September 5, 2016 Cubs.com J-Hey saves the day with tying, walk-off hits By Chris Haft and Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Jason Heyward made up for an early error in the game and his early struggles this season when he hit a game-tying single in the ninth and a walk-off single with one out in the 13th inning on Sunday to lift the Cubs to a 3-2 victory over the Giants at Wrigley Field. Chicago took the series, 3-1, and all four games were decided by one run. With the game tied in the 13th, Anthony Rizzo singled to lead off against lefty Matt Reynolds, and moved up on Ben Zobrist's groundout. Addison Russell was intentionally walked, and Heyward lofted a single to left-center for the game-winner. This series between two contending clubs was a good learning experience for the young Cubs. "We know what kind of intensity we have to have, what kind of poise we need, what kind of perseverance we need to play good games against teams like that, because it's not going to be a blowout," Heyward said. "When you play teams that are well balanced, well managed, you're going to need everything you can to do it right to have things go your way." Said San Francisco starter Johnny Cueto, referring to the prospect of a Giants-Cubs postseason series: "That's when we're going to find out who really has the coconuts." The Cubs tied the score at 2 in the ninth when Russell doubled, moved up on a wild pitch and scored on Heyward's single. Chicago had runners at first and second with two outs, but Santiago Casilla got Dexter Fowler to fly out to left to end the threat. Heyward also hit an RBI single in the fourth to finish with a season-high three RBIs. This was his fourth career walk-off hit and first since Aug. 18, 2010. The Cubs boast the best record in the Majors, and have trimmed their magic number to clinch the National League Central to 11. The Giants lead St. Louis by 1 1/2 games in the race for the NL's top Wild Card spot and trail the Dodgers by three games in the NL West. "I'm good with how hard they played in this series," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said of his ballclub. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Freshly squeezed: Playing "little ball" once again, the Giants scored a fifth-inning run on a suicide squeeze by Ehire Adrianza, who tapped a bunt toward the pitcher's mound with Eduardo Nunez charging home from third base. Cubs right-hander John Lackey fielded the ball cleanly but had no time to try to retire Nunez. On Saturday, Brandon Crawford's pair of stolen bases generated the Giants' final run in a 3-2 victory. Attempting the squeeze made sense for the Giants. First of all, Adrianza is a deft bunter, though Nunez jokingly said, "If he misses it, the catcher says, 'I got you.' Moreover, with the Giants struggling offensively, they had no choice but to try alternate means of scoring. "That's what you do when you're not swinging the bats well," Bochy said. "You scratch and claw."

Opportunity knocks: Rizzo led off the Cubs' fourth with a single down the left-field line and moved up when Zobrist walked. Cueto got Russell to ground into a double play, but Rizzo advanced and scored on Heyward's single to left over leaping shortstop Adrianza, tying the score at 1. The Cubs made Cueto work in a 22-pitch sixth, but he got Heyward to fly out to end the inning, stranding two. Belt's OK: Giants first baseman Brandon Belt was beaned by a Rob Zastryzny pitch leading off the seventh inning but remained in the game. Belt said that he passed a quick concussion protocol, which kept him on the field. "I feel 100 percent," Belt said, though he admitted that he initially felt "kind of stunned." Concussions have been an issue for Belt. They sidelined him late in the 2014 and '15 seasons. Welcome back: Lackey looked sharp in his first start since Aug. 14. He was on the disabled list with a right shoulder strain, and the plan was to limit him to 80-90 pitches, depending on the stress level of the innings. He was lifted after throwing 76 pitches over five innings, giving up one hit and striking out four. The Giants' first run came in the second when Hunter Pence reached second on Heyward's error, and eventually scored on a groundout. Heyward went to Lackey in the dugout after the mistake and apologized. He didn't need to. "He's played Gold Glove defense all year," Lackey said. "He's made a lot more plays than he's missed. I'll take that guy out there every day of the week, for sure." QUOTABLE "They were good games. As a baseball fan, they'd be fun to watch, for sure. Entertaining, for sure. … The playoffs are a little different. You feel those when you wake up." – Lackey SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Cubs pitchers gave up 14 hits in the four-game series, which ties a franchise record for the fewest allowed during a four-game set, set Aug. 26-29, 1934, against the New York Giants. This was the Cubs' sixth walk-off win of the season, and five have come in the last 21 home games. TRIPLE DIGITS After not appearing in the first three games of the series, Aroldis Chapman pitched two innings in relief for the Cubs. The lefty gave up one hit, walked one and struck out four, including Belt on a 102-mph fastball to end the 11th and strand two baserunners. The four K's tied a season high. It was his third outing of at least two innings. WHAT'S NEXT Giants: San Francisco's three-city, 10-game trip continues with the Labor Day opener of a three-game series against the Rockies. Giants left-hander Matt Moore will oppose Rockies right-hander Chad Bettis beginning at 1:10 p.m. PT. Cubs: Kyle Hendricks, the NL Pitcher of the Month for August, will make his first start of September on Monday when the Cubs open a three-game series against the Brewers. Hendricks is 9-1 with a 1.27 ERA in his 14 outings (13 starts) since June 19, the best ERA in the Majors in that span. First pitch is scheduled for 12:10 p.m. CT from Miller Park. --

Cubs.com Post-break break start of J-Hey's turnaround By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- When Cubs manager Joe Maddon decided to sit Jason Heyward for three games from Aug. 19-21, it wasn't punishment, but a chance to reflect. And the time out has paid off. Heyward drove in three runs, including a game-tying single in the ninth and a walk-off single with one out in the 13th inning, to lift the Cubs to a 3-2 victory over the Giants on Sunday at Wrigley Field. He notched the game-winner against lefty Matt Reynolds, driving in Anthony Rizzo, who had singled and moved up after Ben Zobrist grounded out. The Giants chose to intentionally walk Addison Russell to face Heyward, who wasn't surprised by the move. "Of course, Addison has 88 RBIs, so it made all the sense in the world," Maddon said of the Giants' decision. "Of course, it has to motivate [Heyward]." "You go up there with the mindset of just trying to keep it simple and getting a good pitch and not missing it," Heyward said. "Just get a good pitch to hit, and that way you don't let the moment get to you and you don't let it become more than it needs to be." In 13 games since sitting out that series in Colorado in mid-August, Heyward is batting .308 with nine RBIs. "I hate to say 'reboot' or 'reset,'" Maddon said of his motive. "This guy, give him a chance. I believe when a very good Major League player may be struggling, if he just sits and watches a Major League game being played and he understands, 'I'm one of the best at doing this,' it does something to you internally." Maddon has done this with players in the past, and recalled Orlando Cabrera not being happy with the manager's decision. But after it happened, Cabrera said he appreciated it. Heyward said he's keeping things simple, but added that's easier said than done. "Just be on time, and after that, just go from there and trust yourself," he said. "He's more on time with everything, he just is," Maddon said. The game did not start well for Heyward, who was charged with an error on Hunter Pence's fly ball to right leading off the second inning. It was Heyward's second error of the season. The first thing he did was go to Cubs pitcher John Lackey and apologize. "This guy is the consummate teammate on top of everything else," Maddon said. "It was one where I was surprised that I got to the ball as easy as I did because I had to run a good ways to get there," Heyward said of the play. "Off the bat, it looked like something that would be over my head. I jumped at the end, and I didn't need to jump. It happens at times. It wasn't a careless one. I was running my tail off, and when I got there, it's like, 'Oh, I'm here, and I didn't need to jump.'" He didn't need to say anything to Lackey. "He's played Gold Glove defense all year," Lackey said. "He's made a lot more plays than he's missed. I'll take that guy out there every day of the week, for sure." And so will the Cubs. --

