Chicago Cubs finally get home to Wrigley Field
MILWAUKEE - At long last, the Chicago Cubs will be coming home to Wrigley Field.
"It will be good just to get home," manager Joe Maddon said Sunday at Miller Park, where the Cubs ended a season-opening nine-game road trip with a 4-2 loss. "This has been spring training, a month on the road, and then eventually get back home.
"So it will be good to get back home in front of our fans at our ballpark. It's going to be fun."
The weather looks to be decent for the 1:20 p.m. game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Staff ace Jon Lester, who started the season opener in Texas on March, 28, also starts the home opener.
"I think our fans will be excited we're back," Lester said to the media after Maddon's pregame session. "I know we're excited to be back. It's been a long spring and a long road trip to start the year. With that being said, we all know we haven't gotten off to the best start, the start we would have liked, but it will be nice to get home and almost start over there. I don't think anything changes for us."
Cubs Hall of Famers Fergie Jenkins, Billy Williams, Ryne Sandberg and Andre Dawson will be joined by newly elected Hall of Famer Lee Smith in throwing out ceremonial first pitches. Smith will conduct the seventh-inning stretch.
He did what?
During Saturday night's 14-8 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers, Jason Heyward became the first Cub since 1900 to record multiple home runs (2) and stolen bases (2) in the same game.
"Wait a second, 2 homers and 2 stolen bases in the same game?" asked Joe Maddon. "You've got (Ryne) Sandberg. You've got (Andre) Dawson.
"You're on base a lot. There's been so many other guys, really good players that you would think … I never thought of it. I would have thought, given that tidbit, it would have happened earlier."
This and that:
The 2-7 road trip marks the first time the Cubs have started 2-7 or worse since 1997, when they went 0-14. … The Cubs have lost 10 of their last 14 games against the Brewers after beginning last season 8-1 vs. Milwaukee. …
Ben Zobrist had his third multihit game of the season. … Christian Yelich hit his first career homer as a Brewer against the Cubs. His previous homer against them came as a Miami Marlin on Aug. 3, 2016, at Wrigley Field.