Hendricks takes complete control in Cubs' opener
This was a quiet game played in an empty ballpark.
There was just one moment of drama in the Cubs' season-opening 3-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night at Wrigley Field.
With two outs in the top of the ninth, first-year manager David Ross strolled to the mound, where Kyle Hendricks was one out from a complete-game shutout. The bullpen door opened in anticipation.
But, as expected, Ross turned around and walked back, while players in the dugout erupted in applause. Hendricks then retired the final batter on a fielder's choice groundout.
“They said the only reason I was going out there was to get a cheer,” Ross joked after the game. “So they gave it to me on the way back. I just wanted to check his pulse. I let him know that was his last hitter.
“The pitch count was really getting up there. I could watch Kyle pitch all day long. Making sure he stays healthy is a big one for us, and I had already pushed him a little past where I wanted to.”
Hendricks threw 103 pitches and gave up 3 singles – all to Brewers' No. 9 hitter Orlando Arcia – but no runner reached second base. Hendricks walked no one and collected 8 of his 9 strikeouts in the first four innings.
This was the Cubs' first opening-day shutout in 46 years. Bill Bonham threw the last one in 1974 against the Philadelphia Phillies, which also was the most recent complete game by a Cubs starter on Opening Day.
“I wasn't expecting that,” Hendricks said. “We've just been doing a good job, everybody here, going pitch to pitch, working on what I needed to work on. We went in with a great plan. And Willy (Contreras), it felt like second nature. We were just locked in again from Pitch 1.”
Hendricks has been talking about developing a curveball this season, and it seemed to be working Friday. The Brewers didn't make much hard contact. Former MVP Christian Yelich went 0-for-4 with 2 strikeouts and a nubber to the mound.
“I put a lot of work in on it,” Hendricks said of his curve. “It's the best it's felt. Being able to use it in all counts really opens up my game a lot. It's a work in progress, I've got to sitck with it, but it's really good to see those results like that.”
Hendricks is an anomaly in today's game because he doesn't throw hard. Several of his strikeouts came on 80-mph changeups. For a former catcher like Ross, it was the perfect way to collect his first managerial win.
“I know we're supposed to socially distance, but he came in for the hug and I squeezed the heck out of him,” Ross said. “In today's world where everybody has 'stuff,' its just so much fun to watch him dissect a lineup.”
The only hits that mattered happened in the bottom of the third. Nico Hoerner rolled a single between second and short, then Ian Happ followed with a 2-run homer to center field.
The volume on the fake crowd noise was turned up a few seconds after Happ's homer landed, which was awkward. But touching the bases was more important.
Anthony Rizzo added an insurance home run – a line drive to right – with two outs in the eighth to make it 3-0.
Rizzo also provided some comic relief. When Arcia reached first base after a single in the third inning, Rizzo pulled a bottle of hand sanitizer out of his back pocket and offered some to his rival. Arcia accepted.
Kris Bryant seemed to be taking his role as leadoff man seriously when he looked at 10 pitches from Milwaukee starter Brandon Woodruff in the first inning before flying out to center.
Overall, it was a quiet night for the top of the Cubs' order. Other than Rizzo (walk, hit by pitch, home run), the top six hitters in the lineup went a combined 1-for-18. Kyle Schwarber picked up an early single for that lone hit.