Cubs.com Bullpen of the Week: Cubs separate from pack By Matt Kelly From seemingly the first pitch of the season, the Cubs have distanced themselves from the pack and established themselves as perhaps the most complete team in the Majors. Long the lovable losers of baseball, the Cubs owned an 11-game lead at the end of June over the Cardinals -- a team that won 100 games last year. When the morning of July 25 rolled around, Chicago had lost just one game in which it had held the lead after the eighth inning. But when a franchise has gone well over a century without claiming the title, no amount of security is enough. The Cubs proved so on that day, July 25, when they announced they had traded away four players -- including hot prospect Gleyber Torres -- to acquire the most electric closer in the game: Aroldis Chapman. "If not now, when?" Theo Epstein, the Cubs' president of baseball operations, told reporters about his decision to give up so much for Chapman. "This was the appropriate move, given where we are and what we are trying to accomplish." Since that day, the Cubs have accomplished a great deal on their way toward clinching their second straight postseason berth. They went an MLB-best 22-6 in August, and have posted a 29-10 record overall since fortifying the bullpen's back end with the hardest thrower in the game. This past week, the Cubs put even more distance between themselves and the competition, taking six of seven games against potential playoff foes in the Pirates and the Giants. More impressive? Five of Chicago's six wins came in games decided by just one run, showing that the team's bullpen should be a strength come October. With games on the line, Chicago's relievers refused to yield, earning them recognition as the Bullpen of the Week presented by The Hartford. As part of the MLB Prevailing Moments program, each Monday throughout the 2016 season, MLB.com is honoring the "Bullpen of the Week presented by The Hartford." An industry-wide panel of MLB experts, including legendary stats guru Bill James, constructed a metric based on James' widely renowned game-score formula, to provide a weekly measurement of team-bullpen performance. Here's how the Bullpen Rating System is compiled for each week. For reference, a weekly score of 100 is considered outstanding: • Add 1.5 points for each out recorded • Add 1.5 points for each strikeout • Add 5 points for a save • Subtract 2 points for each hit allowed • Subtract 4 points for each earned run allowed • Subtract 2 points for each unearned run allowed • Subtract 1 point for each walk • Subtract 5 points for a blown save The Cubs' relief corps claimed its second Bullpen of the Week Award this season by limiting opponents to five earned runs on 18 hits over a high workload of 27 2/3 innings, giving them a total of 123 points. Chicago's relievers struck out 33 batters while walking 10 and earned three saves during the week. Two of the Cubs' victories came in games in which their bullpen tossed at least five scoreless innings. Chicago's bullpen displayed its ability to "step up" by withstanding adversity and succeeding despite unexpected circumstances. Here's a look at their biggest obstacle:

The unexpected: Cubs manager Joe Maddon wasn't quite sure what he was going to get from spot starter Mike Montgomery, who was taking the hill in place of John Lackey to open a big series against the Giants on Thursday. Montgomery, who was acquired from Seattle in mid-July, had performed ably in his first two spot starts. Thursday was a different story, however, as he gave up four runs in a wild four innings that included three walks, a hit-by-pitch, two wild pitches and a long home run by San Francisco's Hunter Pence. Montgomery exited the game after the fourth inning, trailing 4-3. With Chapman unavailable after pitching in each of the previous three days and setup men Hector Rondon and Pedro Strop on the disabled list, Maddon suddenly faced quite a tough task to fill the remaining five innings. How they prevailed: Rob Zastryzny took the ball for first and tossed two perfect innings without allowing a ball to leave the infield. The rookie has now allowed just one earned run in his first 10 1/3 innings in the big leagues. "Rob Z. again, he straightened the whole game out," Maddon said after the game. "He was very, very good." Following Zastryzny was another trade acquisition, Joe Smith, who had allowed a .375 batting average to opponents in his first six outings for Chicago. But he breezed through two innings, striking out three Giants and forcing three others to ground out, while the Cubs took the lead on offense. "He was really, from the side, very sharp," Maddon said. "They had bad swings at him, I thought. Ball was on the ground." With a slim 5-4 advantage, Chicago still had to get three more outs in the ninth -- the inning Chapman usually dominates. But with his closer ruled out, Maddon took a chance on 24-year-old rookie Carl Edwards Jr. to get the job done. Edwards responded, striking out Pence and getting two ground balls to record his first career save. Five innings earlier, Maddon wasn't sure who was going to give him outs. When the final pitch had been thrown, the Cubs bullpen had recorded 15 consecutive outs. "From the sidelines, I just loved his focus," Maddon said of Edwards. "Head down, see target, throw baseball. I thought he was great. And his command of his curveball set everything up." The Braves finished second in the BRS standings this past week with 104 points after allowing only four earned runs over 20 innings. Since returning from the disabled list June 3, Atlanta closer Jim Johnson has converted 15 of 17 save opportunities while recording a sterling 1.38 ERA. -- Cubs.com Cubs to give Montgomery another start By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Lefty Mike Montgomery will stay in the Cubs' rotation and start in the series finale on Wednesday against the Brewers. It will be Montgomery's fourth start with the Cubs, and he has yet to record a decision. "If you have a guy like that in the six-hole, it makes it easier to do what we're doing now," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of the philosophy of going with a "soft" six-man rotation. The Cubs are trying to keep the starters fresh in hopes of playing deep in October. "Right now our starters are pitching as well as they have all year," Maddon said. "I'd like to think if we continue along this path, we'll keep that freshness about them." Chicago starters began Sunday leading the Majors with a combined 2.88 ERA. Worth noting

• Reliever Hector Rondon, on the disabled list since Aug. 17 with a right triceps strain, is expected to be activated early this upcoming week. Rondon threw a 22-pitch simulated game on Saturday. • Maddon likes Javier Baez's aggressiveness on the bases but admits he does worry that the young infielder could get hurt with his headfirst slides. "It's hard to take a guy's natural instincts and contain them," Maddon said. Maddon has credited Baez with having a strong baseball acumen, which allows him to play all over the field at different positions. "He sees things -- he's like a good running back," Maddon said. "Give him the ball, and he'll find a hole. He's like a good point guard in basketball. He just has that chip. Sometimes it will get him in trouble, too." • Maddon was not sure whether the Cubs would call up any players once Triple-A Iowa's season ends on Monday. "Right now, if you're going to come up here, it's because you're going to help us win," Maddon said. -- Cubs.com NL ERA leader Hendricks starts opener vs. Crew By Carrie Muskat Kyle Hendricks, named the National League pitcher of the month for August, will make his first September start when he opens the Cubs' three-game series at Miller Park on Monday against Zach Davies. There are usually plenty of Cubs fans at Miller Park, which should help Hendricks feel at home. The right-hander, who leads the National League with a 2.09 ERA, is 9-1 with a 1.21 ERA at Wrigley Field, and 4-6 with a 3.23 ERA on the road. In four career starts at Miller Park, Hendricks is 2-1 with a 1.90 ERA. Davies handled the Cubs easily in his first meeting on July 23, giving up one run on three hits over 6 1/3 innings for the win. But he was roughed up on Aug. 18 at Wrigley Field, serving up seven runs over four innings. The right-hander is coming off a solid start against the Cardinals when he gave up three runs over 6 1/3 innings while striking out nine. The Cubs have the edge in the season series, 9-3. Three things to know about this game • The Cubs catchers' will have to be on their toes regarding the Brewers, who have three players in the top 10 in the National League in stolen bases. Jonathan Villar is second in the NL behind the Reds' Billy Hamilton, while Hernan Perez is sixth and Keon Broxton ninth. However, Villar has been bothered by a sore left knee and his status is questionable. The Brewers recalled infielder Yadiel Rivera from Triple-A Colorado Springs on Sunday to help fill the void created by Villar's injury. • Lefty Mike Montgomery will stay in the Cubs' rotation and start in the series finale on Wednesday. It will be his fourth start with the Cubs, and he has yet to record a decision. This is part of the Cubs' efforts to conserve the starters heading into the final month -- and hopefully October. Chicago starters began Sunday leading the National League with a combined 2.88 ERA. • Chicago reliever Hector Rondon, on the disabled list since Aug. 17 with a right triceps strain, is expected to be activated from the DL early this week. Rondon threw a 22-pitch simulated game on Saturday. --

