Campana gets ‘outrageous’ number of texts about his HR
It’s been quite the whirlwind for Tony Campana since becoming the first Cub to collect his first career home run with an inside-the-parker since Carmen Mauro accomplished the feat on Oct. 3, 1948.
“When I got back in the locker room there were like 60 texts; it was pretty outrageous,” Campana said. “I ended up having to turn my phone on silent. I was getting them until 2 in the morning.”
Campana was still the center of attention a day later ... something his teammates took notice of and let him have it with some good-natured barbs.
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Campana’s new-found celebrity was the revelation that he hasn’t been given the home run ball.
“I haven’t yet,” he said. “I’m sure someone has it. I’m sure they’ll get it to me.”
Ho hum:
Another game, another big performance from Starlin Castro.
The Cubs shortstop went 2-for-5 with 4 RBI on Saturday and extended his hitting streak to seven games. Over that span he’s hitting .500 with 9 runs, 3 doubles, 7 RBI and five multi-hit efforts.
“He’s playing great,” manager Mike Quade said. “I’ve been looking to give him a day off ... but not right now.”
Still not quite right:
Despite improving to 3-1 with a 2.92 ERA in his last 4 starts, Carlos Zambrano says he still has some tinkering to do.
“For some reason the last two outings — Pittsburgh and today — my mechanics, especially my arm slot ... I’ve been fighting with that,” Zambrano said. “Hopefully in my next start I’ll come with a better arm slot and a better feeling about my arm.”
Borderline fascinating:
The Reds, Phillies, Giants and Rangers are the only teams in the major leagues to improve their records over each of the last four seasons. ... Reds skipper Dusty Baker came into Saturday’s game 3 wins shy of becoming the sixth manager in history with at least 300 wins for three different teams. He would join Leo Durocher, Ralph Houk, Tony LaRussa, Gene Mauch and Bill McKechnie.
He said it:
“You don’t do it without contributions from all over the place.”
— Cubs manager Mike Quade explaining his team’s season-high seven-game winning streak.