September 10, Daily Herald, NL Central is up for grabs now

Transcription

1 September 10, 2017 Chicago Tribune, 'Good Cubs, bad Cubs' routine continues with Brewers' 15-2 rout Chicago Tribune, Left-handed reliever Brian Duensing a bright spot in Cubs bullpen story.html Chicago Tribune, Brewers' 8-run third inning way too much for punchless Cubs to overcome Chicago Tribune, Stealing signs and a tribute to the memorable Cubs exit of 'Stick' column.html Chicago Sun-Times, Addison Russell offers the only good news on a bad day at Wrigley Chicago Sun-Times, Brewers ace Jimmy Nelson out for season with shoulder injuries Daily Herald, NL Central is up for grabs now Daily Herald, Brewers' pitcher Nelson injured in Cubs slaughter Cubs.com, Hendricks, Cubs look to deny Brewers in finale Cubs.com, Held in check, Cubs allow season-high 15 runs Cubs.com, Usually sharp sub Montgomery lasts 2-plus Cubs.com, Russell in good spirits prepping, watching Cubs ESPNChicago.com, Cubs giving Brewers life in race to the postseason CSNChicago.com, Cubs see Montgomery burned as Brewers draw closer in NL Central CSNChicago.com, Why the Cubs may have to get creative to get Addison Russell ready

2 CSNChicago.com, Joe Maddon doesn t see Brewers struggling to handle Jimmy Nelson s season-ending injury Chicago Tribune 'Good Cubs, bad Cubs' routine continues with Brewers' 15-2 rout By Paul Sullivan Either the Brewers refuse to go away in the National League Central, or the Cubs simply refuse to let them. Whichever explanation you choose, the result is the same. After the Brewers blew them out 15-2 on a cloudless Saturday at Wrigley Field, the Cubs' lead dwindled to three games with 20 to play, feeding confidence to their young rivals. An eight-run third inning put the game out of reach, and it was obvious the Cubs don't intimidate these guys, whoever they are. "We may not have the big names," Brewers reliever Josh Hader said. "But we definitely have the power and the arms and everything to keep us rolling." The Cubs have the big names, the power and the arms, but can't seem to put the division away. "It was kind of a breathe easy game more than anything," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "Look, the third inning was our best offensive inning of the year for me." Like a "good cop, bad cop" routine in a movie, we have been treated to a season of "good Cubs, bad Cubs." They may be third in the National League in runs scored, but seem to do a lot of their damage in blowouts only to come up short the next game. One day they score 16 runs against the Diamondbacks. The next day the D-backs shut them out. Two weeks later they score 15 runs against the Reds, and the next they're held to one. A 17-run game against the Phillies is followed by a 6-3 loss. "We have to get moving a little bit," manager Joe Maddon said of the topsy-turvy offense. "It's definitely (time). It's Sept. 9, you have to get after it, man. There's just no getting around that. We just have to get back into that offensive flow of things. We have to get our offensive mojo back." That mojo was missing again Saturday, and a crowd of 41,167 watched in amazement as the Brewers knocked out starter Mike Montgomery during the eight run inning, and continued to pound Justin Grimm and Rob Zastryzny. Chase Anderson and the Brewers bullpen combined to hold the Cubs scoreless until the eighth, when Kyle Schwarber homered to make it Perhaps the play that epitomized the Cubs' travails came in the fifth when Brewers shortstop Orlando Arcia hit a grounder that zoomed through Zastryzny's legs, off Ben Zobrist's glove and into center field. Now the Cubs will try to avoid a sweep. "Tomorrow is going to be a big game for us," Anderson said. "If we come here and sweep these guys at this place and go back home with confidence. I think we're getting hot at the right time."

3 The imminent return of Willson Contreras this week should boost the Cubs' mojo-challenged attack. Maddon said it was "not impossible" Contreras could return Sunday, but it looks like the upcoming Mets series is a more likely. Contreras was their MVP until going down with a hamstring injury, and his presence has been sorely missed. He's back in Chicago from a brief minor-league rehab assignment and appears to be ready to go, but Maddon reminded the media Contreras "plays at hair-on-fire level all the time," so it may be difficult to get him to take his energy level down a notch to ensure he stays healthy. The Brewers, meanwhile, were dealt a huge blow with the news starter Jimmy Nelson was out for the season with a strained right rotator cuff and a partial anterior labrum tear from sliding back into first base Friday night. Nelson, Anderson and Zach Davies have carried the Brewers on their collective backs, and Nelson's loss will be difficult to overcome. "He worked so hard to get himself in this spot and it gets taken from you, and something that's bad luck, frankly," Counsell said. "It's tough to swallow." Counsell wouldn't say how the Brewers would replace Nelson, but suggested they would not go outside the organization. One possible option is former Cub Matt Garza, who has a 7.03 ERA and 1.80 WHIP in nine second-half starts. Anderson said he could go on short rest, probably a better option. Either way, an intriguing three-way race between the Cubs, Cardinals and Brewers is heating up. Who thought the Brewers would be in this position back in April? "Honestly, I think those odds are a little skewed," Brewers reliever Anthony Swarzak said. "Everybody in this day and age tries to put a number on a team in spring training. This team will have 50 wins, and this team will have 100 wins. "But none of that matters. It has been fun to watch. Everybody just plays like a family here. It's hard to explain." For that matter, so are the Cubs. Chicago Tribune Left-handed reliever Brian Duensing a bright spot in Cubs bullpen By Paul Skrbina Brian Duensing has put other teams on notice, not that many outside have noticed. The Cubs' left-handed reliever has made a believer of his teammates, though. He is sporting a 2.63 ERA in 60 appearances spanning 54 2/3 innings. "I notice nobody notices, and I don't care nobody notices," Duensing said. "The only people I hope notice are the guys in the clubhouse. No one knows who the heck I am. I'm just some guy the most generic person ever." The 34-year-old began his career as a starter with the Twins, for whom he was 10-3 with a 2.62 ERA in He signed with the Cubs for this season and admitted there were some nerves attached. "I wanted to be a guy that mattered. I didn't want to be the guy who held them back," he said. "I didn't want (President Theo Epstein) and those guys second-guessing signing me. "So far, so good." Fellow reliever Carl Edwards Jr. agreed.