ESPNChicago.com Jason Heyward's day at the plate -- not the field -- propels Cubs By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO -- Perhaps making just his second error of the season put a chip on the shoulder of Chicago Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward. Or maybe it got there seeing a 22-year-old, second-year player walked intentionally in front of him in the 13th inning. Whatever the reasons, Heyward came through at the plate Sunday afternoon, producing three RBI hits in the Cubs' 3-2 win over the San Francisco Giants. After the game, Heyward was asked if watching Giants reliever Matt Reynolds intentionally walk Addison Russell gave him any extra juice before his winning hit. "No extra juice needed," Heyward said with a smile. We know why he doesn't need any more motivation. Heyward has been grinding out at-bats all season with little to show for it -- except for lately. The hits actually have been coming more often. On Sunday, one of them came in the ninth inning to tie the score, and his third and final RBI came in the 13th with his first walk-off hit since 2010, according to ESPN Stats & Information. But his day didn't start out so well. "It took me a second to let it go," Heyward said of his second-inning dropped ball in right field. "Just let it go and keep playing." That's all the Cubs do these days, keep playing. Despite their big lead in the division, there has been no let-up. They went 6-1 on the just-completed homestand against two playoff contenders, winning five one-run games. Their pitching has been outstanding. "Everybody asks, 'What are you going to do in September?' " Maddon said. "Nothing different. Just try to rest people when you can, but play the same game." The game they've played has produced a 51-20 record at home, and though there was some sloppy play this weekend -- they need to cut down on easy stolen bases -- once again they came through when they needed to most. It starts on the mound, where the Cubs' pitching staff gave up only 14 hits to the Giants over four games -- tying a franchise record for a four-game series that has stood since 1934. And remember, they did it over 40 innings using just about every pitcher on the staff. Starter John Lackey returned from the disabled list and did his part, throwing five innings and giving up only a hit and one earned run. "Better than I expected in terms of pure stuff," Maddon said of Lackey's outing. "I really was pleased with that." So check off a box that had a question next to it: Lackey looks ready for the stretch run. And if the team can check off another box next to Heyward, then it'll really be onto something. Heyward's three hits and three RBIs increased his batting average to .302 with nine RBIs in 11 starts since sitting out four consecutive games during the last road trip. That benching is looking more and more like a genius move by Maddon. "When a major league player sits and watches a game being played and remembers, 'I'm one of the best,' " Maddon said of his motivation in sitting Heyward. "I want them to just hang out. Observe a little bit. Look at this field. There's not many people that can do this stuff." Maddon said he first tried the tactic on infielder Orlando Cabrera years ago and something clicked for him -- as perhaps it did for Heyward. He might not be pounding the ball all over the place every game, but at least he's maximizing his chances more. "Just being more consistent with timing, with better swings, swinging at better pitches," he said. "All that allows more hits to fall."

After Heyward dropped the ball in the second inning while running toward right center, he went to work at the plate. He got that run back with an RBI hit to left center in the fourth inning, then came his tying single in the ninth to right center. Finally, he went back to left center to drive in Anthony Rizzo with the winner in the 13th. He was mobbed by his teammates, who are about a week away from clinching the division. Their 16½-game lead is intact. "Isn't it beautiful?" Maddon said. "We have a nice record, but we're coming to play every day. ... A really passionate, well-played series on both teams' part." All four games came down to one run, with the Cubs taking three of them. Their 21-20 record in one-run games overall is misleading, but either way it doesn't hurt to play a few -- and win some -- even when the results don't matter all that much right now. They do for the opponent, though, and whether it's the Pittsburgh Pirates or the Giants, the Cubs found ways to win this week, reducing their magic number to 11 as they head out on a nine-game trip. As for Heyward, who has had his detractors all season, it was one of the few times this year his bat came through when his glove did not. We know the latter will be there, but if his offense keeps up, the first five months will be long forgotten. "You're never going to get mad at J-Hey," Lackey said of Heyward. "He's played gold-glove defense all year. He's made a lot more plays than he's missed out there. I'll take that guy out there every day of the week for sure." -- ESPNChicago.com Joe Nathan feels better about release from Cubs after Giants pick him up By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO -- Former Chicago Cubs reliever Joe Nathan can smile now that’s he’s back in the big leagues with the San Francisco Giants after appearing in just three games with the Cubs before they released him early last month. “From Day 1 the plan with the Cubs was to try and get me as strong as possible for the August and September run,” Nathan said from the visitors' clubhouse on Sunday morning. “I felt like we were on track. Things were right where they needed to be.” The Cubs signed Nathan, who was coming off elbow surgery, in May, eventually calling him up to the majors in late July. He gave up two hits and two walks and struck out four in two innings without yielding a run but the additions of lefty Aroldis Chapman and righty Joe Smith at the trade deadline forced the Cubs to make a decision with Nathan. “In their defense I don’t think they foresaw picking up Chapman, picking up Joe Smith, and their bullpen shaping up the way it was,” Nathan said. “On that side of it I completely understand. Still, it was a disappointing turn of events. Things went from ‘this is the plan’ to ‘now what?’” Nathan says he knew something was up when Cubs president Theo Epstein called him into a “mechanical closet or something” in the team’s new clubhouse. “I was thinking, ‘Is he pulling me into a mechanical closet to release me?’” Nathan recalled. Nathan says he and Epstein had a nice conversation, though he recalls jokingly telling his former boss he’d like to ‘get on a contender and face the Cubs, or something like that,’ Nathan said. He got his wish as the Giants signed him to a minor league deal then called him up this weekend. After signing a major league contract with the Cubs, they’ll be the ones on the hook for most of his salary this season. “You wish you had a crystal ball because when I’m released four guys go on the disabled list, I’m like ‘you have to be kidding,’” Nathan said.

