September 9, Daily Herald, Brewers shut down Cubs bats, win 2-0

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1 September 9, 2017 CSNChicago.com, John Lackey trending in the right direction at the right time for Cubs CSNChicago.com, Where Joe Maddon, Craig Counsell stand on Cubs-Brewers time change CSNChicago.com, Injury updates on Willson Contreras, Addison Russell and Jake Arrieta Chicago Tribune, Friday night lights come to Wrigley Field, and the neighborhood survives Chicago Tribune, Ryan Braun's 300th homer the difference in Cubs' 2-0 loss to Brewers Chicago Tribune, Addison Russell, Willson Contreras not quite ready for return to Cubs story.html Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs can t produce in key situations in 2-0 loss Chicago Sun-Times, Friday night lights: Cubs happy to be playing late Daily Herald, Brewers shut down Cubs bats, win Daily Herald, Cubs fret about family members in Irma's path Cubs.com, Cubs stifled by Crew, see lead cut to 4 games Cubs.com, Feeling strong, Lackey takes tough-luck loss Cubs.com, Montgomery, Cubs aim to extend lead on Crew Cubs.com, Russell pain-free, but timetable unchanged Cubs.com, Deep lineup has Cubs poised for October run

2 ESPNChicago.com, Cubs leave their bats out in the cold in loss to Brewers CSNChicago.com John Lackey trending in the right direction at the right time for Cubs By Paul Roumeliotis Now is as good a time as any for pitchers to start stepping up. Helping the Cubs make another playoff push, John Lackey turned in one of his best outings of the season, even though his team had nothing to show for it in a 2-0 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday night at Wrigley Field. Entering the day, the Cubs were 9-1 in Lackey s previous 10 starts. Even though the Cubs couldn t muster any offense against the Brewers, Lackey certainly did his part. That s encouraging to see, given that the Cubs are already without their hottest pitcher right now in Jake Arrieta. I m feeling strong, I m feeling a lot better, Lackey said. Even at this point last season I was kind of grinding through a shoulder situation around this time last year, so it s nice to feel good and compete when you re feeling physically nice. The 38-year-old righthander pitched seven innings of two-run ball on four hits, two walks and a homer on Friday. He also recorded nine strikeouts, one shy of his season-high. His only mistake came in the third batter of the game, a two-run blast to Ryan Braun. After that, Lackey looked sharp. I felt really good tonight, Lackey said. Really with the week off, I was almost a little too strong in the first inning. Threw too many fastballs, I was up in the zone a little bit, but my arm just felt great. Physically it felt great. Then once I kind of settled in and started using everything after that, things started rolling pretty good. A free agent at the end of the season, Lackey is showing the Cubs he's giving all he's got. And in a season where the Cubs have been plagued with injuries including star pitchers Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks, and Arrieta Lackey s production will surely be a nice boost if the Cubs want to pull away in the NL Central. Right now, Lackey is doing his part, and it couldn't come at a better time. CSNChicago.com Where Joe Maddon, Craig Counsell stand on Cubs-Brewers time change By Paul Roumeliotis When the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal reported last week that the Brewers vigorously objected Friday night s time change from 1:20 p.m. to 7:05 p.m. at Wrigley Field, it fueled the division rivalry and weekend series even more. Especially at this time of the year, any competitive advantage would be appreciated for either side, no doubt. Both teams are fighting for the division lead in the NL Central, where the Cubs have a five-game advantage over the Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals entering Friday.