4 "I don't worry about it," Edwards said of when Duensing pitches. "'Go, bro. I know what you can do.'" Shaken, rattled: Hector Rondon breathed a sigh of relief Friday. The Cubs reliever figured he was going from the mound to an ambulance when Brewers catcher Manny Pina blasted a line drive right at him during the ninth inning. Rondon snagged the screamer by accident, struck out Keon Broxton to end the half-inning, then began shaking when he reached the dugout. "I only saw a white circle coming to my face," Rondon said. "I just reacted. If the ball hit me, for sure I would have been in the hospital. After that, I had to reset, keep pitching." Nelson done: Brewers pitcher Jimmy Nelson will miss the rest of the season with a right rotator cuff strain and a partial anterior labrum tear he suffered while diving into first base Friday. Nelson (12-6, 3.49 ERA) struck out seven and allowed four hits in five innings, the last of which he pitched after the injury, which could affect the Brewers' playoff hopes. Chicago Tribune Brewers' 8-run third inning way too much for punchless Cubs to overcome By Paul Skrbina The opposing pitcher was outhitting the Cubs 2-1 and they were behind 14 runs when the lines to the exits at Wrigley Field swelled late Saturday afternoon. The top of the sixth inning, which began with Victor Caratini manning first base, Mike Freeman shortstop, Tommy La Stella third, Kyle Schwarber left field and Leonys Martin right field, had just mercifully ended. The Brewers had scored three runs for the second consecutive inning in their 15-2 victory as fans followed in the footsteps of most Cubs starters away from the field. Brewers right-hander Chase Anderson, who limited the Cubs to a Ben Zobrist single and struck out five in five innings, had his second single of the game during the sixth, to go along with his two RBIs. "It reminds us that these guys, they don't look at us as the team to beat," Cubs starter Mike Montgomery said. "They think they're the team to beat and they act like it." The Brewers (74-68) looked the part Friday during a 2-0 victory and again Saturday, when they scored eight runs and sent 11 batters to the plate in the third in handing the Cubs their most lopsided loss of the season. In dropping their fifth game in the last seven, the Cubs lead in the National League Central was cut to three over the Brewers and Cardinals. Montgomery lasted just two-plus innings in place of Jake Arrieta, who is nursing a sore right hamstring. And the innings weren't attractive. A dropped-third strike and two walks filled the bases in the first, but Montgomery escaped unscathed. He wasn't as fortunate in the third, when the first eight Brewers reached four against him and eventually scored. "I have to do a lot better out there," said Montgomery, who allowed four runs, four walks and two hits before giving way to Justin Grimm. "The command wasn't there. That's just how it goes sometimes. A day like today just wasn't meant to be." Cubs manager Joe Maddon said he's unsure whether Arrieta will miss his next start.

5 "He's feeling better," Maddon said. "Things are progressing. Until he throws, in an actual workout, I don't know." But Maddon said Montgomery, despite allowing half of the Brewers' eight runs in the third, will start again Thursday against the Mets. "Turn the page. Throw it away," Maddon said. "That started out bad, it got worse and eventually we didn't get anybody hurt. That's probably the biggest positive." The Cubs' offensive mojo, which Maddon said before the game the team must rediscover, again was a no-show save for Schwarber, who didn't start but played the sixth and seventh innings in left and caught the eighth and ninth. His home run in the eighth trimmed the team's deficit to 15-1 and assured the Cubs (77-65) wouldn't be shut out for the second straight day and the 11th time this season. His 25th homer was the first run the Cubs had scored in 18 innings. Maddon said he didn't have any "solid answers" about the lack of hitting from a team that has scored 706 runs this season, third in the National League. But he also was concerned with giving up another big inning. The Cubs have allowed at least eight runs in an inning four times this season, all to division foes and all at Wrigley Field. "We've had that game way too often this year," he said. "We've given up eights, sevens, nines. "When you look at the offense, it's a bad moment to be in. The big innings we've given up have really made for some awkward days this year." Chicago Tribune Stealing signs and a tribute to the memorable Cubs exit of 'Stick' By Paul Sullivan Former White Sox coach Joe Nossek was known around baseball as the best sign stealer in the business, a label he wore proudly. No one tried to hide the fact, and Nossek's reputation for breaking the code was golden. He may have been the most respected coach I've ever covered, and he never felt the need to feed his ego by managing, a job he deserved. Nossek just loved the idea that other teams always thought he was stealing signs, whether he was or not. It was a mind game to him, and one that was addictive. "I got hooked on it," he once said. "A little success makes you want more." Stealing signs is an art form, and everyone always says everyone else does it. So why do we care so much when they continue to do it? Stealing signs was back in the news after the Red Sox were caught using an Apple Watch to relay stolen signs during a series with the Yankees, leading to a complaint to MLB. The New York Times reported the story, and a lot of harrumphing ensued.