He’s mostly referring to Pedro Strop, Joe Smith and Hector Rondon. For a moment Nathan thought he might be able to return to the Cubs, but rules would have prevented him from making it back to the major league club for 30 days. So he waited and stayed in shape in Chicago until the Giants called. Even then he thought he would only be finishing up the year in the minors. “It’s natural to think ‘why did you do it?’” he said referencing the Cubs. “But at the same time they paid me to rehab. I appreciate the hard work their entire staff did, from Arizona all the way up to the big leagues. “It’s full circle coming back here (San Francisco). Finishing the year with a team was the biggest thing for me, but hooking up with a contender is even better.” -- ESPNChicago.com Cubs will continue with six-man rotation By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO -- With an eye on October, the Chicago Cubs will continue with a six-man rotation this month as lefty Mike Montgomery will remain a starter despite the return of John Lackey from the disabled list. "Just trying to keep guys fresh for the rest of the year," manager Joe Maddon said before Sunday's game against the San Francisco Giants. "It's no more complicated than that." Montgomery will take his next turn in the rotation on Wednesday against the Milwaukee Brewers, giving the starters six days off between outings which includes an off-day on Thursday. The Cubs are taking no chances with their top arms as they prepare for up to three rounds of postseason baseball. "Last year we saw it right before our eyes with Jake [Arrieta]," Maddon said. "The jump he encountered and what it meant at the end of last season." It's well documented how Arrieta hit a wall last year in the NLCS against the New York Mets after increasing his workload from the year before. The Cubs can be conservative with their starters as a result of their double-digit lead in their division. "Right now, throughout the industry you're hearing about fatigue and people being skipped and all that stuff," Maddon said. "Right now our starters are pitching as well as they have all year. I would like to think if we continue along this path we'll keep that freshness about them." The one obstacle Maddon knows he'll run into is with his veteran pitchers. They don't necessarily like being pushed back extra days. Jon Lester, in particular, judges his season on whether he pitches 200 innings more than any other statistic. He has reached that number seven times in his career, needing 31 innings this year to hit that plateau. "You run into a lot of regular starters that don't like that because they've been trained not to like that," Maddon said. Under Maddon's plan Lester should have four starts remaining, and he would need to average over seven innings per start to reach 200. That's not likely to happen. Maddon believes preparing for a World Series run will trump individual accomplishments. "At that point I think they'll pretty happy," the manager stated. "If you have someone you like in the 6-hole it makes it easier ... At the end of the day they've been trained to think a certain way. I get it .I totally get it." -- CSNChicago.com Road Ahead: Cubs Closing In On Locking Up Division By Tony Andracki

By the time the Cubs return to Wrigley Field, they could have the National League Central title in hand. Following a weekend series with the San Francisco Giants, the Cubs hit the road for a three-game set in Milwaukee with the Brewers beginning Labor Day Monday. The Cubs have their second-to-last built-in offday Thursday before heading to Houston to take on the Astros next weekend. If Kris Bryant and Co. keep playing the way they have been since the All-Star Break, they could enter St. Louis Monday Sept. 12 with a chance to clinch the division. However, the series in Houston will be no easy task with an Astros team that has been playing a lot better baseball of late and is in a close competition for the American League wild card spots. The Cubs will move to a six-man rotation in Milwaukee, keeping Mike Montgomery in the mix for Wednesday's start in an effort to limit the wear and tear on the starting staff down the stretch. This and more is in the latest Cubs Road Ahead, presented by Chicagoland & Northwest Indiana Honda Dealers. Leila Rahimi and Tony Andracki are in the video above. -- CSNChicago.com Redemption? Jason Heyward Comes Through To Lead Cubs To Another Walk-Off Win By Tony Andracki No player on the Cubs roster has been scrutinized more than Jason Heyward. Heyward signed the richest contract in Cubs history in the offseason and has struggled to find his groove at the plate, but still maintained Gold Glove level defense in right field all year. That wasn't the case Sunday. Heyward dropped Hunter Pence's flyball in the second inning, putting a runner at second base with nobody out. Pence came around to score the Giants' first run and what looked like the possible deciding tally in the game with Johnny Cueto locked in on the mound. Except Heyward had other ideas. The embattled outfielder lifted a two-out, two strike pitch over shortstop to drive home Anthony Rizzo in the fourth inning and knocked in Addison Russell with the game-tying run in the ninth on a single through the drawn in infield. But Heyward still wasn't done. In the 13th inning, he singled over shortstop again to bring home Rizzo again in a wild 3-2 walk-off victory in front of 41,293 fans at Wrigley Field Sunday. "It's good to be a part of it," Heyward said. With Heyward's year-long struggles, Joe Maddon opted to sit the slumping outfielder for an entire three-game series in Colorado last month. Since then, Heyward is hitting .308 with nine RBI in 52 at-bats across 13 games (11 starts).

"I feel like it's still coming," Heyward said. "I feel like there are still flashes of it. But either way, it's just one day at a time, keep competing, keep trying to do something each game to help win. That's the bottom line." It's not like Heyward's three hits Sunday were struck all that well — a groundball through the drawn-in infield and two soft liners over the shortstop — but it also helps make up for some of the hard shots Heyward has hit right at people this season. "Confidence starts showing up and then all of a sudden, you become more on time, the ball gets a little bit bigger," Maddon said. Cubs starter John Lackey has called out his teammates for fielding miscues in the past, but had no such agenda for Heyward's dropped ball Sunday. "You're never gonna get mad at him," Lackey said. "He's played Gold Glove defense all year. He's made a lot more plays than he's missed out there. I'll take that guy out there every day of the week for sure." Heyward admitted he was thinking about the error for a little while afterwards. "It took me a second to let it go," Heyward said. "... There's nothing you can do after that play. It happens. I know I don't make a lot of errors. "Just let it go and keep playing because you know you're playing a good team. Just gotta keep being a part of the game, keep doing what you can to help." In a hard-fought series in which every game was decided by one run, the Cubs found a way to grind out three victories and finished the homestand with a 6-1 record. The Cubs woke up Sunday morning with a 16.5-game lead in the National League Central, but despite being on the verge of clinching a playoff spot in early September, they continue to show their killer instinct, trying to win every single game. "My takeaway is the fact that we have the lead that we do right now and we're playing to win...," Maddon said. "There's something to be said for that. Nobody's mailing anything in. Nobody's taking anything for granted. We're playing it one game at a time." The Cubs bullpen was dominant all series, allowing only six baserunners in 16 shutout innings. It was the third game of the season in which Cubs relievers accounted for at least eight shutout innings. In fact, the Cubs pitching staff as a whole limited the Giants to a .106 batting average (14-for-132) in the four games. The 14 hits were tied for the lowest the Cubs have surrendered in a four-game series in Wrigley history. Five of the Cubs' last six wins have come by a one-run margin, including two in extra innings. They've also gone 9-0-1 in series at Wrigley Field since the All-Star break. "Isn't it beautiful?" Maddon said. "That's what I've been talking about. We have a nice record, but we're coming to play every day. "Everybody says, 'What are you going to do in September?' Nothing different. Just try to rest people when you can, but play the same game." --