3 While the Brewers who had the day off on Thursday were reportedly upset last week when they heard about the time change, Cubs manager Joe Maddon thought it was the right thing to do. He stood by that and situations like this for a while, and he didn't back down in his pregame media session. "There s no reason it shouldn t always be a Friday night (game). Period," Maddon said. "It s a big deal right now but it shouldn t be. Friday night baseball is appropriate. It should always be appropriate. There s plenty of time on the weekends to enjoy Saturdays and Sundays. I m happy that it turned out this way but it should always be this way." Surely, the Cubs were happy with the time change since they had to return to Chicago from Pittsburgh following their Thursday night game, which featured an impromptu 52-minute rain delay to start the game. Though it may have given the defending World Series champions an extra few hours to rest, Brewers manager Craig Counsell understands why the change was made. "It s an advantage for them to have the game changed to tonight, yes," Counsell said. "Because nobody wants to sleep for five hours and then have to come out and play. So we would obviously have preferred the other way, but the game s at 7, let s go. Let s go play." If the scenario was flipped, would the Brewers feel the same way? "If we had a chance to change it, I think we would have," said Counsell. "We would have tried to. Would they have let us? Maybe a bigger question. But that gets into the conspiracy part of the world." Sounds familiar, right? This obviously isn't the first time the Brewers had an issue with the Cubs this season. In May, Counsell threw major shade at the North Siders after a scheduled game was postponed due to rain in which Milwaukee believed was prematurely called. The Brewers skipper half-jokingly said it was the first time his players were treated for sunburn after a rainout. Friday's time change added another layer to a rivalry that's ready to boil over. And things could get interesting with less than a month of baseball left to play. CSNChicago.com Injury updates on Willson Contreras, Addison Russell and Jake Arrieta By Paul Roumeliotis Willson Contreras and Addison Russell are both making progress from their injuries while Jake Arrieta (hamstring) continues to rest. Out with a strained right hamstring since Aug. 9, Contreras is set to serve as the designated hitter in his second and final game on Friday with Class-A Myrtle Beach. The Cubs catcher went 0-for-2 with a strikeout on Thursday. After Friday's game though, the Cubs will have to find a new way for Contreras to keep his rehab assignment going, since the Pelicans' season ends. Contreras will fly back to Chicago on Saturday and be evaluated, according to the Cubs. As for Addison Russell, the Cubs shortstop "pain-free" and doing light jogging. Russell was placed on the disabled list on Aug. 3 with a strained right foot and plantar fasciitis but re-aggravated his foot on Aug. 31. When Russell is ready to rehab, the Cubs are anticipating a simulated game with all minor league teams finished with their season.

4 "You just try to be creative with him and watch him ask him questions and how you feel and that kind of stuff," said manager Joe Maddon. "It s difficult, but then again we did it with (Kyle) Schwarber last year. Although I guess he did participate a little bit out west so you just have to be imaginative and get it done somehow. The big thing is health and then you just watch him." The timeline hasn't changed for Russell, who is one week into his three-week recovery period. The Cubs haven't made any decisions on whether or not the 23-year-old can come back early, given that he is pain-free. "I haven t talked to the trainers about that at all actually," Maddon said. "But we ve been shooting for that moment where he s said something like that and he said it, so that s good. But I ll wait to hear from (Cubs athletic trainer PJ Mainville) but we have no accelerated anything as of right now." Chicago Tribune Friday night lights come to Wrigley Field, and the neighborhood survives By Paul Sullivan Friday night baseball made its regular-season debut at Wrigley Field 29 years after the installation of lights, a day many thought never would come. In spite of concerns the night game would affect the neighborhood businesses, nearby bars and restaurants seemingly were doing brisk business before the Cubs 2-0 loss to the Brewers, and Wrigleyville still was standing afterward. "They invented lights for a reason," manager Joe Maddon said. "God invented lights for night baseball. That was part of his overarching plan." Theologians can debate that Maddonism, while the rest of those who work at Wrigley can simply enjoy the extra Z's. The Cubs last played a Friday night home game in Game 3 of the World Series last October, but postseason games are exempt from the city rule prohibiting them. The game time was changed from 1:20 p.m. to 7:10 p.m. so the Cubs' players could sleep in after an early morning flight from Pittsburgh, a one-time exemption from the city ordinance courtesy of Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the City Council. It was an unexpected concession to the Cubs after earlier denying requests to block off Clark and Addison streets to traffic on game days and to allow them to open up the new outdoor plaza to everyone instead of limiting it to fans with tickets. Emanuel and Ald. Tom Tunney said they just wanted to help the Cubs beat the Brewers, being big fans and all, which seemed like a lame reason to the Brewers, who reportedly were upset by the time change. Brewers manager Craig Counsell, badgered by the media before the game, said the game time didn't really matter to him. "Look, the game is at 7 o'clock," he said with a hint of exasperation. "We're here. We'll play at 7 o'clock. It's all good. I understand why they changed it. If it was reversed, they wouldn't have changed it. Nobody would argue with that and everybody would do the same thing. Sleep is a bipartisan issue, man. Everybody wants more sleep. Nobody is going to argue against getting more sleep, so I can't have any qualms with them wanting to get more sleep. "You have the right to change game times, and you're going to use them to your advantage."