6 Part of this is because people now hate the Red Sox like they once hated the Yankees. Part is association with the Patriots' cheating scandals. And no doubt Mark Wahlberg's nonstop TV commercials during sporting events are one more reason to dislike Boston. Sure, the Red Sox need to return to old-school sign stealing instead of using a watch, but this episode deserves nothing more than some MLB fines and perhaps a ban on their access to technology for the rest of the season. Anyone who wears an Apple Watch in public deserves some form of punishment. Baseball, of course, isn't the only sport where code breaking is done and usually unpunished. "To steal signals from the booth, everybody has done it," former Bears coach Mike Ditka once said. "There are a lot of ways to cheat, a lot of ways of stealing signals, and if a team's not smart enough to change its signals, they deserve to be stolen." The Red Sox usually are suspected of being up to no good, and no one really seemed too surprised to see them get caught. "When you see a team that good, you always suspect everything," Rays starter Alex Cobb told the Tampa Bay Times. "Our human nature as pitchers is that every time we walk off the mound and get hit we think they have the signs, and we're probably right 1 percent of the time. "In the past I haven't specifically said, 'That team is up to something,' but I've always walked off the mound saying, 'Wow, that team is unbelievably plate disciplined and just being on pitches.'" Red Sox starter Chris Sale knows a lot about sign stealing, allegedly having been the victim of it with the White Sox at the end of the 2014 season. The Tigers allegedly had a guy in the bleachers at Comerica Park stealing signs with binoculars, and the Sox caught him in the act with their own technology. Sale put his hands over his eyes in circles in the dugout, pretending he was watching the Tigers through binoculars, and hit Victor Martinez in retaliation for his suspicion. Tigers infielder Ian Kinsler later made the binoculars gesture at Sale. Unlike the 2017 Yankees, the '14 White Sox didn't make a big deal of it. They alerted MLB of their suspicions but didn't go public with their charge. They just knew to be more vigilant when playing at Comerica. Sign stealing has been going on forever and isn't about to go away. In another incident this week, Angels catcher Juan Graterol accused the A's Mark Canha of looking back at the plate to see the pitch location, and he glared at every A's hitter for the next two innings until rookie third baseman Matt Chapman came up and asked him to stop. "You know, that's not a very comfortable feeling, having a catcher stare at you when you're digging in the box," Chapman told the Los Angeles Times. "It's a little disrespectful, to be honest. So when I got in the box, I just let him know that we were not stealing their signs and there was no need for him to be staring at us, and let's just get the game going forward." Whether the result of anyone's suspicions is a staredown at the plate or a complaint lodged to MLB, the controversy eventually will die down until the next episode arrives. Baseball increasingly is run by executives from Ivy League schools and other major universities, men who should be smart enough to figure out a way to prevent the opposition from stealing their signs. If they can't, maybe they deserve it.

7 Farewell to 'Stick': Gene "Stick" Michael was a great baseball man but a mere blip in the revolving door of Cubs managers in the 1970s and '80s. Still, his stormy departure was one of the more interesting exits in franchise history, a story that would make fictional Yankees employee George Costanza proud. Michael, the longtime player, manager and executive who died Thursday at 79, was managing out the string with a terrible Cubs team in 1987 when he told local radio reporter Bruce Levine he was quitting. The problem was he did so without informing his boss, Cubs President Dallas Green. "I decided to quit a week ago," Michael told Levine on Sept. 7. "I don't want to come back. I haven't said anything about it because nobody asked me." Green responded that night to Tribune columnist Jerome Holtzman: "It's nice he told somebody. He didn't tell me." In other words, Michael announced he was quitting but still was technically employed since he didn't tell anyone but Levine. Green accepted the resignation the next day. The two long had been at odds, and Michael was upset Green had traded starter Steve Trout to the Yankees without telling him. "He doesn't tell me when he's going to bunt," Green replied. "Why should I tell him when I'm going to trade?" Yes, baseball executives used to talk like that. Frank Lucchesi, the Cubs' "eye in the sky," was named manager the day after Michael's resignation but told the media he wasn't a candidate for the vacancy in '88: "As of now, no. You know how it is in baseball. You try to win today because it might rain tomorrow." So true. Chicago Sun-Times Addison Russell offers the only good news on a bad day at Wrigley By David Just Shortstop Addison Russell was on the field running and doing agility drills before the game Saturday against the Brewers. He strolled into the clubhouse afterward, drenched in sweat, and told reporters: I feel great. That s good news for the Cubs and Russell, who s in his second week of a three-week recovery from a strained right foot and plantar fasciitis. Russell has been on the disabled list since Aug. 2. It s going pretty smoothly, Russell said. Third day in a row running, and each day I come in, my foot s feeling better. The workload is packing on, but my foot s feeling a lot better, and that s looking pretty positive. Russell s optimism was the last piece of good news for the Cubs, though. The Brewers scored eight runs in the third inning on the way to a 15-2 victory at Wrigley Field, putting them three games behind the Cubs in the National League Central. Russell is able to comfortably run side to side and shuffle. His general movement, he said, is coming along well, but he hasn t tried on a pair of cleats yet.