CSNChicago.com John Lackey Returns As Cubs Move Forward With Six-Man Rotation By Tony Andracki John Lackey hadn't pitched in a game in almost a month, but naturally came out firing with a no-hitter through four innings Sunday. Of course. Would you expect anything less with this Cubs team? In a way, it was almost a worst-case scenario for Joe Maddon and the Cubs as Lackey kept the Giants hitless through the first 13 outs. Before the Cubs' wild 3-2 walk-off win in 13 innings Sunday, Maddon said he wanted to limit Lackey to around 80 pitches, which could've meant putting a run at history on the backburner. That situation never played out, however, as Eduardo Nunez lined a double to right-center with one out in the fifth inning and Lackey was removed after five with 76 pitches under his belt. The veteran right-hander showed no ill effects from the shoulder injury that has sidelined him since Aug. 14, dialing it up to the low 90s with his fastball and showing his typical command. "I felt pretty good," Lackey said. "I was locating the ball pretty well today. We had a good mix goin' on. "You're not gonna feel nothing. It's just not possible. This time of year and this point in my career. There's things you gotta grind through; there's things you gotta adjust to. I feel like I can do that pretty well." Lackey allowed two runs (one earned) while striking out four. Prior to Sunday's game, Maddon confirmed the Cubs will move forward with a six-man rotation, with Mike Montgomery getting the start Wednesday in Milwaukee. With a big lead in the NL Central and a playoff spot all but assured, the Cubs are aiming to keep every pitcher at the top of their game for a potential World Series run. "Just trying to keep guys fresh for the rest of the year," Maddon said. "It's no more complicated than that. ... "I think every factor that can be considered right now, just makes all the sense in the world." Maddon pointed to the rest of baseball, where young pitchers are being shut down for the season and even veterans are worn down by the grind of a six-month slate of games. Maddon acknowledged veteran starters like Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester may not like the addition of a sixth man to the rotation as creatures of habit, but everything is about winning that final game of the season. He also referenced the way Arrieta ran into a wall in the postseason after pitching by far the most innings of his career. "At the end of the day, these guys have been trained to think a certain way," Maddon said. "And I get that. I totally get it. But I also believe the training that really surpasses the conventional part is to get to a World Series. "Last year, we saw it right before our very eyes with Jake and the jump that he had encountered and what it meant at the end of the season. "Right now, our starters are pitching probably as well as they have all year. So I like to think that if we continue along this path, we can keep that kind of freshness about them." --

CSNChicago.com Javy Baez's 'Running Back' Instincts Have Made Him An X-Factor With Cubs By Tony Andracki Javy Baez doing the Superman slide into home plate is becoming his signature move. Five days after getting thrown out at home in extremely close plays twice in extra innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Baez scored from second base on a swinging bunt from Jake Arrieta that didn't even make it 90 feet from home plate. Baez's extreme aggressiveness makes for an entertaining watch and it's also become a fabric of this Cubs team with the best record in baseball. Joe Maddon compared Baez to a good running back or a point guard with his vision and instincts. "He just sees things," Maddon said. "Not everybody does. He just has that chip. He came equipped with that chip and it's in there. "Sometimes it's gonna get him in trouble, too. He's able to process so many items so quickly, he might choose the wrong door sometime and all of a sudden, you're upset." Baez said he's "on" all the time and Maddon has repeatedly discussed how he doesn't like to take the aggressiveness out of his players. Baez was a part of the Cubs' mental lapse in the sixth inning Saturday when Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford took advantage of the shift and stole third with Baez late to cover. The 23-year-old is also a free-swinger at the plate, with a walk rate that has regressed in each of his three big-league seasons. Baez has improved his strikeout rate, however, down to a much more manageable 24.5 percent this year. "Sometimes you gotta take the bad with the good because he is that guy," Maddon said. "I don't want to coach that out of him. You're gonna get the wrong choice on occasion. But I think he's made more good choices than bad choices this year." Baez also dove headfirst into first base in Saturday's game and between all these aggressive slides and dives in the field, playing with his hair on fire could lead to injuries for the Cubs' young utility man. He's already had finger/hand issues in the past from diving headfirst. "As he gets a little older, he might be able to control that a little bit better," Maddons aid. "I'm always leery of that. ... It's hard to take a guy's natural instincts and try to contain them in some way. "It's a conversation - 'Have you thought about doing this instead?' - that kind of thing. But it's really hard. When you talk about a naturally instinctive player - like what he did just going to the plate [Saturday]. I mean, 95 percent of the guys wouldn't've done that on that play. "... I also believe as he gets older, you're probably going to see less of that. And that just might be the maturation process; he maybe gets banged up enough that he can't. For right now, it's gonna be hard to harness that because that's just who he is." --

Chicago Tribune Being anomaly in changing game hasn't affected Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks By Paul Sullivan In a game that stresses power pitching more than ever, Kyle Hendricks may be the unlikeliest Cy Young Award candidate in decades. The Cubs starter and National League Pitcher of the Month for August is 9-1 with a 1.27 ERA in his last 14 outings and will try and continue his run of dominance Monday afternoon in Milwaukee, where the Cubs begin a nine-game trip. By the time they return, the Cubs could have the division title in hand, and Hendricks and Jon Lester may be battling it out for the Cy Young. Hendricks knows he's a blowfish in a sea full of sharks, using his smarts to give him an edge against opposing hitters. "The game has taken such a turn to power pitching that I guess my pitching style is more of an anomaly in the game today," Hendricks said. "But there are also a lot of guys that pitch like me. We never get much recognition, obviously. "It's always the power pitchers with the power stuff that are going to get the headlines. There are a lot of guys out there that can flat-out pitch, make pitches, change speeds, because if you can do it and do it well, you can have a lot of success at this level. But obviously the hype just comes with the stuff." Hendricks could be the first Cub to lead the majors in earned-run average since Bill Lee posted a 2.66 ERA in 1938. Jake Arrieta was second to Zack Greinke last year, while ex-Cub Greg Maddux won the ERA title four times between 1993-98, all with the Braves. Amazingly, Hendricks reported to spring training with no assurance he would even be in the rotation. The Cubs had acquired Adam Warren to be a swingman, and Trevor Cahill was also being stretched out in spring training. It has been a long, strange trip indeed. "It does feel like a long time ago, really," Hendricks said. "But this front office and everybody in this organization has had full confidence in me and were very vocal about it, at least to me. It's given me confidence in turn that I know I just have to come in, do my thing, be who I am and go about my business. "It's made it easier for me to have success, obviously because I'm more comfortable in my environment. In my mind I was fighting for my job. We had four established guys signed for the rotation, so there was one spot open, and with all the guys we brought in … there were so many viable arms that could've taken up that spot. Cahill, and so many other options. I had to come in thinking there was competition." After Hendricks beat the Pirates last week, throwing seven scoreless innings in a 3-0 win, Pirates manager Clint Hurdle remarked: "The command, the execution … I thought I was back in 1987 with Greg Maddux on the mound." Maddux is the pitcher to whom Hendricks is most often compared. He hasn't gotten a chance to speak with the Hall of Famer but said he hopes to one day get a chance to talk shop. "It's humbling," Hendricks said of the comparison. "I can see from the pitching style, maybe. I learned a lot maybe from some of his mental approach, the simplified mindset, just trying to make good pitches. He was a big proponent of that. I can see (comparisons) kind of with the velocity and the pitch mix. "At the end of the day, I'm trying to be my own pitcher, have my own routine. I didn't really watch a lot of his pitching style growing up. Pedro Martinez and Jake Peavy were the guys I watched."

