“It always seems one guy every year is that guy. On every staff there’s one guy that never gets any runs, regardless of how well that he pitches.” Maddon went on to commend the job Kyle Hendricks has done, improving both velocity and command this season, but through twelve starts he had nevertheless been that guy for the 2016 Cubs.
Coming into tonight’s game, Hendricks carried the starting rotation’s only losing record at 4-6, which is more a reflection of his relatively meager run support than his 3.05 ERA (1.99 at home). The lion’s share of the Cubs’ prodigious offense had blessed his compatriots, with every other starter receiving over five runs of support (Arrieta with nearly seven!), ranking each among the top ten in the National League. Meanwhile, Hendricks had to work with an average of just 3.08 runs per start (forty-fifth among NL pitchers). But then he got to face the skidding Pirates on sweep night at Wrigley. It was fun.
Top Play (WPA): Though Hendricks’s run support had only just begun, the top play by WPA came in the second inning when Javy Baez sent the game’s first home run of many into the left field bleachers (+.099). The Cubs went up 2-0, and they would never relinquish the lead.
They may have mattered less in win probability, but honorable mention must go to Bryant and Rizzo’s solo shots in the third, which extended the lead to 4-0. The back-to-back jacks simultaneously put Hendricks’s run support above his season average and elevated the Cubs into their offensive sweet spot: they now boast a 43-3 record when scoring four-plus. The bromantic slugging duo is currently in step, each going yard in the last two games and tied at seventeen on the season. ESPN even caught them performing a dugout reenactment of the Bryzzo Souvenir Company salute and goofy dance routine. It was endearing, albeit cheesy, but nowhere near the peak entertainment of the night. Stay tuned.
Bottom Play (WPA): The Pirates refused to entirely go away in this one, and made a worrisome recovery once Hendricks surrendered the game to the bullpen with a 6-1 lead. Facing Grimm, Richard, and Warren, they scored three runs in the seventh on a Starling Marte triple and a Jung Ho Kang single (-.057). With the lead down to two and the tying run at the plate, the celebratory mood dampened a bit as fans were reminded of the team’s one area of weakness to emerge so far. Fortunately, the party atmosphere returned in no time, as the Cubs answered right back. They plated four after the stretch, which included an Addison Russell two-run dinger.
Key Moment: Forget “key moment” of the game, this will be one to remember for the season. With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, taking Hendricks’s place in the order, newly-called-up Willson Contreras entered the batter’s box to a raucous standing ovation. Sufficiently thrilled for the rookie catcher’s first major league at bat, the Wrigley Faithful reserved scant fervor for the ecstasy to come. After the coaching staff emphatically curtailed Baez’s aggressive baserunning tendencies (which had him itching at first and drawing pick off attempts), Contreras was guaranteed his chance. He only needed one pitch, a change up from Andrew Schugel, to instantly win the hearts and minds of the already very friendly crowd. Crushing a two-run shot 402 feet to straight-away center, Contreras topped his introductory standing O with an electrifying curtain call, and it was glorious.
Trend to Watch: On a night when the statistically “worst” member of the starting rotation controlled the game for six innings with a career-high twelve strikeouts, impressive run production continues to rob attention from incredible defense. Five different Cubs contributed to five home runs, while three raked three hits apiece. They combined to form an unrelenting threat, even without one of the lineup’s most productive hitters. Dexter Fowler missed his second consecutive start and remains day-to-day with hamstring soreness that may or may not require a DL stint. Games like this one show how well protected this team is with offensive depth, and why that incredible run differential has every reason to reach even higher levels of absurdity.
Coming Next: Beginning Monday night, Maddon’s crew will finish the homestand with a three-game set against St. Louis. After taking two of three in both previous meetings under the Arch, the Cubs seek to pad their already-historic division lead and stave off Cardinal retaliation in the Confines. Look for rookie-turned-instant-hero Willson Contreras to make his first big league start behind the dish in Game 1 as Lackey takes on an inconsistent lefty in Jaime Garcia. For more on what promises to be an exciting series, don’t miss Rian Watt’s preview of how the rivals matchup this week.
Lead photo courtesy Dennis Wierzbicki—USA Today Sports