8 There are at least two reasons Russell won t rush his return and come back before he s 100 percent healthy. The Cubs are in a playoff race and can t afford to miss a step. Second, Russell wants to feel confident, mentally and physically, when he takes the field. The last week of games is pretty crucial, he said. It s a pretty tough division. I need to make sure I m 100 percent, and we ll just go from there. The baseball is going to play out.... [I m] making sure my muscles are ready for in-game play, making sure my mind s ready for in-game play and just mentally being ready as well. Once Russell is 100 percent, the question for manager Joe Maddon will be how and when to bring him back into the mix. The minor-league season is over, so Russell won t be able to rehab at Class AAA Iowa. The Cubs were in a similar situation last year with Kyle Schwarber, who missed nearly all of the regular season but returned for the World Series. Schwarber trained at the Cubs facility in Arizona, then played games in the Arizona Fall League to get some swings in. Russell admitted he didn t know what the tail end of his recovery would look like. The ground balls, throwing it, running it, that s pretty much just regular work, Maddon said. It s the actual seeing pitches, timing, reaction stuff that will be different. There s ways to get it done, but it s not the same as in actual games. But you get as close as you can. The Cubs depth has helped them maintain their position in the standings despite some major injuries in the second half. Mike Montgomery made his fourth consecutive start, filling in this time for Jake Arrieta. He made a few spot starts for Jon Lester while he was out with a lat injury, and he ll get another start in place of Arrieta on Thursday. Montgomery gave up only four runs in 18 innings in his previous three starts before struggling to get an out in the third inning against the Brewers. He allowed four runs, two hits and four walks in two innings. At catcher, midseason acquisitions Alex Avila and Rene Rivera have filled in ably for Willson Contreras, who s out with a hamstring injury. Javy Baez has plugged the hole for Russell. He s hitting.278 with seven home runs since Russell s injury. [Baez is] great wherever he plays, Russell said. He s an athlete, he s going to make the big plays. The team s very fortunate to have him. He s someone I can learn from here and there. Chicago Sun-Times Brewers ace Jimmy Nelson out for season with shoulder injuries By David Just The Brewers took a big step toward catching the Cubs in the National League Central by locking up the series Saturday with a 15-2 victory at Wrigley Field. But they received some sobering news before the game with the announcement that staff ace Jimmy Nelson would miss the rest of the season with a rotator cuff strain and a partially torn anterior labrum in his right shoulder. Nelson jammed his shoulder Friday night in the fifth inning while sliding back to first base. He remarkably came back out to pitch the bottom of the inning, then left the game after five scoreless innings.

9 When he dove back into the bag, something appeared to be wrong, Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. But then I thought he was just messing around. Give him credit for pitching the inning and getting through it. That s not an easy one. Nelson went 12-6 with a 3.49 ERA in 175 innings. He had 199 strikeouts. His exit for the playoff-chasing Brewers could be galvanizing or discouraging. Maddon is betting on the former, and the blowout appeared to prove him right. They seem like they have a good thing going on over there in the clubhouse, Maddon said, so I wouldn t bet too heavily that it s going to have any kind of negative drag on them. Spring training at Wrigley? The Cubs lineup midway through the rout resembled a spring-training exhibition. Trailing 11-0 entering the sixth, Maddon yanked nearly every starter. Tommy La Stella replaced Kris Bryant, Victor Caratini came on for Anthony Rizzo and Mike Freeman took over for Javy Baez at shortstop. Maddon replaced two-thirds of the outfield, as well, bringing on Kyle Schwarber and Leonys Martin for Jon Jay and Jason Heyward. Schwarber moved to catcher in the eighth inning, his fourth appearance behind the plate this season. It started out bad, it got worse, and eventually we didn t get anybody hurt, so that was probably the biggest positive tonight, Maddon said. Getting different guys at-bats, getting the regulars off their feet. [We ll] play tomorrow and get a day off right after that. Contreras in Chicago Injured catcher Willson Contreras returned to Chicago, but Maddon wasn t ready to say when he d be back in the lineup. Contreras, out since Aug. 9 with a hamstring injury, would be a welcome addition to the Cubs slumbering offense. He was hitting.311 with 15 extra-base hits after the All-Star break. Maddon said it was unlikely that Contreras would play Sunday. It s not impossible, but I don t know that it s gonna happen, Maddon said. I can t say it s impossible because he s gone through a couple of assignments and seems to be doing well. Maddon said he d have a better idea after speaking to Contreras and team doctors. Daily Herald NL Central is up for grabs now By Bruce Miles Maybe the moral of the story is not to make the Milwaukee Brewers mad. Back on July 6, the Brewers laid an 11-6 waxin' on the Cubs in a makeup game they were none too pleased to be playing, especially since it didn't rain during the afternoon of the "rainout."