5 Counsell said if the shoe was on the other foot and the Brewers could change a game time at home to give them an advantage over the Cubs, they would do the same thing. "Would they have let us?" he said, referring to MLB, which had to approve the switch. "Maybe (that's) a bigger question. But that gets into the conspiracy part of the world." Conspiracy theorists can debate whether MLB bent over backward for the big-market Cubs to aid them in their race with the small-market Brew Crew. The rest of us simply can enjoy Counsell's subtle dig at the league office. It's really a silly kerfuffle, as Counsell seemed to admit. "Look, it's an advantage for them to have the game changed to tonight," he replied. "Nobody wants to sleep for five hours and then have to come out and play. We would obviously prefer it the other way, but look, the game is at 7. Let's go play." So they played, and Ryan Braun soon did his thing, cranking a two-run homer off John Lackey in the first after being booed, as tradition dictates at Wrigley. Jimmy Nelson shut down the Cubs through five, and the Brewers bullpen did the rest. Whether the Cubs will be satisfied with this one-time gesture is doubtful. Let's not forget they once said erecting a giant Toyota sign in left field in 2010 was the only outfield advertising signage they needed, only to change their minds and place ads all over the bleachers. But the Cubs won last year, and no one cares about signage when you're World Series champions. And if Maddon has his way, day games on Friday soon will be obsolete. "There's no reason why it shouldn't always be a Friday night, period," he said. "It's like it's a big deal right now, but it shouldn't be because Friday night baseball is appropriate. It should always be appropriate. "There's plenty of the time on the weekend to enjoy Saturdays and Sunday. I'm happy that it turned out this way but it should always be this way." Dallas Green couldn't have said it any better. Chicago Tribune Ryan Braun's 300th homer the difference in Cubs' 2-0 loss to Brewers By Paul Skrbina Boos poured from the stands at Wrigley Field on Friday night. The target, Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun, tipped his cap in kind as he dug into the right-handed batter's box. Then his bat talked back against John Lackey in the first inning of the first regular-season Friday night game in the 103-year history of the ballpark. The green shrubs beyond the wall in left-center field absorbed the brunt of Braun's 300th career home run, a tworun job that left Cubs fans even more irate because they couldn't throw the ball back. The Cubs couldn't bounce back, either, falling 2-0 in the first game of a nine-game homestand. The victory buoyed the Brewers one game closer to the National League Central-leading Cubs, whose lead slipped to four over them and the Cardinals, who also won Friday.

6 "With the week off, I was almost a little too strong in the first inning," Lackey said. "I threw a few too many fastballs up in the zone a little bit. Once I settled in... I started rolling pretty good." The first of a nine-game home stretch against the Brewers, Mets and Cardinals likely will go a long way toward determining the division champion. Including Friday, the Cubs play 17 of their final 22 regular-season games against NL Central opponents. "They probably like that more than we like that," the Cubs' Ben Zobrist said. "They get an opportunity to try to get to us. But we feel that makes our opportunity to try to break away a little easier." The Cubs had their chances early to back Lackey, who allowed those two runs, all four Brewers hits, two walks and struck out nine before departing after seven innings. But the offense's lack of timely hitting hindered that. They managed four hits off Brewers starter Jimmy Nelson, who left after five innings with a sore shoulder he suffered diving back to first base as a baserunner. They managed one more hit against the bullpen. Zobrist began the bottom of the second by shooting a double down the left-field line. But his stay on the bases ended at third four batters later, when Javier Baez flew out to center, stranding him and Heyward on third and first. Twice more it happened, and in short order first in the third when Kris Bryant beat the shift with a single to right and moved to third on Anthony Rizzo's single to the same spot. Zobrist struck out looking to end that threat. With two out in the fifth, Jon Jay was hit on a bounce by a pitch, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch, which also happened to be ball four to Bryant. But Rizzo's would-be three-run home run gave in to the wind and wound up in center fielder Keon Broxton's glove. "Rizzo hit a three-run homer that was kept in the ballpark and their guy punctured the wind," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "I have nothing to complain about.... Really good game of baseball. They won." Going into Friday, the Cubs had scored 704 runs, third most in the majors behind the Nationals and Rockies. They'd also averaged 6.1 runs per game since Aug. 1. But that second number is a bit deceiving, according to Maddon. "It reads that well because we've had some awkwardly high-scoring games in our favor," he said before Friday's game. The Cubs have scored at least 14 runs five times in a game since Aug. 1, including a pair of 17-run games and a 16- runner. They've also been shut out 10 times this season, tied for most in the National League. Chicago Tribune Addison Russell, Willson Contreras not quite ready for return to Cubs By Paul Skrbina Addison Russell strolled into the Cubs clubhouse Friday afternoon with a football in his left hand and a single blade of grass clinging to the sweat on his left cheek. The injured shortstop isn't ready for some football, beyond a casual game of catch, and the team doesn't expect he'll be ready for some baseball again for at least another two weeks. A right foot injury has sidelined Russell since Aug. 2, and he was scratched from a rehab assignment in late August with soreness. He's batting.241 with 10 home runs in 97 games this season.