Despite the newfound respect he has received, Hendricks doesn't really care where he stands in a rotation full of aces. Being No. 3 is fine by him. "It's definitely always changing, but Lester and (Jake) Arrieta are the two guys," he said. "They've been there and done it, especially Lester, who has won a World Series. Those are the two horses, and everybody knows that." -- Chicago Tribune Cubs cap homestand with dramatic 3-2 victory over Giants in 13 innings By Paul Sullivan September has been declared a worry-free month for the Cubs, giving fans a chance to enjoy a game without the usual baggage that accompanies a playoff race. The Cubs' 3-2, 13-inning victory over the Giants on Sunday was one of those days for the Wrigley Field faithful to savor, as were the other three games of the series. The Cubs reduced their magic number to clinch the National League Central to 11 and maintained their 16 1/2-game lead over the second-place Cardinals. It is their biggest lead since finishing the 1907 season 17 games in front of the Pirates en route to winning the World Series. Jason Heyward drove in all three runs Sunday, the last two in dramatic fashion. He tied the game with an RBI single in the ninth, then drove in Anthony Rizzo with a single in the 13th, turning the stands into a virtual bounce house. After 4 hours, 23 minutes, the Cubs came through when it mattered, capping a 6-1 homestand that left them 88-48 overall and 51-20 at Wrigley. Giants reliever Matt Reynolds issued an intentional walk to Addison Russell in the 13th, putting two on to get to Heyward. "Of course it's got to motivate (Heyward) a little bit right there," manager Joe Maddon said. Heyward politely disagreed. "No more juice needed," he said. "A lot of juice right now. That's the matchup (they wanted). When you play that, you put a force out or a possible double-play opportunity (in play). He just made some pitches. I just got lucky on that one." John Lackey pitched five innings of one-hit ball in his return from the disabled list, and the Cubs bullpen combined for eight shutout innings, giving them 16 scoreless innings in the series. The Giants wound up with only four hits in the game and 14 in the series, tying fewest hits a Cubs staff has allowed in a four-game series since Aug. 26-29, 1938, also against the Giants. San Francisco hit .108 in the series but still managed one win. "A really passionate, well-played series on both teams' part," Maddon said. Lackey wouldn't go as far as to say it felt like a playoff atmosphere. "Playoffs are a little different," he said. "You feel those when you wake up." Maddon was cautious with Lackey, pulling the veteran after 76 pitches in his first start since Aug. 14 because of a strained right shoulder. "Coming off what he's coming off of, he would be a little more understanding of me being not understanding," Maddon said, twisting his grammar for the occasion.

The Cubs decided to keep a six-man rotation for now, with Mike Montgomery starting Wednesday in Milwaukee. Lackey allowed only one earned run and looked like he hadn't missed a beat. "You're not going to feel nothing," he said. "It's just not possible this time of year and this point in my career. There are things you've got to grind through and things you've got to adjust to, and I feel I can do that pretty well." -- Chicago Tribune Sunday's recap: Cubs 3, Giants 2 (13 innings) By Paul Sullivan John Lackey made his return from the disabled list this afternoon in the finale of the Cubs-Giants series, allowing one hit and one unearned run in a five-inning outing. The Cubs tied the game in the ninth on Jason Heyward's RBI single, and won it on Heyward's run-scoring single in the 13th. At the plate With a first inning single, Kris Bryant has reached safely in each of his last 21 games, the longest streak of his career. Addison Russell had three hits, including a pair of doubles. Heyward' had 3 RBIs, including an RBI single off Johnny Cueto in the fourth, and the run-scoring single in the ninth. On the mound Lackey, who went on the DL in mid-August with a right shoulder strain, was 6-4 in 13 starts at Wrigley with a 2.47 earned-run average. He was removed for a pinch-hitter after 76 pitches. In the field Heyward's two-base error on Hunter Pence's fly ball led to an unearned run in the second inning to give the Giants an early lead. Big number 50 — The Cubs have the best home record in baseball at 50-20. Up next at Milwaukee, Monday 12:10 p.m. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs' huge lead approaching historic level By Paul Sullivan With a 16 1/2 game lead in the National League Central, the largest since ending the 1907 season 17 games ahead of the Pirates, the Cubs can spend the final month getting prepared for the postseason. One of the main items on Joe Maddon’s to-do list is keeping his starters fresh. Thus, he’ll keep Mike Montgomery in the rotation, at least for the time being, sticking with the six-man rotation. Montgomery will go Wednesday night against Matt Garza in Milwaukee, following Kyle Hendricks and Jason Hammel in the Brewers series.

“Just trying to keep guys fresh for the rest of the year,” Maddon said. “It’s no more complicated than that. I’ve talked about it before. You run into a lot of regular starters that don’t like that, because they’ve been trained to not like that. "But you get through that moment and you get to the latter part of the year and hopefully we keep going into the playoffs at that point, and I think they’re going to be pretty happy because you get into more conventional methods and hopefully their arms are going to feel better. “Right now throughout the industry, you’re noticing a lot of really good young pitchers or pitchers in general talking about fatigue and people being skipped and that kind of stuff. If you have a guy you like in that six-hole, then it makes it easier to do what we’re doing now.” Maddon said Jon Lester understands that the goal of getting the starters rest is more important than him reaching the 200-inning mark, a goal of every successful starter. “At the end of the day, these guys have been trained to think a certain way, and I get it, I totally get it,” Maddon said. “But I also believe the training that really surpasses the conventional part is to win a World Series. “Last year we saw it right before our very eyes with Jake (Arrieta), the jump (in innings) he encountered and what it meant at the end of last season. Right now our starters are probably pitching as well as they have all year. I’d like to think if we keep it along this path we can keep that kind of freshness about them.” -- Chicago Tribune Series preview: Cubs at Brewers By Staff All games on WSCR-AM 670. Season series: Cubs 9-3. Monday: 12:10 p.m., WGN-9. RH Kyle Hendricks (13-7, 2.09 ERA) vs. RH Zach Davies (10-6, 4.07). Tuesday: 7:10 p.m., CSN-Plus, CLTV. RH Jason Hammel (14-7, 3.14) vs. RH Wily Peralta (5-9, 5.53). Wednesday: 7:10 p.m., CSN. LH Mike Montgomery (1-1, 4.09) vs. RH Matt Garza (5-6, 4.57). Storylines: Coming off his NL Pitcher of the Month award, Hendricks has 18 straight starts of allowing three earned runs or fewer, the longest of any pitcher this season. Miller Park figures to be taken over by Cubs fans on this year's last trip to Milwaukee. Trending: The Cubs are 37-16 against NL Central opponents. With 51 stolen bases, the Brewers' Jonathan Villar trails only Billy Hamilton (58) for the major-league lead. --

Chicago Sun-Times Heyward drives in all 3 runs for Cubs, including winner in 13th By Toni Ginnetti The magic number for Cubs manager Joe Maddon is always 1. Even as his team moves closer to clinching a playoff spot as the likely Central champ, the game of the day is the most important. That’s true even if the Cubs aren’t facing a potential playoff opponent such as the San Francisco Giants, who are in their own fight to reach the postseason. “You have to stay mentally focused to the last drop,” Maddon said. The last drop Sunday didn’t come until the 13th inning, when the hitting hero of the day, Jason Heyward, singled home Anthony Rizzo for a 3-2 victory. “My take is we have the lead we do because we’ve played [all season] the way we did [against the Giants],” Maddon said of taking three out of four. “Nobody is mailing anything in. Nobody’s taking anything for granted. We’re taking it one game at a time.” There were many heroes in the series finale. Starter Jason Lackey allowed two hits in five innings in his return from the disabled list. Seven relievers held the Giants to two hits, with Trevor Cahill (4-4) getting the win. But the man wearing the brightest badge was Heyward, who has had a hard-luck season at the plate. After his second error of the season led to an unearned run in the second inning, Heyward drove in all three runs for the Cubs. “It feels good to help,” he said of his 3-for-6 day and first walk-off hit since Aug. 18, 2010. “The error [dropping Hunter Pence’s fly ball] stayed with me about a second, but seeing how the wind was playing, I just overran it. It happens. You keep playing, and you have to keep being a part of the game.” Lackey shook off the miscue and Heyward’s apology. “He’s played Gold Glove defense all year,” Lackey said. “I’ll take that guy out there every day of the week.” Lackey didn’t allow a hit until the fifth, a double by Eduardo Nunez that turned into the Giants’ other run. With the Cubs trailing 2-1 in the ninth, Addison Russell led off with a double and scored on Heyward’s single. Heyward also drove in Rizzo in the fourth. “Sometimes you’ll hit it where they’re at, and sometimes they’re playing you where you hit it,’’ Heyward said of his off year at the plate. “It’s one day at a time, and you keep competing and try to do something every day to help the team win.” The four-game series was akin to playoff baseball, with each game decided by one run. Cubs pitching allowed only 14 hits in the series, tying a franchise record for fewest allowed in a four-game set, the last time coming in August 1934 against the New York Giants. Yet the Giants were in every game, despite hitting .108 in the series. “They played great defense, too,” Maddon said. “It was really passionate on both sides.” If the Cubs face the Giants again, Maddon believes they could pose a greater challenge.

