August 23, 2015 Daily Herald Montero, Soler HRs lift Chicago Cubs over Braves By Bruce Miles Don't mess with the hashtag. Don't mess with Miguel Montero. In this day of social media reach, the Cubs catcher has created his own cottage industry of sorts with the hashtag #WeAreGood. Montero personally backed it up Saturday, making hash of former teammate Edwin Jackson by hitting the go-ahead home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to break a 7-7 tie and help lift the Cubs to a 9-7 victory before 41,196 delirious fans at Wrigley Field. Jorge Soler followed Montero by taking a Jackson pitch out to give the Cubs a little breathing room in a game in which they trailed 7-3 in the fifth inning. So what to make of these Cubs, who are three-quarters of the way through the season with a record of 70-51? By now we must concede that they are good, or perhaps more fitting, #TheyAreGood. But just don't suggest they're lucky. Montero took a mostly playful bit of umbrage when it was suggested that the Cubs might be something else other than just good. "What do you think?" Montero said. "So you think we're lucky? We're good. That's it. I don't know how to answer that question because I don't think you win 70 games with luck. You're either good or not. It's always the mentality, the spirit, the spirit in the clubhouse. We start winning, and your mind changes and you start believing that we are good." Good teams beat bad teams, and that's what the Cubs are doing. They took their third straight from the Braves, who are stumbling along at 53-70. They got a home run in the third inning from Anthony Rizzo to give them a 3-2 lead before the Braves hit starting pitcher Dan Haren and reliever Travis Wood for 5 runs in the fifth. Helping the climb back was Addison Russell, whose sixth-inning solo homer tied the game at 7-7. The teams combined for 6 home runs, with all going to left field, left-center or center, thanks to a 14-mph southeast breeze blowing from right to left.

"Right after they got their runs, it gets a little bit quiet," said manager Joe Maddon, the tone-setter for this feel-good season. "And then we answered it relatively fast. That's a big part, when you're able to answer. "I felt the whole time our guys felt we could come back. I never got the impression we were out of that thing." If there's any cold water to throw on the party, it's that Haren lasted just 4⅓ innings, giving up 6 hits and 4 runs. Haren came to the Cubs from Miami in a July 31 trade, and in his first 4 starts with his new team, he has an ERA of 6.05, having given up 25 hits and 13 earned runs in 19⅓ innings. The fifth spot in the rotation has evolved throughout the year, and I asked Maddon if Haren's spot is secure. "I like Danny a lot," Maddon said. "I really believe he's going to be a big help to us down the stretch. He's such a professional. I mean that sincerely. I like this fella. You got to love his attitude and how he goes about his business. "It wasn't the right setup for him today the way their lineup played and the way the ballpark played, it made it more difficult. I have a lot of respect for this guy and what he's done, and there's definitely a lot left in the tank. So we'll run him right back out there." -- Daily Herald Maddon: Cubs fans, keep your hands in your pockets By Bruce Miles The baskets below the Wrigley Field bleachers are getting quite the workout lately, with home runs landing in the mesh regularly. Cubs manager Joe Maddon wants to remind fans to keep their hands to themselves. Cubs shortstop Addison Russell hit a home run in the sixth inning of Saturday's 9-7 victory over the Braves at Wrigley Field. The homer tied the game at 7-7 and brought the Cubs back from a 7-3 deficit. However, Russell came close to possibly losing the home run because a fan in the first row of the bleachers reached over the basket and got a hand on the ball. Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez asked for a replay, and the home run call was upheld, but it was close. If replay officials had ruled otherwise, Russell would have been sent back to second with a double. Fan interference was called last Tuesday when a fan reached over the basket and touched a ball hit by the Tigers' Miguel Cabrera, who was sent back to second base. Fans interfering with balls in play are ejected from the ballpark. "Cub fans, just keep your hands in your pockets until the ball goes over the wall," said Cubs manager Joe Maddon. "That's something that seems to be an issue at the ballpark here for several years. I was wondering if the guy had a Braves shirt on or not." The bleachers were rebuilt this season, but a Cubs spokesman said there were no changes to the size, depth or configuration of the baskets. Not waiting around: Anthony Rizzo is one of the game's most selective hitters, with an on-base percentage of 401, fueled by 60 walks and 24 hit-by-pitches.

However, Rizzo continues to do damage by hitting first pitches. His home run Saturday (No. 25 for the season) came on a first pitch. He entered the game with a line of .448/.459/.879 when the count is 0-0. "There's not a thing wrong with going after the first pitch," Joe Maddon said. "He's really good at working an at-bat mentally. He'll say things to me as he's going to the on-deck circle. It's very calculated. It's very well thought out. "He's really mature beyond his years as a hitter and as a baseball player. He's done a great job. But he's really good at figuring out what the pitcher is trying to do." Rizzo said it's all a matter of perspective. "It just all depends on the situation," he said. "You look for a good pitch to hit, and I was lucky I got that (home run) up in the air." This and that: The Cubs are a National League-best 18-4 since July 29. At 70-51, they are the fourth team in the major leagues to reach 70 wins ... Reliever Clayton Richard has a 1.32 ERA in his last 5 appearances. He worked a perfect inning Saturday. -- Daily Herald Rozner: Cubs fans need not be haunted by the past By Barry Rozner Cubs fans have come to believe that heartbreak is part of their DNA. It is not. It's a significant and recurring part of your history with the team, assuming you've been around at least 20 or 30 years, but despite what you've been exposed to in the media, it has nothing to do with goats, jinxes, plagues, curses, Gatorade buckets or fan interference. Most of the time it was incompetence, whether on the field, in the dugout or up in the front office. That's why you need not fear what comes next. Losing is most assuredly not inherent. While there's no guarantee the Cubs will make the playoffs this year or win a World Series in the next five -- though I believe they will -- different this time around is the people in charge know what they're doing. See, it's all about the plan and those executing the plan. Theo Epstein, Jason McLeod and Joe Maddon are the best at what they do. When they got here, Epstein and Co. put a strategy before the fans and media. Not everyone understood it, and some obviously still don't. They said they would invest in the organization starting at the bottom, and they have rebuilt the Cubs exactly that way. They had a plan and they have executed the plan. They stuck with the plan when questioned at every juncture, and even this July would not deal the Kris Bryants or Kyle Schwarbers to try to win a single playoff game. They stick with it. And when things don't go according to the plan, they have a backup plan. Most crucial, they happen to be good at executing the plan.

