has had 2 strong starts in a row with Caratini behind the plate.

Hendricks took the loss Tuesday, but he went 7⅔ innings against the Rockies for the longest start by a Cubs pitcher this season. Before that, he went 7 shutout innings to beat the Brewers.

"It was a scheduling thing, I think, both times," Maddon said. "But I'm not opposed. I think they do work well together. But yesterday, night game followed by a day game, (Yu) Darvish pitching the next day. I want (Willson) Contreras to catch Darvish. So I don't want to have Willson catch night-day all the time. I think the same thing happened the last time, pretty much.

"The fact that Caratini's a switch hitter doesn't restrict you based on the pitcher. It's possible because there are certain things we like about when they are together, Caratini and Hendricks. But the last couple of games have been primarily the residue of the schedule."

This and that:

Right fielder Jason Heyward was 0-for-3 with 3 strikeouts Wednesday. For the homestand, he was 1-for-14 and is batting .229 for the season … Kris Bryant hit his first homer since April 7, snapping a 15-game stretch without a homer … The Cubs have scored 3 or fewer runs in eight straight games for the first time since June 23-July 2015.

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