“If the Giants have any shortcomings now, you know they’ll improve on them,” he said. “They have a nicely balanced, professional group. Whatever is wrong now, heads up —it won’t be wrong at the end of the season.” The Giants must first get to the postseason, either by overtaking the Los Angeles Dodgers for the West title or as a wild-card team. The Cubs, meanwhile, lowered their real magic number to 11. And there’s no letting up on the gas, Maddon said. “We’re coming to play every day, playing the same game,” he said. “It’s an exciting time for us,” Heyward said. “We don’t take anything for granted.” -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs notebook: Maddon going with 6-man rotation on trip By Toni Ginnetti The best rotation in the majors will be stretched into a six-man unit in the coming days so it’s rested and ready for October. Kyle Hendricks, Jason Hammel and Mike Montgomery will start in the three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers that opens a nine-game trip. A day off Thursday will give Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta and John Lackey six days off between starts before they return against the Houston Astros. Manager Joe Maddon said the aim is to keep guys fresh, as he has done with position players and relievers. “Some of the regulars might not like that, but in the latter part of the year and hopefully playoffs, they’ll feel better.” Having left-hander Montgomery available makes a difference, Maddon said. “If you have a guy you like in that 6-hole, it makes it easier to do,” he said. “For now, it makes all the sense in the world.” Being effective in the postseason outweighs personal goals some might have about innings pitched in the regular season, he added. “Guys are trained to think a certain way, and I get it, but at the end of the day, the goal is the World Series.” Unrestrained All-purpose infielder Javy Baez plays at one speed — all-out — as he has shown on the basepaths and on defense. It’s the trait Maddon loves — and fears. “You’re talking about a naturally instinctive player,” Maddon said. “I would never want to coach the aggressiveness or instincts out of a player. He sees things not everybody else does. He has that chip. “Sometimes it can get him in trouble. He processes things so quickly he might choose the wrong door. But you take the good with the bad. He’s made more good choices than bad this year.” The concern is that Baez might get hurt if he’s too aggressive on the bases or in the field.

“I’m leery because he’s been hurt in the past, but as he gets older, he might be able to control that better,” Maddon said. “As he gets older, we’ll probably see less of that. It’s a maturation process.” Baez leads the team with 12 stolen bases (caught three times), and his 12 errors (in 119 games) are tied with Kris Bryant (133 games) for most on the team. Roster moves ahead The minor-league season ends today for Class AAA Iowa, but several players might be brought up later this week. Reliever Hector Rondon also will be activated from the disabled list this week. -- Daily Herald Chicago Cubs get it done with Heyward By Bruce Miles There's a sense of inevitability about the Chicago Cubs, isn't there? They've played enough long crazy games at Wrigley Field this year that it seems if they hang close long enough, they're going to get the other team. That happened again Sunday as they rallied for a come-from-behind 3-2 victory in 13 innings over the San Francisco Giants. Jason Heyward tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth inning with a run-scoring single. In the 13th, he singled to left field to score Anthony Rizzo from second base. Rizzo had opened the inning with a single, going to second on a groundout. The Giants walked Addison Russell intentionally to get to Heyward. Now about that inevitability. "That's how we feel the whole game," Heyward said. "Even if we have a lead going late in the game and we've done our job and got a 2-run, 3-run lead, we feel like we can get more, just having our approach and trying to wear teams down. "Some days they're going to have your number. Some days you're not going to be able to get it done, but at the same time, the game's not over until it's over, and I feel that's been huge for us when we're winning games when we're behind." With the victory, the Cubs improved to 88-48 and lowered their magic number to clinch the National League Central to 11. They posted their sixth walk-off win this year, five of which have come in the last 21 home games. There's no question it has been a tough go for Heyward. The Cubs' prize free-agent acquisition of last winter is batting just .236, but he was 3-for-6 with 3 RBI Sunday on 3 singles. "I wouldn't say relief, but it feels good to help," he said. "We've got a great team. We've got a lot to accomplish, we feel like. We don't feel like we're done with anything yet, but it's good to be a part of it." Manager Joe Maddon has been in Heyward's corner all season. "He's had so many line drives caught," Maddon said. "My point is confidence starts showing up and then all of a sudden you become more on time and the ball gets a little bit bigger and it gets crunched a little bit better. So he's got all that going on right now."

Heyward's day didn't begin so well, as he dropped Hunter Pence's flyball after making a run for it to start the second inning. That led to an unearned run for starting pitcher John Lackey, who went 5 innings in his first start off the disabled list. It was only Heyward's second error all season. "After he missed that flyball, the first thing he did was he came in and he goes and sees Lackey and just said, 'I got you, man. My fault,' " Maddon said. "People don't see this stuff. This guy's the consummate teammate on top of everything else." Lackey didn't need an apology. "You're never going to get mad at J-Hey," the pitcher said. "He's played Gold Glove defense all year. He's made a lot more plays than he's missed out there. I'll take that guy out there every day of the week, for sure." The Cubs won three of four in this series, and the story was pitching. They held the Giants to 14 hits over four games, tied for their fewest allowed in a four-game series in franchise history. It happened against the New York Giants in 1934. Cubs relief pitchers did not allow a run in 16 innings this series, holding the Giants to 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 17. The 8 scoreless innings pitched by seven relievers Sunday marked the third time this year Cubs relievers have done that. The Cubs have a 16½-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central, but they show no signs of letting up. "Isn't it beautiful?" Maddon said. "That's what I've been talking about. We have a nice record, but we're coming to play every day. Everybody says, 'What are you doing to do in September?' Nothing different. Just try to rest people when you can, but play the same game." -- Daily Herald Bernfield: Chicago Cubs' Hendricks might be NL's best pitcher By Jordan Bernfield No one anticipated that Kyle Hendricks would earn his way into the discussion for the 2016 National League Cy Young award -- not even Kyle himself. "I definitely didn't see myself being a part of that," Hendricks said when asked about it after 7 scoreless innings in his last start, against the Pittsburgh Pirates. "I had my sights set a little lower." Though Hendricks began the year as the Cubs' fifth starter, he hasn't pitched like one since April. He has been their most consistent starter, and now sits atop baseball's leaderboard in earned run average. Hendricks' sparkling 2.09 ERA illuminates his consistent dominance this season. It's four-tenths of a run lower than every other pitcher in baseball. Hendricks has allowed 3 earned runs or fewer in 18 consecutive starts and has been particularly stellar at Wrigley Field. With a 0.82 ERA in his last 10 games at the Friendly Confines, Hendricks has limited opponents to just 44 hits in 65⅔ innings pitched, all while throwing fastballs under 90 mph. "Put the radar gun in your back pocket and look at what he's doing," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "There has to be strong consideration (for the Cy Young)." Hendricks doesn't look or act like a dominant major-league pitcher. Unlike closer Aroldis Chapman, who puts on a show with blazing fastballs at triple-digit speeds, Hendricks challenges batters with location and movement. It's a nuanced approach with a low margin for error, yet it's not as sexy.