10 They came to town this weekend upset that the Cubs moved Friday's game from daytime to night to give themselves a few extra hours of shut-eye after a Thursday night game in Pittsburgh. The Brewers won Friday night's game 2-0, and then they really took it to the Cubs Saturday, beating them 15-2 at Wrigley Field. The good news for the Cubs is that they're still in first place with a record of 77-65, 3 games better than the Brewers (74-68). The defending-world-champion Cubs still would seem to be the favorites, but Cubs starting pitcher Mike Montgomery provided a sobering warning. Montgomery lasted only 2-plus innings, as he gave up 4 runs in the Brewers' 8-run third inning. Reliever Justin Grimm gave up the other 4. "I think it just kind of reminds us that these guys, they don't look at us as the team to beat," Montgomery said. "They think they're the team to beat, and they come to play, and they act like it. It just kind of reminds us that we've really got to bring it against them." Cubs right fielder Jason Heyward, a leader on last year's World Series team, seemed amused by the question of who's who in the National League Central. "I don't know about anybody playing like they're the team to beat," Heyward said. "I just know about playing baseball, and we're playing for an opportunity to get to the playoffs. Last time I checked, last night was a 2-0 ballgame. To me, if anything, I'd say they're playing like a team that's trying to get in." The bottom line is this: The Cubs entered the weekend with a 5-game lead over the Brewers and Cardinals after the Brewers had just gotten swept by lowly Cincinnati. Now the division is in play. "We missed an opportunity in Cincinnati," said Brewers third baseman Travis Shaw. "That's kind of obvious. Other than that series, we have been playing pretty well. This was kind of backs-against-the-wall, last stand, if we come in here and lose two out of three that might be it." Instead of putting this division away, the Cubs now have to be prepared for the race going right down to the wire. "Yes, I am, absolutely, I am," said manager Joe Maddon. "I take nothing for granted, ever. They have some really good pitching on the Milwaukee side. I know they scored all those runs, but their starting pitching they're missing (injured Jimmy) Nelson now but their starting pitching's good. They've got really good arms in the bullpen. I think that's the one thing that nobody talks about with them enough. I think their pitching is solid, and they catch the ball on defense, too." Game on. Daily Herald Brewers' pitcher Nelson injured in Cubs slaughter By Bruce Miles Even as the Milwaukee Brewers inched closer to the Cubs in the National League Central this weekend, they received some potentially devastating news. Pitcher Jimmy Nelson, who won Friday night's game over the Cubs 2-0, will be lost for the rest of the season because of an injury he suffered running the bases. Nelson jammed his shoulder scrambling awkwardly while trying to get back to first base on a single to the left-field wall in the fifth inning. He managed to pitch the bottom of the fifth, but the Brewers said Saturday he suffered a

11 strained right rotator cuff strain and partial anterior labrum tear. It's not yet known whether Nelson will need surgery. The right-hander improved to 12-6 with a 3.49 ERA with Friday's victory. "I think Jimmy is a pretty tough guy, and maybe didn't feel the level of pain or discomfort that a lot of people would feel while going through an injury like this," Brewers general manager David Stearns told the Milwaukee media. "He also had a lot of adrenaline going last night, and that might have masked some of the discomfort that he felt. But clearly, when we got the news this morning, we were all disappointed." Cubs manager Joe Maddon expressed surprise over the extent of the injury but warned against writing the Brewers off. "I knew when he dove back into the bag something appeared to be wrong, but then I thought he was just messing around," Maddon said. "Give him credit for pitching the next inning and getting through it. That's not an easy one. That's a tough break for them because he's pretty much at the top of his game right now and watching that improve on an annual basis. They're definitely going to miss him. "It could galvanize as much as it could be, 'Woe is us.' Sometimes it can be galvanizing, no question. It depends on the replacement, who picks him up and if that guy fits in well." Russell runs again: Cubs shortstop Addison Russell ran again early Saturday as he recovers from a right-foot strain and plantar fasciitis. "I feel great," he said. "It's coming along pretty smoothly. Third day row running, and each day I come in and my foot's feeling better. The workload is packing on, but the foot's feeling a lot better." Russell has been on the 10-day disabled list since Aug. 3. During a minor-league rehab assignment, he felt a pop in the foot, and that enabled a clean healing to begin. "Before it popped, I was just kind of like managing," he said. "I was incapable of doing the things I normally do on a regular basis. So I'm actually pretty excited it popped so we can get the muscles recovered fully and go from there." Catcher Willson Contreras (hamstring) was due back from his rehab at Myrtle Beach. The Cubs will evaluate him again Sunday. There is no timetable for Contreras's return. This and that: Kyle Schwarber hit his 25th homer of the season in the eighth inning of Saturdays' 15-2 loss to the Brewers. He also appeared at catcher for the first time since June 13. The Cubs now have two left-handed batters with at least 25 homers in a season for the second time, with Schwarber and Anthony Rizzo (31). George Altman (27) and Billy Williams (25) teamed up to do it in The Cubs have lost three straight home games for the first time since Aug 2-4. Cubs.com Hendricks, Cubs look to deny Brewers in finale By Adam McCalvy Having already ensured a series victory against the team they are chasing in the National League Central, the Brewers will try to get greedy when their three-game series against the Cubs concludes on Sunday afternoon at Wrigley Field.