Yes, it's all about having a plan and then having the people to pull it off. The Cubs have both and intend in the near future to have a team capable of competing for a playoff spot annually and, in turn, having a chance to win the World Series every year. Not one game. Not one time. Not one year. Consistently competing to make the tournament every season. This is a new concept around these parts and somehow too complicated for some to grasp. Cubs history, on the other hand, is fraught with going for it today and paying a huge price for it tomorrow, a terrific gamble which has worked precisely zero times for the Cubs in the last century. Before Epstein, the only other man to try it the current way was Dallas Green in the 1980s, and he was well on his way to making it happen when interference from Tribune Co. brought about his firing. But a year after his departure, the Boys of Zimmer had a great run in 1989, built on the selections of Green and his staff, who drafted Greg Maddux, Mark Grace, Shawon Dunston, Jerome Walton, Dwight Smith, Joe Girardi, Damon Berryhill, Doug Dascenzo, Jeff Pico and Gary Varsho, among others. They also drafted Rafael Palmeiro and traded for Ryne Sandberg, a prospect Green had a hand in drafting while with the Phillies organization. Yeah, Green might have gotten it done had he truly been given the chance. After him, several Cubs executives talked about rebuilding the minor leagues and putting in place a system where the Cubs could rely on their own prospects to get them to the playoffs, and then deal the ones they didn't need for the parts that would put them over the top. But no one had the patience to actually do it. The chance to win quickly replaced any thought of a long-term plan, and here we are 30 years later with a management team and ownership committed to the plan and to winning a World Series with that plan. If you make the playoffs one time, yes, bad things can occur and kill your chances of dancing at Clark and Addison. You've seen enough of that to know it to be the case. But make the playoffs consistently over a 10-year period and your chances of being taken down by bad luck shrink considerably. Of course, having really good teams built on the strength of a monster farm system allows you to make mistakes and have players who can pick up the slack. So while heartbreak has taken a toll on your psyche, the simple truth is nothing that's occurred over previous decades has anything to do with what will happen over the next six weeks or the next six years. You need not fear curses and monsters, goats and foul balls, "Cubbie occurrences" and other assorted gibberish. We're all haunted by our past. We all have flashbacks and nightmares. But how you're affected and how you live your life is a choice you alone can make. Why not just enjoy the ride and let go of past misery? And let those in charge do the worrying for you. --

Cubs.com Back-to-back HRs lift Cubs to third straight win By Mark Bowman and Greg Garno CHICAGO -- Miguel Montero and Jorge Soler greeted their former teammate Edwin Jackson by opening the eighth inning with back-to-back home runs, giving the Cubs a 9-7 comeback win over the Braves on Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Field. The Cubs moved five games in front of the Giants in the race to claim the National League's second Wild Card spot with their 28th comeback win of the season. After falling behind, 7-3, in the fifth inning, they steadily cut the deficit before Addison Russell tied it on a solo homer that was reviewed by the umpires. The Cubs produced the decisive blasts in the eighth at the expense of Jackson, the veteran right-hander that they released just after the All-Star break. "When you face the guys that you caught, you start overthinking and start to think along with the pitchers," Montero said, having caught for Jackson this season and before in Arizona. "That's when you get in trouble rather than just think about your game plan. Today, I didn't see the ball well early, and I got to say, I was really lucky the way that ball found my barrel." Nick Swisher homered from both sides of the plate and A.J. Pierzynski notched three hits, including a two-run single in Atlanta's five-run fifth inning. But their offensive contributions were not enough to overcome the struggles endured by Braves starter Williams Perez, who lasted just 4 2/3 innings and factored heavily in Atlanta's sixth straight loss. "It's just a tough loss for us," Swisher said. "Things haven't been going well for us as of late. We're trying to turn things around and get things going. We had a great start to the game." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Fifth-inning frenzy: The Braves tallied five runs in the top of the fifth inning with the assistance of Pierzynski's two-run single and Swisher's two-run homer. But the Cubs answered with three runs, when Kris Bryant and Montero chased Perez with consecutive two-out doubles in the bottom half of the frame. "I don't remember the last time we've scored five in one game, let alone in one frame." Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "Then they got right back in it." "That was a really good win for us," added Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo. "When we go down like that [in the fifth], we just needed a run or two to scratch away." Power from both sides: This was Swisher's first multi-homer game since Sept. 15, 2013 and the 14th time he has homered from both sides of the plate, tying him with Mark Teixeira for the most in Major League history. Swisher began his power barrage in the second inning with a two-run shot that erased the lead the Cubs gained when Dexter Fowler tripled and scored in the first. Coming up short: It was another shortened outing for a Cubs starter after Dan Haren lasted just 4 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on six hits. The right-hander became the fourth Chicago starter in the last five games to pitch five or fewer innings. Since he was acquired from Miami at the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline, Haren has not gone beyond six innings. Cubs manager Joe Maddon had hoped to keep him in longer, but brought in Travis Wood to close the fifth. Wood allowed a double, single and home run. "Obviously, I'd like to do better, be out there longer and stuff like that," Haren said. "When it comes down to it, when we've got 40 or 50 games left, whatever we've got left, it's just about winning games. I think everybody has to just put their self… wanting to do good for themselves behind them and just go out and just do the best they can for the team because that's what it's about at this point in the year."

QUOTABLE "Playing in this park as much as I have, I know that once you get the ball in the air, anything is possible," -- Jackson, who had allowed just one hit over the 4 1/3 scoreless innings he had completed since joining the Braves on Aug. 15. "That [home run] Soler hit went straight up in the air. I thought it was going to Simba [Andrelton Simmons] at short. That ball just kept carrying out and carrying out. But, hey man, I guess this ballpark plays a little different on different days." -- Swisher, on the windy conditions "That's something that seems to be an issue at the ballpark here. It's been going on for several years now." -- Maddon, joking after Russell's home run in the seventh that was interfered with by a fan SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS The Braves are 14-5 when they score at least 7 runs this year. They were 149-3 in such games from 2010-2014. REPLAY REVIEW The Braves did not gain the result they wanted when a boundary review took place after it appeared that a fan may have interfered with Russell's game-tying home run off Matt Marksberry in the sixth inning. Replays showed the fan made contact with the ball at the edge of the basket in center field, but the call stood because the replay official could not determine the contact affected the ball leaving the playing field. WHAT'S NEXT Braves: Matt Wisler will take the mound as Atlanta and Chicago conclude this four-game series on Sunday at 2:20 p.m. ET. Wisler has produced a 7.20 ERA while totaling just 20 innings through his first four August starts. Cubs: Jason Hammel (6-5, 3.38 ERA) takes the mound for the Cubs in the series finale on Sunday when the Cubs hope to extend their lead with the National League's second Wild Card spot. The right-hander has not posted a quality start since July 3, having gone fewer than six innings in each start since. First pitch from Wrigley Field is scheduled for 1:20 p.m. CT. -- Cubs.com Russell's controversial game-tying HR looms large By Greg Garno CHICAGO -- Addison Russell knew the wind had been blowing out at Wrigley Field since the Braves had come to town on Thursday. So when he hit a ball off Braves pitcher Matt Marksberry into center field in Saturday's 9-7 win against Atlanta, he knew it had a chance of landing in the stands. He couldn't have predicted how close a call it would be, though, when a fan appeared to interfere with the ball as it headed toward the bleachers. But following a Crew Chief replay review, he was awarded a home run that proved crucial to the win. Braves center fielder Cameron Maybin tracked the ball as it sailed toward the wall and watched as the ball flew over his head, but bounced back onto the field after it hit a fan's forearm. "From where I was standing, it looked like it had a legitimate chance to hit off the side [of the basket] or maybe go under that thing," Maybin said. "They got together and replayed it. That's really all you can do."

