‘Dominating outing’ by Cubs’ Wood in win over Astros
Don’t look now, but Travis Wood is making a charge for the Cubs.
The 25-year-old lefty picked up his third straight victory Sunday as the Cubs beat the Houston Astros 3-0 to sweep the three-game series and gain their fifth win in six games.
Wood, who didn’t even make the club out of spring training, tossed 7 innings of 3-hit ball to improve to 3-3 with a 3.05 ERA.
“You feel relaxed out there, and things just keep rolling into place,” he said. “I got sent down in spring and put some work and time down in Triple-A and got some things right. I got my chance to come back up. I just didn’t want to waste it, and get after it.”
Wood retired the first 12 Astros of the game before giving up a leadoff double to J.D. Martinez in the fifth. But Houston got very little going against him.
“It was another dominating outing,” said manager Dale Sveum, whose team is 29-49. “It was impressive that he kept the ball inside as well as making all his pitches. He stuck to the game plan, and it was perfect.”
Wood walked none and struck out four. At the plate, he doubled to lead off the sixth inning of a scoreless game.
He ran the bases nicely, getting to third on Reed Johnson’s groundout to the third baseman. After Starlin Castro was walked intentionally, Wood scored on Anthony Rizzo’s RBI single. Jeff Baker gave the Cubs some cushion with a 2-run double.
“I love hitting and being on the bases,” Wood said.
Off to a good start:
Anthony Rizzo picked up his third game-winning RBI since his call-up last week from Class AAA Iowa. The stat is not kept as official, but it was quite a homestand for the 22-year-old Rizzo.
He’s 5-for-19 with 2 doubles, a homer and 4 RBI.
“Not a bad start at all, especially five wins, five out of six wins here,” he said. “It definitely feels good.”
The only flaw Sunday came in the eighth, when Rizzo was playing first base. He did not stretch to catch a throw from second baseman Darwin Barney, and Brian Bixler was called safe on a blown call by first-base umpire Paul Schrieber. Dale Sveum wanted no part of a question on the play, but Rizzo addressed it.
“It was just one of those things,” he said. “I try to do that for the infielders to make them feel comfortable with their throws. It was a little close to do that. You got to stretch out.”
This and that:
Closer Carlos Marmol earned his eighth save. He is 1-0 and 6-for-6 in save chances in his last 9 outings, putting up an ERA of 1.17. ... Jeff Baker is now 11-for-26 lifetime against Astros pitcher Wandy Rodriguez ... The Cubs’ three-game winning streak matches their season best.