That's why some baseball observers can't admit Hendricks' performance is worthy of serious Cy Young consideration. Typically, pitching dominance is associated with velocity, not savvy. Hendricks has an unassuming yet affable personality. If you saw him on the street, you might guess he was an elementary-school teacher in Lakeview. But he studies video of opposing hitters like a professor. He formulates game plans to keep hitters off balance by changing speeds and avoiding hard contact. According to FanGraphs, Hendricks produces soft contact 26.1 percent of the time, the highest rate in baseball. His changeup is rated the most effective in the sport this year. If the season ended today, Hendricks would compete with the Giants' Madison Bumgarner, the Mets' Noah Syndergaard, the Marlins' Jose Fernandez, the Nationals' Max Scherzer and teammates Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester for the Cy Young Award. Hendricks has a higher WAR than both his teammates and a better FIP. His ERA is nearly a half-run lower than Syndergaard's, seven-tenths of a run lower than Fernandez's, and eight-tenths of a run lower than Scherzer's. He has a lower WHIP (0.98) than all but Scherzer's (0.91). His numbers say he has been one of the National League's best pitchers, even if the radar gun doesn't. "To be up there, I'm just taking it in stride," Hendricks said. "But in order to stay there, I have to keep doing the things I've been doing. Consistency and keeping a simple mindset." With a strong September, voters may have to change up the way they view dominance. Hendricks might just be the National League's best pitcher. • Jordan Bernfield is an anchor and co-host of "Inside The Clubhouse" on WSCR 670-AM The Score. He also works as a play-by-play broadcaster for ESPN. Follow him on Twitter @JordanBernfield. -- Daily Herald Chicago Cubs like that Baez is always 'on' By Bruce Miles Javier Baez, the Chicago Cubs' hyperkinetic infielder, admits he doesn't have an "off" switch, and for the most part, that's a good thing for Baez and the team. Now and then, though, manager Joe Maddon might like it if Baez had a governor switch, such as when he slides headlong into a base, a play that has gotten Baez hurt in the past. But overall, Maddon likes what he sees from his 23-year-old prodigy, who scored from second base Saturday on a slow grounder toward third base. "As he gets a little bit older, he might be able to control that a little bit better," Maddon said Sunday. "I'm always leery of that. He's been hurt in the past with the headfirst slide. "It's just so hard to do. It's hard to do to take a guy's natural instincts and contain them in some way. It's a conversation: 'Have you tried doing this instead?' That kind of a thing. "It's really hard. When you talk about a naturally instinctive player like what he did by just going to the plate. Ninety percent of the guys wouldn't have done that.

"Ninety-five percent of the guys wouldn't have done that on that play. Now if he's thrown out, you're really upset because you're set up for that first-and-third right there. But as it turned out, obviously, it was a very good play." Maddon has said repeatedly that he does not want to "coach the aggressiveness out of a player." He also has praised Baez's "baseball acumen" as far back as spring training 2015. "He sees things," Maddon said. "He's like a good running back. You give him the ball and he'll find the hole. A good point guard in basketball. He sees things, and not everybody does. He just has that chip. He came equipped with that chip in there. "Sometimes it's going to get him in trouble, too. He's able to process so many items so quickly that he might choose the wrong door sometimes. And all of a sudden you're upset. "But that's what I'm saying. You've got to take the bad with the good because he is that guy, and you don't want to coach that out of him. You're going to get the wrong choice on occasion. But I think he's made more good choices than bad choices this year." Pitching plans: The Cubs will start Mike Montgomery in Wednesday night's series finale at Milwaukee. Montgomery has made 3 starts in 10 appearances for the Cubs since coming to them in a July 20 trade with Seattle. Joe Maddon said it's possible reliever Hector Rondon would be activated early in the upcoming three-city road trip. That could come Monday in Milwaukee after Rondon threw a simulated game Saturday at Wrigley Field and reported feeling good. -- Daily Herald Otto: Time for Chicago Cubs to line up their pitching By Dave Otto The regular season is far from over for the Cubs, and there is not one player in that clubhouse taking anything for granted regarding a possible postseason. However, for teams well-positioned in the standings, like the Cubs, September becomes a critical month to line your arms up. Bullpen: Hector Rondon will be back soon, and it looks like he will have enough time in September to get acclimated to that eighth-inning role he moved to when the Cubs acquired Aroldis Chapman. Rondon threw a simulated game Saturday, and the timing of when he comes off the disabled list will depend on how well his arm bounces back over the next couple of days. Assuming Rondon comes back healthy and as effective as he has been the last couple of years as the Cub's closer, that has the potential to shorten the game to seven innings. For the great closers I have sat in bullpens with, there is that one common thread: They like to finish what they start. If they start the ninth inning and load the bases with nobody out, they have supreme confidence they will get out of it. Rondon needs to take his closer mentality to his new inning, the eighth. If that occurs, manager Joe Maddon can save his 100-plus-mph throwing Chapman for the ninth only. With all that adrenaline pumping, it's sometimes more challenging for a closer to get out of an eighth-inning jam, sit in the dugout between innings and then go out there and do it again in the ninth.

Pedro Strop apparently has taken a step backward in his knee rehab, so he will have a shorter window in September to get back to his seventh-inning role. The Cubs have some options, though, of shortening the game even further with or without Strop. I like how Maddon has thrown Carl Edwards Jr. into the fire a couple of times, including a save situation the other night where Edwards got his first career save. Starting pitching: John Lackey's return to the rotation is key. Playoff experience is so valuable come October, and a healthy, effective Lackey could be a big plus for the Cubs. Lackey has been to the World Series with the Angels and the Red Sox, has started 20 postseason games. Most important, he's gritty in big games. September, though, does bring some difficult decisions. With off-days sprinkled in during the playoffs, there is only a need for four starters, while some teams only go with three. Filling those No. 3 and No. 4 slots among Kyle Hendricks, Jason Hammel and Lackey depends largely on whom the Cubs play in the first round. It also might come down to who is "dealing" come October. In lining up his rotation, Maddon will be able to cut back on the number of pitches thrown with starters, and even give them an extra fifth day of rest, if necessary. That was a luxury Madon didn't have last year, as the Cubs were in the fight all the way to the end of the regular season. Jake Arrieta went deep into games last September, pitched in the one-game playoff against Pittsburgh, and just wasn't as crisp with his pitches against St. Louis and New York after that heavy workload. Jon Lester pitched his tail off Friday against the Giants in a complete-game gem. He attacked hitters with all his pitches and got stronger as the game went on. Very similar to what this pitching staff will bring as Maddon lines them all up. • Dave Otto, a standout athlete at Elk Grove High School, pitched from 1987-1994 for four MLB teams, including the Cubs. A former baseball analyst for WGN Radio, FoxSportsNet and Comcast SportsNet Chicago, Otto also is a member of the University of Missouri Hall of Fame. --