Crew Chief Bill Miller called for a review to determine whether the fan had affected the flight of the ball. The original call on the field stood when the replay official could not definitively determine that the fan had an impact on the ball leaving the playing field. "I thought I had a pretty good shot, and watching Maybin go back, I thought he might have had a chance at it," Russell said. "I thought maybe it might be in the basket, maybe it might not be, but I'm glad it was ruled that it went out." "They said they felt the ball was hit high enough on the forearm that it was going to be in the basket anyway," said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez. "They didn't have enough to overturn it." The home run tied the game at 7, after the Cubs had trailed 7-3 earlier in the game, paving the way for back-to-back homers in the eighth inning. The win gave Chicago a five-game lead over the Giants for the second spot in the Wild Card race. "To tie the game up is very big," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "You got to get tied before you can win it. That run might not score and they might use their bullpen differently than that. So everything changes based on that one particular play. "I thought the play was going to stand regardless, because it looked so close they could not overturn it." It was the fourth ball between the Braves and Cubs that was hit into the basket on Saturday. The netting was originally installed four decades ago to protect fans from falling onto the field and injuring themselves. "That's something that seems to be an issue at the ballpark here," Maddon joked. "It's been going on for several years now." -- Cubs.com Motte racking up wins out of the bullpen By Greg Garno CHICAGO -- You wouldn't blame Jason Motte for savoring his 8-1 record after picking up the win against the Braves, or for giving his teammates in the rotation a hard time. After all, he leads the Majors in relief victories. His teammate, starter Kyle Hendricks, noted Motte was "yelling about it" on Friday, but that isn't accurate, the reliever says. Because whenever he comes in and whatever his record is, Motte hasn't changed his approach on the mound. "As a reliever, that [record] doesn't really matter," he said. "It's cool, but I'm not going to run around and celebrate. It's not me." Still, his feat is one to be recognized, given that his eight victories are the most by a Cubs reliever since Jeff Samardzija did so in 2011. And with one more victory, he would become the first Cubs reliever with nine since Lee Smith did so in 1986. Motte picked up the win after a clean sixth inning in which Chicago rallied with two go-ahead runs in the bottom half. The eighth win is a career high for the six-year veteran, whose previous high was five with the Cardinals during the 2011 season. Some people are quick to call them vultures -- relievers who come in and earn the win after a starter has finished his outing -- but Motte isn't concerned about that either. "It is what it is. If it means we win, that's all that matters," Motte said. "We have guys here that have gone out there and done their job, and that's what it's about."

This year, Motte has been able to pick up more wins in a different role. As opposed to 2012, when Motte picked up 42 saves, he has been utilized as a setup man in manager Joe Maddon's bullpen, pitching based off the situation. In his new role, Motte has been the spark for a Cubs bullpen that has posted one of its strongest seasons. Among the Cubs' current relievers, only one has gone without a save this year while picking up a combined 24 wins in relief. Chicago's bullpen has thrown four or more scoreless innings in a game 16 times. Motte isn't one to hype that up, either. "It doesn't matter what your role is, when you're called upon, it's about going out and doing your job. We have guys with really good stuff in here. "You don't go out there thinking, 'I need to get these guys out so guys behind me [succeed].' You go out there and your job is to get the guy at the plate out." -- Cubs.com Hammel looks to complete sweep against Braves By Greg Garno Cubs manager Joe Maddon wants his team to play greedy, as he calls it. He doesn't want the Cubs to be content with where they sit. When the Cubs go for the four-game sweep against the Braves in the series finale on Sunday afternoon, Maddon wants to make sure the team isn't complacent if it falls behind or jump out ahead. "We've got to go out there and keep the pedal down, and I think our guys are figuring that out," Maddon said. It's especially important as the National League Wild Card race continues. Chicago still holds the second spot in the postseason, but it also sits third in the NL Central with just over 30 games remaining. The Braves won't go quietly in the series finale, though, as they get a better look and feel for their young roster. Starter Matt Wisler is among those young players looking to fit in as he looks to get through at least six innings for the first time since July 26. Things to know about this game: • Jason Hammel, who will take the mound for Chicago, has also struggling to go deep into ballgames. He has not thrown a quality start since July 3 as Maddon continues to keep his innings limited. • Over his last 12 starts, Hammel has picked up only one win. The right-hander started the season with five wins in his first 11 games. • Chicago will see it's fifth right-handed starter in six games with Wisler on the mound. The Cubs hope to take advantage with five batters who can hit left-handed. Lefties are hitting .347 against Wisler this season, compared to a .264 average for right-handed batters. -- ESPNChicago.com Skip talk of destiny; Cubs use talent to find ways to win By John Jackson CHICAGO -- Considering their long history of futility, it's to be expected that the Chicago Cubs' dramatic turnaround has sparked a few over-the-top reactions about them being a team of destiny or in the midst of a magical season. But please, don't bring that kind of talk into the Cubs' clubhouse. The players don't want to hear it.

After the Cubs rallied from a four-run deficit for a 9-7 victory Saturday over the Atlanta Braves -- Chicago's third straight win and second straight late-inning comeback -- Miguel Montero thought a reporter was suggesting the team was fortunate and snapped. "You think we're lucky? We're good," he said. "I don't think you win 70 games being lucky. You're either [good] or not." A couple of minutes earlier, Anthony Rizzo was asked about the Cubs' ability to rally repeatedly and had a simple response: "I think it's just the talent here. It could be anyone on any day." There's little question Saturday's comeback was a team effort. Atlanta took a 7-3 lead with a five-run fifth inning, but the Cubs immediately began chipping away. Kris Bryant had a two-run double and Montero followed with a double to drive in Bryant to trim the deficit to 7-6 in the bottom of the fifth. Addison Russell then tied the score in the sixth with a solo home run. Montero led off the eighth inning with a solo homer off former Cub Edwin Jackson (2-2) to give Chicago the lead. The next batter, Jorge Soler, also stroked a homer to provide a little insurance. "Today, we never doubted," Montero said. "I mean, it was just a matter of time. It's definitely a good feeling. The guys know that we can come back in any situation. There was never panic. That's a good sign." The Cubs, who at 70-51 are one win from going 20 games over .500, also took advantage of the conditions at Wrigley Field. The wind was blowing out to left field and three of the team's four homers -- Rizzo also had a solo shot in the third inning -- were lofted that way. Both of the back-to-back homers by Montero and Soler landed in the basket attached to the bleachers and probably wouldn't have gone out without the benefit of the jet stream. "Playing in this park, as many times as I've played, I know once you get the ball in the air, anything is possible," Jackson said. "We took advantage of it more than they did," Chicago starter Dan Haren said. "We put a couple of balls in the basket." The reason the Cubs had to rally again was because of another shaky effort by a starter. Haren was yanked with one out in the fifth with runners on the corners. Left-hander Travis Wood was brought in to face two left-handers in the Atlanta lineup. The move didn't work out as planned because Freddie Freeman doubled in a run and A.J. Pierzynski followed with a base hit off the glove of second baseman Chris Coghlan to drive in two more. Nick Swisher, batting right-handed, then capped the five-run inning with a two-run homer -- his second of the game. The switch-hitting Swisher had a two-run shot in the second off Haren. It's the 14th time in his career he has homered from both sides of the plate in the same game. Normally, a disastrous inning like that can demoralize a team, but not these Cubs. "You absorb the body blow, you come back in the dugout and you fight back," manager Joe Maddon said. "And that's what we did." An overlooked aspect of the comeback was the job the bullpen did after the fifth inning. Tommy Hunter, Clayton Richard, Pedro Strop and Hector Rondon combined to hold the Braves scoreless over the final four innings. Strop (2-6) pitched the eighth to get the win, and Rondon had a 1-2-3 ninth for his 23rd save. As for Haren, the veteran right-hander hasn't completed the fifth inning in his last two starts, but Maddon said he will remain in the rotation as the fifth starter.