12 Milwaukee will seek a sweep behind Zach Davies, a right-hander on a roll. He is 9-4 with a 2.37 ERA in his last 14 starts heading into Sunday's showdown with Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks. It's a matchup of similar styles; neither Davies nor Hendricks overpower hitters, relying instead on superior command and plus changeups. "It's fun to go out there with a guy who kind of throws similar," Davies said last September, when Hendricks got the upper hand in a 7-2 win over Davies and the Brewers at Miller Park. "That's the fun part of our game, that you go into each start and you don't have to have the biggest stuff. If you find hitters' weaknesses and you exploit that, then you can be successful, too." He'll face a Cubs lineup that has not exactly been clicking, to the dismay of manager Joe Maddon. The Brewers' 2-0 win in Friday's series opener marked the Cubs' 10th shutout loss this season, most in the National League. Chicago was held to two late runs in its 15-2 loss Saturday. "We're not hitting as well as we have," Maddon said. "We've been kind of challenged. We have to get moving a little bit offensively." Davies is more important than ever to the Brewers as they try to continue closing the gap in the division. Milwaukee learned Saturday morning that the club will be without top starter Jimmy Nelson for the remainder of the year because of a shoulder injury. Manager Craig Counsell will urge his players to avoid the trap of trying to do more to make up for Nelson's absence. "It's going to change our days when Jimmy was supposed to pitch. That's the change," Counsell said. "We're going to have to find a way to get outs in those games." Things to know about this game Hendricks has gotten his season back on track since beginning the year with a 6.19 ERA in his first three starts, including two games against the Brewers in which he surrendered eight earned runs in 11 innings. Over Hendricks' last 17 starts, he has a 2.82 ERA. Davies has been terrific on the road this season, going 8-2 with a 2.10 ERA in 15 games away from Miller Park. He said the time on the bench while the road team bats in the top of the first inning is helpful for a command pitcher, and he has tried to replicate those quiet moments in his recent starts at home. Kris Bryant has been tough on Davies. He's 9-for-22 in previous matchups, with two doubles, a triple and a home run. With a fourth-inning walk on Saturday, Bryant had reached safely in 34 consecutive starts. Cubs.com Held in check, Cubs allow season-high 15 runs By Carrie Muskat and Adam McCalvy CHICAGO How would the Brewers respond to losing pitcher Jimmy Nelson for the season? They beat up on their division rivals, the Cubs, and guaranteed they will leave Wrigley Field better than when they got here. Travis Shaw and Orlando Arcia each hit two-run doubles in an eight-run third inning, while Hernan Perez drove in a career-high five runs to spark the Brewers to a 15-2 victory on Saturday over the Cubs. With a second straight win after being swept at last-place Cincinnati, Milwaukee pulled within three games of National League Central-leading Chicago. "This was kind of 'backs against the wall, last stand,'" Shaw said. "If we come in here and lose two of three, that might be it. So it's a big series for us. We're right back to where we need to be."

13 Eyeing Sunday's series finale, Arcia added, "We have to sweep here, we have to sweep the next series. To us, we have to sweep every series. We have to win every game, especially against these guys [the Cubs] because we're chasing them." The Cubs know the Brewers aren't going to go quietly. "To me, I'd say they're playing like a team that's trying to get in," Chicago's Jason Heyward said. "That's what September baseball is about.... We're all playing like we're trying to get in, showing up every day like we're the team to beat. Some days you're going to get beat. It's going to happen." Chase Anderson retired the first 10 batters he faced before he walked Kris Bryant with one out in the fourth. One out later, Ben Zobrist singled for the only hit off the right-hander, who threw 67 pitches in five innings before the Brewers made an early call to the bullpen. Anderson helped himself with a run-scoring squeeze bunt in the third and an RBI single in the fifth, one of his two hits. Kyle Schwarber homered with one out in the eighth for the Cubs, who avoided being shut out for a second straight game. Before Saturday's game, manager Joe Maddon was lamenting that the Cubs needed to get their "offensive mojo back." He may be right. "It started out bad, it got worse, and eventually we didn't get anybody hurt, so that's probably the biggest positive tonight," Maddon said. The Brewers have scuffled offensively as well and entered averaging 2.9 runs per game over their last 16 contests. But they sent 11 batters to the plate in the third, knocking starter Mike Montgomery out after he failed to retire the first four batters in the inning. The 15 runs were the most scored against the Cubs this season. The Brewers learned earlier Saturday that Nelson has a partially torn labrum and strained rotator cuff in his right shoulder, both season-ending ailments. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED On a roll: The Brewers loaded the bases for the second time in the game in the third, and Shaw, the only lefthanded bat in the lineup, then lined a double down the right-field line to drive in two and chase Montgomery. Justin Grimm took over and Ryan Braun scored when a balk was called against the Cubs reliever. Jesus Aguilar added an RBI single, and the Brewers loaded the bases again as Manny Pina singled and Keon Broxton walked. Arcia then hit a two-run double for a 6-0 lead. Another run scored on Anderson's sacrifice bunt, which was the first out in the inning. Perez's sacrifice fly made it 8-0. "The third inning was our best offensive inning of the year, for me," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "There wasn't a home run in there. Guys grinded out some at-bats. Walks, opposite-field hits, two-strike hits, a safety squeeze. We executed so well in that inning, and on a day like today with the wind [blowing in], that's how you have to score runs." The Cubs now have given up at least eight runs in an inning four times this season, and all four instances have come against NL Central teams in games at Wrigley Field. "It's just disappointing," Maddon said. "We've had that game way too often this year.... The big inning we've given up has really made for some awkward days for us this year." Sparkplug: Brewers leadoff man Perez had quite the day, going 2-for-4 with the sac fly, a two-run homer in the fifth and a two-run single in the sixth not to mention a walk leading off the Brewers' big third. The blast in the fifth was his first home run since Aug. 27, and came off a curve from rookie Rob Zastryzny. The fifth-inning rally extended the lead to 11-0, matching the Brewers' season high for runs, and the sixth-inning rally pushed them into new territory.

