In the midst of his breakout season, pitching for a team on the precipice of clinching their division with more than two weeks remaining in the season, Kyle Hendricks entered Monday night’s start with very little left to prove in 2016. He then proceeded to come within three outs of pitching a no-hitter. Hendricks faced one batter over the minimum through the first eight innings, before surrendering a home run to Jeremy Hazelbaker leading off the ninth, as the Cubs defeated the St. Louis Cardinals, 4-1.
Offensively, the Cubs were paced by the first four batters in the lineup (Dexter Fowler, Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, and Ben Zobrist), who combined for six of the team’s seven hits. Fowler and Zobrist had a single and home run each.
Aroldis Chapman entered the game following the Hazelbaker home run, picking up his 14th save with the Cubs, who shrank their NL Central magic number to three.
It’s just a hunch, but in the coming days, there will be many words written by many talented BP Wrigleyville writers about Hendricks, who lowered his ERA to 2.03, so for now, we’ll just give you the basics (a recap, if you will). It was a remarkable night in St. Louis, but as you’ll read below, it was just business as usual for Hendricks.
Top Play (WPA): Leading off the second inning, Zobrist launched a 2-1 pitch from Leake over the right field fence, giving the Cubs a 1-0 lead (+.112). It was Zobrist’s 15th home run, and he’d add a double later in the game. It’s encouraging sign for Zobrist and the Cubs, as in 14 games since August 26, he was hitting just .114/.304/.136 with no extra-base hits.
Bottom Play (WPA): No surprise here. Entering the ninth inning, Hendricks had issued two walks. He had retired Jeremy Hazelbaker twice, including once by one of his seven strikeouts. Despite this success, Hazelbaker was no easy out for Hendricks, as he entered the game hitting .248/.327/.503 against right-handed pitchers this season, including nine of his eleven home runs. Hendricks got ahead 0-and-2, before leaving a pitch over the plate. It was Hazelbaker’s twelfth home run of the season, but his first in more than three weeks (-.020). After 96 pitches, it was the end of the night for Hendricks.
Key Moment: In non-Hendricks news, Rizzo’s third inning single would prove to be the game-winning hit. With one out and runners on the corners, Rizzo lined a Leake pitch into right field for a base hit, scoring Fowler, and giving the Cubs a 2-0 lead. Entering tonight, Rizzo had struggled at Busch Stadium in 2016, going 4-for-23, without an extra base hit.
Trend to Watch: Who’s trendier than Hendricks? He has not allowed more than two earned runs in a start since July 26, a span of eight starts. During that stretch, he’s posted a 1.28 ERA and 0.76 WHIP. He’s pitched into the sixth inning in eleven consecutive starts. Tonight, he was effective and efficient, as he kept the ball down (picking up ten outs via the ground ball) and needed just 44 pitches to get through the first four innings and 49 pitches to get through the next four innings.
What’s Coming Next: Like the act who followed The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show or the endless stream of one-season sitcoms that followed Seinfeld, Jason Hammel has a tough act to follow on Tuesday night. Hammel has been outstanding in two starts against the Cardinals this season, allowing two earned runs on twelve base runners in 13 1/3 innings pitched. He’ll be matched up against Jaime Garcia, who has struggled in the second half (1.40 WHIP and 5.58 ERA), and is coming off a start in Milwaukee in which he allowed five earned runs on nine baserunners in just 3 2/3 innings pitched. In two starts against the Cubs this season, Garcia has favored his four seam fastball (36 percent) to his sinker (28 percent), and mixed in his change and slider in equal measure (16 percent each). First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 PM.
Lead photo courtesy Jeff Curry—USA Today Sports