"I like Danny a lot," the manager said. "I really believe he's going to be a big help to us down the stretch. He's such a professional. I mean that sincerely. I like this fella, you gotta love his attitude and how he goes about his business. "It wasn't the right setup for him Saturday, the way their lineup was set up and the way the ballpark played. It made it more difficult. But I have a lot of respect for this guy. You look at his numbers and what he's done, and there's definitely a lot left in the tank." With the Cubs continuing to find ways to win, Maddon can afford to be patient. -- ESPNChicago.com Rapid Reaction: Cubs 9, Braves 7 By John Jackson CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs rallied from a four-run deficit for a 9-7 victory over the Atlanta Braves at Wrigley Field on Saturday. It’s the Cubs' third straight victory and second straight comeback win after falling behind early. Here’s a closer look at the game. How it happened: The wind was blowing out to left field and it was apparent early on that the batters -- including the left-handed batters -- were looking to go that way. Switch-hitter Nick Swisher had a pair of home runs (one from each side of the plate) as the Braves jumped out to a 7-3 lead in the top of the fifth inning. The Cubs then rallied for three runs in the bottom of the fifth when Kris Bryant hit a two-run double and Miguel Montero followed with a run-scoring double to trim the deficit to one run. Addison Russell then tied the score in the sixth inning with a solo blast to center field. The umpiring crew reviewed the play to see if the fan who touched the ball reached over the basket, but the replays were inconclusive and the call stood. That’s where the score stayed until the bottom of the eighth, when Montero and Jorge Soler hit back-to-back homers on consecutive pitches against former Cub Edwin Jackson (2-2) to give Chicago a 9-7 lead. Not surprisingly, both homers were to left field. Both just made it into the basket attached to the bleachers. Pedro Strop (2-6) pitched a scoreless eighth to get the win and closer Hector Rondon pitched a scoreless ninth for his 23rd save. What it means: The fifth spot in the Cubs’ rotation continues to be an enigma. Dan Haren, who was acquired on July 31, has not impressed in his four starts. He has not made it through the sixth inning in any outing and lasted just 4 1/3 innings Saturday, allowing four runs on six hits. Granted, the bullpen allowed both inherited runners to score in the fifth inning, but Haren was not particularly sharp or effective. The problem doesn’t appear glaring now because the Cubs are winning. What’s next: The four-game series concludes on Sunday with a 1:20 p.m. CT start. Jason Hammel (6-5, 3.38 ERA) pitches for the Cubs and looks to rebound from his recent struggles. Right-hander Matt Wisler (5-3, 4.65) goes for the Braves. -- ESPNChicago.com September roster decisions loom for Cubs By John Jackson CHICAGO -- Regardless of whether a deal is made before the waiver trade deadline on Aug. 31, the Chicago Cubs will be getting an influx of reinforcements when major league rosters expand on Sept. 1.

President Theo Epstein, general manager Jed Hoyer and the rest of the front-office staff are already discussing which players -- and how many -- will be promoted from the minor leagues to enhance the team’s depth and flexibility for the final month of the regular season. The roster limit jumps from 25 to 40 in September, but the Cubs are trying to decide what is the precise number necessary to cover all the bases without having too many players around. “It’s hard,” Hoyer said earlier this week. “You have a lot of factors in play. You want to make sure that your innings are covered in case anything happens, a rain delay or a blowout. You want to make sure you can match up really well off the bench. You want to make sure you have pinch runners. “But you also have to make sure you don’t ruin your clubhouse in September.” That’s especially true with the Cubs because the home clubhouse in Wrigley Field –-- at least until the new two-level clubhouse opens next season -- is much smaller than others around major league baseball. “You guys are down there every day; you see how much space we have,” Hoyer said to reporters. “The last thing you want is too many guys down there. It sort of disrupts the vibe of what’s been going well. “You want to call up enough guys to cover all those factors I mentioned before without calling up too many guys and change the dynamic of the clubhouse.” Manager Joe Maddon will let the front office decide which players will be joining the team, but makes it clear that the Cubs can’t afford to be caught short in the race for a playoff spot. “When you get into the position we’re getting into now, a couple of things have to be factored in,” Maddon said. “Speed has to be factored in. That’s one thing. Bullpen has to be factored in and catching has to be factored in. You have to make sure you’re covered in all of those areas. “The other point that I’m very much about is, if it’s bad game, to get your regular guys off their feet and get somebody else in there.” Which pitchers are promoted will be determined by who is healthy and throwing well. Two position players that almost certainly will join the team are infielders Tommy La Stella and Javier Baez -- if the Cubs don’t acquire a veteran to get into the mix at second base. “Tommy is getting well and [Javier] Baez is getting well,” Maddon said. “I’ve been a part of it where young players have impacted this time of year in a positive way.” September games often have a different feel because teams can make more moves. For instance, instead of waiting until the seventh or eighth innings to begin matching up with lefties and righties out of the bullpen, it can happen as early as the fifth. “It’s really annoying when you’re in it and you’re playing someone that’s not and they can do that to you,” Maddon said. Because of that there’s been talk of limiting the amount of players that can be active each game. “I’m OK with that if that were to happen, some kind of limitation, because it gets kind of crazy,” Maddon said. -- CSNChicago.com Another day, another comeback win for the #WeAreGood Cubs By Vinnie Duber The Cubs’ comebackability is off the charts right now.