14 "It gives us the confidence we had earlier in the season when we were scoring all of those runs," said Arcia, who drove in Milwaukee's 12th run with a single. "It kind of brings it back to the team. Now tomorrow is a new game and you have to bring that confidence back." QUOTABLE "It's hard to explain it, but we're not playing any easy teams out there. Play a good game and you've got a chance to win. We've played good games the past two days." Counsell, on his team winning six of eight from the Dodgers, Cardinals and Nationals, then getting swept by the Reds before winning two in a row from the Cubs SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS The offensive surge in the third marked the third time this season the Brewers have scored eight runs in one frame. They also scored eight in the fifth inning on May 13 against the Mets, and in the second inning on July 14 against the Phillies. Schwarber took over at catcher in the eighth inning. It's the fourth game he's been behind the plate (and first since June 13), which is notable because he missed nearly all of last season after tearing two ligaments in his left knee. His home run was his 25th, and the Cubs now have two left-handed hitters with at least 25 for the second time in franchise history. Besides Schwarber and Anthony Rizzo this year, George Altman (27 homers) and Billy Williams (25) did so in WHAT'S NEXT Brewers: The Crew will go for a three-game sweep Sunday at 1:20 p.m. CT behind Zach Davies, who is 8-2 with a 2.10 ERA in 15 starts on the road this season, and 9-4 with a 2.37 ERA in his last 14 starts overall. Cubs: Kyle Hendricks will make his 21st start of the year and 12th at Wrigley Field on Sunday in the series finale. Hendricks did not get a decision in his last start against the Pirates, giving up two runs over 6 2/3 innings. This will be his fourth start against the Brewers this season. So far, he's 1-0 with a 5.06 ERA. Cubs.com Usually sharp sub Montgomery lasts 2-plus By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO Mike Montgomery has fared well as a substitute starter for the Cubs, but on Saturday, the left-hander struggled with his command, which led to a lopsided 15-2 loss to the Brewers. Montgomery entered the game 3-1 with a 1.88 ERA in his last four starts, dating to late June, including seven-plus innings against the Pirates on Aug. 28. But he struggled in a 26-pitch first inning against the Brewers although he escaped without giving up a run and then couldn't retire any of the first four batters in the third. The lefty was charged with four runs on two hits and four walks over two-plus innings. "It's one of those days," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "You've seen him pitch really well. That's just a tough day for him there." Maybe it's the Brewers. Montgomery served up a season-high seven runs and lasted 2 1/3 innings in his only other start against them this year on July 6. Saturday was his shortest start since he lasted 1 1/3 innings against the Athletics on Aug. 25, "He's been pitching well overall," Maddon said. "Against this team, I'm seeing him not hitting the strike zone."

15 "Obviously, the command in the zone wasn't where I wanted it to be," Montgomery said. "It's one of those days. We have to move on. They're a good team and they play us really tough. They're giving us everything they've got out there. I have to do a lot better out there." With the win, the Brewers moved to within three games of the Cubs in the National League Central standings. "[A game like Saturday] reminds us that these guys don't look at us as the team to beat they think they're the team to beat and they come to play and act like it," Montgomery said. "It reminds us that we have to bring it against them." Montgomery will get at least one more start on Thursday against the Mets, subbing for right-hander Jake Arrieta, whose return from a right hamstring strain is uncertain. Arrieta was injured last Monday against the Pirates. Montgomery says he just has to forget games like the one he had Saturday. "I might have been a little too fine, trying to make too good of a pitch, instead of just attacking the zone and trusting it more," Montgomery said. "That's baseball you have to go through that and learn from it. Going forward, I just have to be prepared for the next time and put the work in and focus on that." Hopefully, he and the Cubs can avoid another inning like the Brewers' eight-run third on Saturday. It was the fourth time this season Chicago has given up at least eight runs in one inning, and all four instances have come against NL Central teams (one each against the Pirates, Cardinals, Reds and Brewers). "It's just disappointing," Maddon said. "The big inning we've given up has really made for some awkward days for us this year." Cubs.com Russell in good spirits prepping, watching Cubs By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO There's been some good-natured joking in the Cubs' clubhouse since Addison Russell was sidelined in early August with a right foot strain and Javier Baez took over at shortstop. Baez has played extremely well at short. "He's great," Russell said Saturday of Baez. "He's great wherever he plays. He's an athlete and he's going to make the big plays. The team is very fortunate to have him. He's someone I can learn something from here and there." But when Russell is ready to return, he will reclaim the shortstop position and Baez will shift to second base. Russell still has at least two more weeks of rehab. "It's coming along pretty smoothly," Russell said. "It's the third day in a row of running, and each day I come in and my foot is feeling better." Russell had started one game in a Minor League rehab assignment but then suffered a setback, and an MRI exam revealed he had aggravated his foot. The positive of that is Russell felt something "pop" in his foot. That's actually good. "Before it popped, I was managing it and I couldn't really do what I was capable of doing on a normal basis," Russell said. "I'm actually pretty excited that it popped so I can get the muscles to recover fully and go from there." In the last three days, he's been able to run side to side and do light jogging. Plus, he's been throwing a football to keep his arm strong. "As far as moving around, I'm right there," Russell said.

