Cubs bash Baltimore 10-3 for fourth straight win
After completing a three-game sweep of Pittsburgh, the Cubs took a big step up in class Friday when they welcomed the Baltimore Orioles to Wrigley Field.
The Orioles had won 34 of their last 52 games (65.4%), owned the most comeback wins in the majors (24) and have a closer in Felix Bautista who strikes out an unbelievable 18.37 hitters per nine innings.
So with this weekend series figuring to test the Cubs in myriad ways, it was appropriate that they had Kyle Hendricks - aka The Professor - on the mound Friday.
Hendricks, who nearly threw a no-hitter at San Francisco in his last start, stayed sharp and allowed just 2 runs on 5 hits in 5 innings in a 10-3 victory.
The Cubs' bats remained red hot as well, with Miguel Amaya, Dansby Swanson and Christopher Morel belting solo home runs into the left-center field bleachers in the third inning. It was the second time the Cubs hit 3 homers in an inning this year.
Baltimore crept back within 3-2 in the fifth, but pinch hitter Ian Happ spearheaded a 6-run sixth with a 2-run single that scored Mike Tauchman (walk) and Trey Mancini (walk). Nico Hoerner (RBI single), Morel (2-run double) and Seiya Suzuki (RBI single) drove in the other runs.
The Cubs (32-27) have scored 38 times during their four-game winning streak after averaging just 2.5 runs in their previous 13 contests.
"Offensively it's been really fun the last couple nights putting up some crooked numbers," David Ross said. "That helps the manager breathe a little bit."
And have a bit of fun as well.
Ross, who has been second-guessed quite a bit during his four years behind the bench, has been pushing all the right buttons of late.
To wit:
• A hit and run in eighth inning Wednesday produced a single by Hoerner and opened the door to 3-run inning.
• A suicide squeeze bunt by Nick Madrigal in the fifth inning Thursday scored Cody Bellinger and gave the Cubs a 5-2 lead over the Pirates.
• A sacrifice bunt by Madrigal in the sixth inning Friday moved runners to second and third and led to Hoerner's RBI single. And before that, Ross' decision to pinch-hit Tauchman and Happ paid huge dividends.
Not surprisingly, Ross didn't want much credit for these moves helping pave the way to three easy wins.
"Aww, man," Ross said with a slight smile. "The players put themselves in the position to succeed. I'm here to help and when you get traffic and things are going well (it helps). ...
"We've had guys in scoring position all year long and not come through with hits. These guys are starting to swing the bats really well, trust in their plan, staying true and taking walks as well."
Swanson, who now has 7 home runs and 30 RBIs on the season, echoed his manager's thoughts.
"It's easier to push certain buttons when we're playing at the caliber we're playing at right now," he said. "Those type of things can be part of our game. This is the type of version of the team that we all envisioned at the beginning of the year, and he's obviously done a great job of putting us in position to capitalize.
"It's kind of like we feed off each other. We're doing our part so he can help us do our part better."
Morel (six games), Swanson (five), Hoerner (five) and Happ (four) all extended their hitting streaks. Happ is 6-for-13 with 10 RBIs during his run while Morel is 11-for-22 with 2 HRs and 8 RBIs.