The Cubs have been making a habit of comeback wins all season, but things have reached a new level in this weekend’s series with the Braves. After erasing a small deficit for a win Friday, the Cubs closed a four-run gap in the middle innings Saturday and delivered a 9-7 win to the ecstatic Wrigley Field faithful on back-to-back home runs off former teammate Edwin Jackson in the bottom of the eighth inning. “That’s a big part of any sports team is that you know you’re never out of it, you know that you can comeback,” manager Joe Maddon said after the game. “I talk about the will to succeed, and the constant execution of fundamentals and technique, that’s what it requires. We’re about that. We played a pretty good game again today, we played well.” Ahead 3-2 after four innings, things got a little tricky in the top of the fifth, when Dan Haren and Travis Wood combined to allow five Atlanta runs and turn a one-run lead into a four-run deficit. But the Cubs, the comeback artists that they are, responded immediately with three runs in the bottom of the inning on doubles from Kris Bryant and Miguel Montero. An inning later, Addison Russell lifted a solo home run to left-center field to tie the game. The home run survived a replay review, one necessitated by a fan reaching over and hitting the ball with his hands. Would the ball have landed in the basket or on the warning track had the fan not reached out? That will never be known. But the call stood, meaning there wasn’t enough evidence to overturn or confirm it. The result was perhaps the game’s biggest moment, as Maddon suggested afterward. “To tie the game up is very big. You’ve got to get, obviously, tied before you can win it,” Maddon said. “If that ball doesn’t go out — their pitcher threw very well to both (Dexter) Fowler and (Kyle) Schwarber to follow. So that run might not score, and then they’re going to use their bullpen differently after that. So everything changes based on that one particular play. “Cub fans, just keep your hands in your pockets till the ball goes over the wall.” Russell’s homer tied things up, but a completed comeback still required the Cubs to move into the lead. And in something that almost seemed scripted, it was much-maligned former teammate Jackson who ended up providing the team with one of their signature wins of the season. Using the wind blowing out to left field to their advantage, Montero and Jorge Soler hit solo home runs on back-to-back pitches in the bottom of the eighth. Montero’s was the more important of the two, giving the Cubs the lead, but Soler’s riled up the fans just as much. Montero said familiarity with Jackson played no factor and that he was actually lucky to do the damage he did. “When you face a guy that you caught, you start overthinking and try to think along with the pitcher, and that’s when you get in trouble, rather than just think about your gameplan,” Montero said. “Today (against Jackson), I didn’t really see the ball well the first couple of pitches. He was kind of hard to see. I’ve got to say I was really lucky that that ball found my barrel.” There was more to this one than the six runs that made up the comeback. Haren struggled again and saw his ERA rise to 6.05 in four starts since joining the Cubs. The Cubs bullpen — outside of the three runs allowed by Wood — was again fantastic, with Tommy Hunter, Clayton Richard, Pedro Strop and Hector Rondon allowing just two base runners while throwing four scoreless innings. Anthony Rizzo had two early RBIs, including one on a his 25th home run of the season. But in the end, this is the kind of game the Cubs have found a way to win all season. Comebacks and exciting conclusions have helped define the 2015 version of this team, a version so dramatically different than the ones of seasons past.

As the Cubs keep bulldozing toward a spot in the postseason — which would be their first since 2008 — what can the explanation be? Montero has had a season-long answer to that question: #WeAreGood. “Today we definitely never doubted. It was just a matter of time,” Montero said. “So it’s definitely a good feeling. The guys know that we can comeback any time, in any situation. It was never panicked. That’s a good sign. “It’s obviously the mentality, the spirit, the spirit in the clubhouse. The guys, you start winning and your mind changes. You start believing that we are good. And that’s that.” -- CSNChicago.com Cubs' fifth-starter spot still shaky, but Joe Maddon is all-in on Dan Haren By Vinnie Duber The Cubs haven’t been able to solve the No. 5 spot in their rotation all season, and Dan Haren has yet to prove that he’s the answer. The team’s main trade-deadline acquisition, Haren has brought a lot of things the Cubs like to the team. But he hasn’t yet brought success on the mound. Saturday was Haren’s fourth outing since joining the Cubs, and he lasted just 4 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on six hits, striking out three. His biggest mistake was a two-run homer off the bat of Nick Swisher, one of the many longballs that went out to left field on a day when the wind was blowing from right to left, something that aided the Cubs' comeback effort in their 9-7 win. “I felt pretty good actually,” Haren said after the game. “I made a bad pitch to Swisher, threw some curveballs and cutters and stuff and tried to sneak a fastball by him, but he hit it pretty good out there.” After giving up 13 earned runs in just 19 1/3 innings, his ERA in those four starts is a not-so-great 6.05. But Haren’s unattractive numbers haven’t dampened how his manager feels about him. Joe Maddon remains committed to Haren in the No. 5 spot in the rotation, and he really likes what Haren’s been doing, feeling the veteran can be a late-season contributor to a team making a playoff push. “I like Danny a lot,” Maddon said. “I really believe he’s going to be a big help to us down the stretch. He’s such a professional. I mean that, sincerely, I like this fella. You’ve got to love his attitude and how he goes about his business. “It wasn’t the right setup for him today, their lineup, the way their lineup played and the way the ballpark played. It made it more difficult. But I have a lot of respect for this guy. You look at his numbers and what he’s done, and there’s definitely a lot left in the tank. So we’ll run him right back out there.” That’s a positive, of course, for Haren, though he’d undoubtedly like to reward his manager’s confidence by turning in some better outings. “Obviously I’d like to do better, be out there longer and stuff like that,” Haren said. “But when it comes down to it, whenever you’ve got 40 or 50 games left, it’s just about winning games. I think everybody just has to put wanting to do good for themselves behind them and just go out and do the best they can for the team. That’s what it’s about at this point of the year.” --