16 Catcher Willson Contreras was headed back to Chicago on Saturday after two rehab games with Class A Myrtle Beach. Contreras went 1-for-2 with two walks as the designated hitter on Friday. He's been out since Aug. 11 with a right hamstring strain. What's next? Cubs manager Joe Maddon said they need to talk to Contreras to see how he feels before deciding the next step. "It's not impossible [he could be activated on Sunday], but I don't know that it's going to happen," Maddon said on Saturday. "It's just a matter of when you talk to him, 'How are you seeing the ball? What do you feel like at the plate? How does the leg feel?'" The Cubs still aren't sure if Jake Arrieta will miss one start or two as he deals with a sore right hamstring. "He's feeling better," Maddon said. "I talked to [athletic trainer PJ Mainville], and things are progressing. Until [Arrieta] gets out and actually throws in a workout, I don't know [how long he'll be out]. Definitely one, possibly two [starts]. PJ just told me [Friday] that Jake's doing better, and that's what I've got." The Cubs have their scouts checking all the playoff-eligible teams in preparation for possible postseason play. "You're looking for little nuances this time of year," Maddon said. "Because it's so topical now, if you had a good scout who could steal signs and what they're doing on the bases, [that would help]. That's where an in-the-seats scout is valuable." Several of the Cubs are keeping tabs on Hurricane Irma. Maddon's wife, Jaye, was able to leave the Tampa Bay area before the storm reached Florida. Cubs outfielder Albert Almora Jr. said his family was hunkered down in the Miami area but felt safe as the hurricane moved west. ESPNChicago.com Cubs giving Brewers life in race to the postseason By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO The good news for Chicago Cubs fans is that all the statistical forecasts still give the Cubs a high probability to win their division, despite dropping the first two games of their series against the Milwaukee Brewers this weekend, including a 15-2 pounding on Saturday. They were also shut out 2-0 on Friday. Those forecasts, though, don't take into account the idea of breathing life into the opposition. Looking nearly buried after a three-game sweep by the Cincinnati Reds earlier in the week, the Brewers must be feeling pretty good about themselves now, despite still being three games behind the Cubs in the standings. They've gotten the attention of the defending world champions. "It kind of reminds us, these guys don't look at us as the team to beat," Saturday's losing pitcher, Mike Montgomery, said after the rout. "They think they're the team to beat. They come to play and act like it. It reminds us we really have to bring it against them." The drubbing on Saturday could be a reminder of a few things: Montgomery may not be ready for prime time as a starter though he will get at least another turn in the rotation next week and manager Joe Maddon's lineup is still a work in progress. How can a first-place team with World Series aspirations not have more than a couple of hitters (Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant) it can count on? The Cubs had an awful week at the plate, scoring just 15 runs since tallying 14 last Saturday, and eight of those came in one game. Perhaps the losses of Addison Russell and Willson Contreras, who is due back soon, are finally showing up on offense. Of course, it's hard to judge anything besides who's on the mound when you give up eight runs in the third inning, as the Cubs did on Saturday, essentially sealing their fate for the day.

17 "We've had that game way too often this year," Maddon stated. "We gave up large innings. The big innings we've given up have made for some awkward days for us this year." It's a reminder that starting pitching is still paramount at this time of year. Right now, the Brewers have as much of it as the Cubs do, perhaps even more, though they lost Friday's winner, Jimmy Nelson, for the rest of the season. And three games out of first place sounds a lot more doable at this time of year than seven that's where Milwaukee would have been if the Cubs had their act together these past two days. Reflecting on Saturday's blowout, Maddon said with a smirk: "It started out bad, it got worse and we didn't get anyone hurt. That's probably the biggest positive tonight." These first two games are also a reminder that no one said winning back-to-back division titles was going to be easy. In fact, zooming out of the moment, it's not as though the Cubs have played such great baseball this season that they necessarily deserved the five-game lead they had when the series began. Perhaps this is just about everything evening out, which means the race could go down to the wire. A sweep by Milwaukee assuredly gives the Brewers great hope over the final three weeks, which include a four-game series at Miller Park. "I take nothing for granted, ever," Maddon said. "They have some good pitching on Milwaukee's side. Their starting pitching is good, they have really good arms in the bullpen. That's the one thing no one talks about enough with them. I think their pitching is solid." The Cubs are talking about it, and as stated earlier, Milwaukee has their attention. Perhaps it's a day or two late, but there's time enough to wake up and put the Brewers in the rearview mirror once and for all. It just may take longer than anyone wanted or expected. "A day like today wasn't meant to be, but we have a lot of season left," Montgomery said. "We'll be ready to go to face these guys." They better be. The season is coming to a head. CSNChicago.com Cubs see Montgomery burned as Brewers draw closer in NL Central By JJ Stankevitz Here s a wild split: Against teams not based in Milwaukee, Mike Montgomery has a 2.80 ERA and 2:1 strikeout-towalk ratio in Against the Milwaukee Brewers, Montgomery has a ERA and 1:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio. For whatever reason, Montgomery has struggled mightily against the Brewers this year. Saturday was no different, with Montgomery allowing four runs on two hits and four walks and recording only six outs before being pulled in the midst of a disastrous third inning. Milwaukee plated eight off Montgomery and right-hander Justin Grimm in that frame and went on to win, 15-2, moving within three games of the Cubs in the National League Central. I m all about Mike pitching the next time out and doing well, manager Joe Maddon said. It s just one of those days, you have to continue to support you ve seen him pitch really well, that s just a tough day for him right there. He s been pitching well, overall. His overall body of work has been good. Against this team, for me, I m seeing him not hitting the strike zone. The Cubs can always alter their rotation, especially with a swingman like Montgomery. But with Jake Arrieta (hamstring) likely to miss his next start, Montgomery could start Thursday against the New York Mets or Friday against the St. Louis Cardinals. And if Arrieta were to miss his next turn in the rotation beyond next week and the Cubs line up Montgomery to pitch every fifth game, he would start the opening game of what could be a pivotal series against the Brewers at Miller Park on Thursday, Sept. 21.