CSNChicago.com Getting rest and watching scoreboards, Cubs ready for life in playoff race By Vinnie Duber It’s been a while since the Cubs were in the thick of a playoff race, so please pardon reporters covering the team, Joe Maddon, if scoreboard-watching and the effect of September call-ups are topics of interest. The Cubs manager fielded questions about how late-season regularities will work now that the North Side is embroiled in the chase for a National League wild-card spot. First up, the pending September call-ups. An annual thing, recently those call-ups have served as an opportunity for the Cubs to get a look at the next big prospect, the guy who would be part of the team’s future. With most of those guys — Javier Baez is a notable exception — now part of the team’s present, September call-ups could serve a different purpose as the Cubs try and run down a slot in the postseason. “You don’t want to bring too many guys up normally. When you get in the position that we’re getting into right now, a couple things have to be factored in,” Maddon said before Friday’s win over the Braves. “Speed has to be factored in, that’s one thing, bullpen has to be factored in, catching has to be factored in to make sure that you’re covered in all these areas. So you may get a little bit heavy at times based on the fact that you’re in the hunt, and you want to be covered.” Resting players will be of the utmost importance down the stretch. And Maddon’s started doing it already. Kris Bryant came out of the game Thursday, sparking injury panic, but the All-Star third baseman was just getting a few innings off. The platoon of Chris Coghlan and Starlin Castro at second base has allowed Maddon to get all his middle infielders, including Addison Russell, off their feet for several-inning chunks. A lot of these guys have yet to play a full big league season yet, let alone the at least one additional game that comes with a wild-card spot. The Cubs, obviously, are hoping their season goes more games than 163. “The other point that I’m very much about is that if it’s a bad game to get your regular people off their feet, you’re covered to get guys off their feet,” Maddon said. “Even in a good game, where it’s a blowout in a good way, to get your regular guys off their feet and get somebody else out there to get that break that they need.” Then there’s that other aspect of the playoff race: the teams you’re racing. Maddon stuck with the take-care-of-your-own-business cliche — a cliche that makes complete sense, by the way — but he couldn’t help but admit that he’s got his eye on the scores of games from around the NL. How can he avoid it? That giant hand-operated scoreboard in center field is pretty hard to miss from the third-base dugout. “Because the board is right in your face, I kind of like that. Just look up,” Maddon said before Saturday’s game. “I don’t stare. I’m not anxious about it at all. But I’m definitely checking in once in a while. “It’s there. But my mantra has always been you win and don’t worry about what everybody else is doing.” Of course, taking care of their own business is the easiest way to get to the playoffs, and that seemingly worn-out answer is a pretty reasonable one. That’s what the Cubs are focused on. And with the confidence they’re playing with, it’s a good attitude to have. Take it from someone who’s been in this position before. Jason Motte was a member of the St. Louis Cardinals during their playoff chases in 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2014. He won a World Series ring in 2011, pitching in 12 postseason games — including five World Series games — after the Cardinals held off the Braves and Giants to win the wild-card race. “I feel that the mindset in this clubhouse right now is very similar to the mindset that was in St. Louis. It’s the mindset of we have a good team and we can win these ballgames,” Motte said Saturday. “You go up there, you’ve got to battle every at-bat, you’ve got to battle every pitch. And that’s what guys are doing. The attitude in this

clubhouse is great. Even after those two losses to Detroit (on Tuesday and Wednesday), it stunk, but it was like — even after the first one — ‘OK, let’s go out there and get them tomorrow.’” -- Chicago Tribune Cubs never-say-die attitude pays off in comeback victory over Braves By Fred Mitchell Miguel Montero insists the Cubs are not lucky. "We're good," he declares. It's hard to deny Montero's bravado after watching the Cubs overcome a four-run deficit to outslug the Braves 9-7 Saturday at Wrigley Field. Montero was right in the middle of the determined comeback when he homered on a 1-2 pitch against former Cubs batterymate Edwin Jackson to break a 7-7 tie in the eighth inning. Jorge Soler promptly went back-to-back as the crowd of 41,196 erupted again. "The guys know we can come back any time and in any situation," Montero said. "There was never panic." The Cubs have taken the first three games of this four-game series against a Braves team that has lost more road games (46) than any other team in the majors. Cubs manager Joe Maddon says he loves the greedy nature of his team that has improved to 70-51 while in hot pursuit of a playoff berth. The Cubs are the fourth team this season to reach 70 victories. "You win the first two games of a four-game series and a lot of teams would say: 'Oh, we already got a split.' " Maddon said. "I don't buy that; we can't buy that. We have to keep the pedal down. Our guys are figuring that out." Cubs starter Dan Haren lasted just 41/3 innings, allowing four runs on six hits on a day when a crosswind from right to left field helped three homers land in the outfield basket. Pedro Strop (2-6) was credited with the victory, and Hector Rondon recorded his 23rd save. Nick Swisher hit a pair of homers, one from each side of the plate for the 14th time in his career. His two-run blast in the fifth provided the last of the Braves runs in a five-run inning that put the Cubs behind 7-3. But the Cubs countered with three runs in the bottom of the fifth on back-to-back doubles from Kris Bryant and Montero. "Right after they got their runs, it gets a little bit quiet (in the dugout). And we answered relatively fast," Maddon said. "So that was a big part of it … when you are able to answer the other team's surge. I felt the whole time, our guys felt we could come back in. "Our guys are wonderful. They might get a little bit, I don't want to say the word down. You absorb the body blow and you come back in the dugout and fight back. And that's what we did." Montero said he did not rely on his familiarity with Jackson when he stepped up to hit the go-ahead home run in the eighth. "When you face a guy that you (once) caught, you actually start overthinking, and you try to think along with the pitcher," Montero said. "That's when you get in trouble. Today, I didn't see the ball well. The first couple of pitches it was kind of hard to see. I have to say I was really lucky that the ball found my bat." --

Chicago Tribune Influence of Don Zimmer renewed with Joe Maddon's Cubs By Paul Sullivan The enduring image of Don Zimmer in Chicago came during a nationally televised night game against the Giants during the summer of 1989 when he argued with a Cubs' fan who questioned his strategy. The Cubs manager had undergone root canal surgery earlier that day, and was already in a foul mood. "Go on home, you fathead," Zimmer yelled from the top steps of the dugout as the ABC-TV camera zoomed in. "With that Novocaine having worn off, 'Zim' is having a few choice responses," broadcaster Al Michaels remarked. Zimmer still was arguing with the fan later when Cubs pitcher Les Lancaster lined a shot down the left-field line to drive in Curtis Wilkerson with the winning run. "For the first time, the fans really got on me by the dugout," Zimmer said afterward. "They said I was a dummy, that I didn't bunt. … Cub fans are so smart." Zimmer was arguably the most popular Cubs manager of the last five decades. Now, 26 years after the "fathead" incident, Joe Maddon is channeling his inner Zimmer. The Cubs are rolling with 18 victories in 22 games since July 29, including Saturday's wild 9-7 comeback victory over the Braves. Maddon may have a sunnier disposition than the man known as "Popeye," but like Zimmer he's not afraid to rewrite the unwritten rules of how to play the game, whether it's batting the pitcher eighth, or locking the clubhouse doors so his players can't show up too early. "The similarities are their vision and the way they're able to think outside-the-box," Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez said. "It's pretty similar. 'Zim' was feistier. Joe is calmer. But the way they go about thinking, about doing different things, is similar." Zimmer was 58 in 1989 but looked much older. Maddon is 61, but seems a little younger. Martinez, Maddon's bench coach for eight years with the Rays and Cubs, played for Zimmer with the '88 Cubs, then reunited with his old manager when Zimmer served as a special adviser for the Rays before passing away at 83 in 2014. "You remember the safety squeezes, the bases-loaded hit-and-runs," Martinez said. "Who would think of those things? We do things like that here, and a lot of that stuff we got from 'Zim,' just the way he thought about things. When he was an adviser with the Rays I got to sit with him every day, which was awesome. I got to play for one of the best, and now I stand by one of the best, and I've learned so much." Maddon wouldn't compare his style to Zimmer's, but conceded he always was picking "Popeye's" brain. "The next day after games, we'd talk about strategy a lot," Maddon said. "The nice thing was he appreciated a lot of the things strategy-wise that we did. And if he disagreed with anything, he would tell me very abruptly and quickly, too. "We turned into really good friends. I really do miss him. I believe he would have come up here and visited often if he was still alive." Maddon's latest gimmick, which he began in Tampa Bay, is replicating American Legion ball days. He ordered players not to come to the ballpark early and went so far as to have the clubhouse doors locked. Even hitting consultant Manny Ramirez couldn't get in early Thursday.

On Saturday, Jorge Soler was the first one in the clubhouse when it promptly opened at 11:30 a.m. for the 3:05 p.m. game. Some of the lights weren't even turned on. Maddon arrived at 11:34, followed by Pedro Strop (11:36), Travis Wood (11:37) and Kyle Hendricks (11:37). "It's awesome," said Anthony Rizzo, who is not exactly an early bird. Maddon relaxed the locked-door policy for Sunday's 1:20 p.m. start, and the memo board instructed players to arrive "at your discretion." Kyle Schwarber wanted to be in line when the doors opened at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, but was five minutes late because of traffic. Schwarber said Wood is usually the first player to arrive, and they both like being at work early. "But it's probably good for us because we've all been going so long," Schwarber said of the locked clubhouse. "It does help you out mentally and physically. I like it. I'm still going to get here as soon as I can, but it'll be good for all of us to get our rest and get ready for this playoff push we're going to have to make." It's a mad, mad world at Wrigley, and just keeps getting crazier by the day. -- Chicago Tribune Saturday's recap: Cubs 9, Braves 7 By Fred Mitchell The Cubs rallied from a four-run deficit to outlast the Braves 9-7 Saturday before a crowd of 41,196 at Wrigley Field to extend their winning streak to three games. On the mound Dan Haren made his fourth Cubs start, allowing four runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings. Key at-bats Back-to-back homers from Miguel Montero and Jorge Soler off former Cubs pitcher Edwin Jackson broke a 7-7 tie in the eighth. Earlier, Addison Russell tied the game 7-7 with a home run to center in the sixth. In the field Soler caught a fly in right field and fired a strike to the plate to prevent Andrelton Simmons from attempting to score from third with one out in the sixth and the Braves up 7-6. Key number 46 — Braves road losses, the most in the majors. The quote "I was kind of 50-50 on it. Of course I would like it ruled a home run. But if it's a double, hey, I'll take it. I will be in scoring position for the next guy to knock me in," Russell on his game-tying homer in the sixth that survived a replay challenge involving possible fan interference. Up next Vs. Braves, 1:20 p.m., Sunday, WGN-9. --

Chicago Tribune Cubs manager wants fans to leave balls near the wall alone By Fred Mitchell Manager Joe Maddon would prefer fans at Wrigley Field to keep their hands to themselves and not reach over the wall to try to catch a ball. Addison Russell hit a deep drive to left-center field in the sixth inning Saturday, and a fan reached out above the basket to try to make the grab. The fan could not hold on to the ball, and it caromed onto the field. It was ruled a home run, but the Braves challenged the call. Eventually, the ruling on the field stood and the game was tied 7-7. "That's something that seems to be an issue here," said Maddon, referring to the infamous "Bartman Game" and others. "It has been going on for several years. I was just wondering if the guy had a Braves shirt on." Left-handed compliment: Anthony Rizzo hit his 25th homer of the season in the third inning, becoming only the fifth left-handed hitting Cub with multiple 25-homer seasons. "(Rizzo) is really good at working an at-bat mentally," Maddon said. "He will say things to me as he is going to the on-deck circle. It's very calculated; it is very well thought out. He is really mature beyond his years as a hitter." Billy Williams (10 times), Bill Nicholson (5), Henry Rodriguez (2) and Rick Monday (2) are the other Cubs left-handed hitters with multiple 25-homer seasons. Up the middle: Strength up the middle is a baseball axiom, suggesting skill, coordination and familiarity between the shortstop and second baseman are key. The Cubs have moved Starlin Castro out of the shortstop position and shifted Russell from second to short. Castro now plays second base on occasion. On Saturday, Chris Coghlan started at second and Castro took over at second in the eighth after pinch-hitting in the seventh. "It doesn't happen often," Maddon said of the major changes in the middle of the infield. "Starlin is at second and Addison at short, and it looks OK … it looks comfortable. It looks like they have both adjusted really well. I give Starlin a lot of credit … to accept his role as well as he has." Scoreboard watching: The Cubs are 18-4 since July 29, and in a wild-card playoff chase along with the Pirates and the Giants. Maddon admits to increased scoreboard watching now. "Because the board is right in your face, I kind of like that. I just kind of look up," Maddon said. "I am not anxious about it at all. But I definitely am checking it once in a while." "The mantra always is that you win and don't worry about what everybody else is doing. I really try to look at (the scoreboard) the latter part of the season. But of course you're always going to look at it. When it gets really interesting is when you are playing after (the competing teams) play." Extra innings: The Cubs hit back-to-back homers in the eighth inning (Miguel Montero and Jorge Soler) for the fifth time this season. … Hector Rondon has 11 saves since July 29, the most in the majors during that span. -- Chicago Sun-Times Joe Maddon confident in Kyle Schwarber as a catcher By Brian Sandalow

Kyle Schwarber once again started in left field Saturday against the Atlanta Braves, and he hasn’t caught since Miguel Montero returned from the disabled list on Aug. 7. But Joe Maddon didn’t think that would Schwarber’s progress behind the plate. “I think that he’s already caught enough here to know that he can catch here,” Maddon said. “He still works every day, or not every day, but often with (catching/strategy coach) Mike Borzello. They get together and they’re still working on all the stuff. I have no issues or concerns that when he’s able to catch more consistently that he’s going to catch well.” That said, it wouldn’t hurt Schwarber to catch occasionally, though playing left field has other advantages. “Of course you’d like to see him play a little more (catcher). I’m not going to deny that, but the way it’s set up right now with Miggy being back and David (Ross) here also, just to keep his bat in left field, I think it also can keep him fresher for the end of the season by not having to squat all the time,” Maddon said. “There’s that part of it also that might be beneficial to him and to us.” Schwarber was last behind the plate Aug. 6. Watch your hands Both Miguel Montero and Jorge Soler’s homers landed in the basket in front of the left-field bleachers. Addison Russell’s in the sixth might have if not for a fan who reached out to catch it, forcing a review that let the homer stand. “That’s something that seems to be an issue at the ballpark here. It’s been going on for several years now,” Maddon said. “I was wondering if the guy had a Braves shirt on or not. I don’t know.” That’s just the latest similar incident, after a fan reached over the basket Tuesday to grab a Miguel Cabrera drive. In June, there was the fan holding a baby who caught a foul pop in front of the Dodgers’ Adrian Gonzalez, not to mention a certain play during Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS. Maddon, always helpful, had some advice to avoid more events like that. “Cub fans, just keep your hands in your pockets until the ball goes over the wall,” Maddon said. First look Anthony Rizzo hit his 25th homer in the third to become the fifth lefty in team history with that many in multiple seasons. He did it on the first pitch of the at-bat, and entering Saturday, he was hitting .448 with six homers on the first pitch. “He’s really good at working an at-bat mentally. He will say things to me as he’s going to the on-deck circle and it’s very calculated. It’s very well thought out,” Maddon said. “He’s really mature beyond his years, actually, as a hitter I think. As a baseball player he’s done a great job, but he’s really good at figuring out what the pitcher’s trying to do.” Holding it down Jason Motte won his eighth game out of the bullpen Friday, but that was far from the only positive coming from the relievers entering Saturday. As a group, they threw four scoreless innings and allowed only two baserunners. Justin Grimm worked the seventh and hasn’t allowed a run in his last 15 appearances. Pedro Strop has given up a run only once in his last 15 outings and has a 1.80 ERA over that span. Hector Rondon picked up his 22nd save and has a 0.49 ERA over his last 37 appearances. “Guys just go out there and we’re ready to go whenever the phone rings,” Motte said.

The Cubs’ 3.40 bullpen ERA was 12th in baseball and sixth in the National League. Not-so-minor matters Javier Baez is giving the Cubs even more reason to bring him back when rosters expand next month. In a 12-8 loss Friday night for Iowa against Salt Lake, Baez played second base and went 2-for-4, hit a three-run homer and drove in four runs. Baez raised his batting average to .305 and extended his hitting streak to seven games. Over that stretch, Baez has multiple hits in all seven games, is hitting .455 and has driven in eight runs. -- Chicago Sun-Times Joe Maddon still believes in Dan Haren By Brian Sandalow It was another rough day for Dan Haren, but Joe Maddon still believes in the veteran right-hander. A fly-ball pitcher, Haren struggled with a crosswind that sent balls flying to left during the Cubs’ 9-7 win Saturday over the Atlanta Braves. He went 4 1/3 innings and allowed four earned runs and gave up Nick Swisher’s second-inning homer. He has allowed at least one homer in seven consecutive outings, and was coming off a start Sunday against the White Sox when he gave up three solo blasts, Since coming to the Cubs from Miami on July 31, Haren has failed to get out of the sixth inning while surrendering 13 earned runs in four starts. Maddon, however, said Haren is “going to be a big help to us down the stretch” and will take his next turn in the rotation. “I have a lot of respect for this guy. You look at his numbers and what he’s done and there’s definitely a lot left in the tank,” Maddon. “We’ll run him right back out there.” Haren wasn’t too thrilled with his outing, and knows the stakes are getting higher. “When it comes down to it, when we’ve got 40 or 50 games left, whatever we’ve got left, it’s just about winning games,” Haren said. “I think everybody has to just put their self… wanting to do good for themselves behind them and just go out and just do the best they can for the team because that’s what it’s about at this point in the year.” -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs do it again, rally past Braves for 9-7 win By Brian Sandalow Anthony Rizzo had a simple explanation for why the Cubs continue to rally. He didn’t mess around with anything beyond with what any observer can see. “I think it’s just the talent,” Rizzo said. “You see the talent here. It’s anyone on any day.” The Cubs and their talent rallied again Saturday, coming back to beat the Atlanta Braves 9-7. Thanks to a five-run Atlanta fifth, the Cubs went down 7-3 and five innings away from wasting a chance to gain ground in the National League playoff race. Then they scored three times in the fifth and tied it in the sixth on an Addison Russell homer. “Right after they got the runs it gets a little bit quiet, and then we answered it relatively fast,” Maddon said. “That’s a big part of it, when you’re able to answer. If the other team surges you come back and answer it could definitely put it back working in your favor again.”

By the eighth when they were facing old teammate Edwin Jackson it almost felt inevitable they would finish the comeback. They did, with Miguel Montero and Jorge Soler hitting back-to-back solo homers against Jackson before Hector Rondon picked up his 23rd save to complete the latest rally. “Today, we definitely never doubted. It was like it was just a matter of time,” Montero said. “So it’s definitely a good feeling when guys know that we can come back at any time in any situation. It was never panic, so that’s a good sign.” That’s a lot of what the Cubs have said this season. There have been slumps and bumps that any team as young as the Cubs would be expected to encounter. But instead of wilting and letting winnable games get away, the Cubs and their four rookies are looking like a playoff team. Combined with San Francisco’s loss at Pittsburgh, the Cubs have a five-game lead over the Giants for the second National League wild-card spot. “You start winning and your mind changes and you start believing that we are good,” Montero said. Maddon didn’t discount the value of what the Cubs are doing. “That’s a big part of any professional, or any sports team, is that you know you’re never out of it,” Maddon said. “You know that you can come back.” Of course, the Cubs would like a few more comfortable wins. They didn’t get that Saturday after starter Dan Haren allowed four runs and Travis Wood gave up three more in relief, but that didn’t stop the Cubs from winning their third straight and 18th of 22. “Whenever a team gets up on us pretty early, our confidence doesn’t get shut down,” Russell said. “I think that we’re a fighting team. I think that we’re a fighting team and we’re into our emotions a lot. We’re a ball club that likes to have fun.” It’s clear the fans are having fun as well. The announced crowd of 41,196 – and Cubs fans in general – drew praise from Rizzo. “It’s great. The fans are bringing it,” said Rizzo, who hit his 25th homer in the third. “The stadium erupted with those home runs in the eighth and it’s going to be fun. It’s going to be fun, we’ve got to keep playing good baseball for them and ride off their energy.” That doesn’t seem like a problem. “Our guys are wonderful,” Maddon said. “They might get a little bit, I don’t want to say the word down… you absorb the body blow, you come back in the dugout and you fight back. And that’s what we did.” -- Chicago Sun-Times Chris Coghlan continuing career resurgence for Cubs By Brian Sandalow When Chris Coghlan joined the Cubs in January of 2014 it was on a minor-league deal. He was a former rookie of the year for the Marlins but it looked like his best days were gone. Yeah, so much for that. Entering Saturday’s game against the Atlanta Braves, Coghlan was hitting .254 with a career-high 15 homers and slugging .456. Over his last six games, he was batting .444 with four homers and 10 runs driven in while

establishing himself as the Cubs’ primary second baseman after spending the majority of his big-league career in the outfield. “It’s just what you’re feeling inside sometimes,” Joe Maddon said. “There’s no more bat speed or less bat speed. I think his confidence level is up right now. A big part of hitting well is that when you see your pitch you hit it hard and you keep it fair. You don’t miss it, you don’t take it, you don’t foul it off.” Coghlan’s career got off to a strong start in 2009, when he hit .321 and scored 84 runs. But injuries and ineffectiveness eventually ended his time in Miami, as he was non-tendered by the Marlins after the 2013 season. Coghlan latched on with the Cubs and started last season in Iowa before being called up May 3. He hit .283 and made himself a part of the 2015 team, now as an infielder batting in the heart of a lineup for a team in playoff position. “He’s just doing really well. I think he’s becoming more comfortable at second base,” Maddon said. “When he’s picking up a ground ball, he looks more fluid with it all of a sudden. He’s really got a lot of confidence. He’s one of those guys that I think by hitting him third, it actually elevates his confidence level, too.” --