7 But a team official said Russell is "just about to the point of being pain-free" and that he did some light jogging before the Cubs began their three-game series against the Brewers. "Pain-free is just two good words," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "We've been shooting for that moment he says something like that, and he said it. But we have not accelerated anything." If and when he does return, sending him to a minor-league team for rehab won't be an option because their seasons will be over. Instead, Russell likely would participate in simulated games and face live pitching, Maddon said. "Just try to be creative with him," Maddon said. "Watch him; ask him questions." Oh, Mr. Willson: Catcher Willson Contreras will be back in Chicago on Saturday. When he'll return to the Cubs' lineup remains to be seen. "There's no timeline yet," a Cubs official said. Contreras was 1-for-2 with two walks as the designated hitter for Class A Myrtle Beach on Friday during its 2-1 loss in the Carolina League's Southern Division Championship Series. First pitches: Former Georgia football coach Vince Dooley was among those who threw out ceremonial first pitches. Chants of "U-G-A" filled Wrigley Field, a day before Georgia faces Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind. Dooley coached the Bulldogs to the 1980 national title... Bears running back Jordan Howard also threw out a first pitch and was scheduled to sing during the seventh-inning stretch. Chicago Sun-Times Cubs can t produce in key situations in 2-0 loss By Tom Musick In the last 10 games, manager Joe Maddon has seen his Cubs score 17, 14 and eight runs. But the stretch also has included two shutouts, two games with one run and one game with two runs. Hard to scratch a run across, Maddon said. We ve gone through those moments before. The Cubs lumber fell into another slumber Friday in a 2-0 loss to the Brewers. The defeat reduced the Cubs lead to four games with 21 games left. It s not as if Maddon s squad lacked opportunities against Brewers starter Jimmy Nelson, who exited because of soreness in his right arm after five innings. Three times in the second, third and fifth innings the Cubs had runners on first and third with two outs. All three times, they failed to produce. Javy Baez lined out to center to squander the first scoring opportunity. In the next inning, Ben Zobrist struck out looking. In the fifth, Anthony Rizzo launched a towering blast to left-center field that would ve cleared the fence for a three-run home run on many nights. A stubborn wind, however, pushed it back into play. It definitely was hit really well enough to go, but it was so high, Maddon said. That s where the wind [got it].

8 The team s quiet night at the plate spoiled a strong performance by John Lackey, who has emerged in the last two months after a turbulent start. Lackey struck out nine in seven innings and allowed two runs, both came on Ryan Braun s 300th career homer in the first inning. Since the All-Star break, Lackey is 6-2 with a 3.67 ERA (23 earned runs in 56 innings). I m feeling pretty good physically, Lackey said. I m throwing strong. I m feeling a lot better than at this point last season. I was kind of grinding through a shoulder situation around this time last year. It s nice to feel good and compete. Brian Duensing and Hector Rondon each pitched a scoreless inning of relief to give the Cubs a chance to come back. Rondon drew a gasp from the crowd as he snared a line drive that was hit inches from his head. Thank God it hit him in the glove, Maddon said. That s as scary as it gets right there. Taylor Davis made his major-league debut as a pinch hitter in the seventh but struck out swinging. The Cubs have 16 games left against division opponents and 13 against winning teams. The Cubs face the Brewers six more times, and they still have seven games left against the Cardinals. I think they probably like that more than we like that because they get an opportunity to try to get to us when they win games, Zobrist said of the schedule. But that makes our opportunity to break away late in the season a little bit easier. If we can beat those teams, then we ll break away a little bit more. And if not? The Cubs aren t thinking in those terms. After last season s World Series run, confidence has replaced concern. I d describe the rest of this month as being an opportunity to maintain what we have, Jason Heyward said. You ve got to be in it to win it, and we ve got a chance to be in October baseball again. Zobrist agreed. We re in first place, Zobrist said. That s really where you want to be right now. We ve still got to play strong all the way through. Chicago Sun-Times Friday night lights: Cubs happy to be playing late By Tom Musick If it were up to manager Joe Maddon, every Friday home game would start at night. God invented lights for night baseball, Maddon deadpanned. That was part of his overarching plan. That, along with an abundance of holy cows. Maddon spoke a couple of hours before the Cubs played the first Friday regular-season night game in the 101-year history of Wrigley Field. The team announced about a week ago that it would push back its originally scheduled 1:20 p.m. start time because of a late return flight from Pittsburgh that did not get in until after midnight. We re glad the change was made, Ben Zobrist said. It gives us an opportunity to take a little breather.

9 The Brewers did not love the scheduling change, which helped the team they re chasing in the standings. Players on Milwaukee had Thursday off and waited more than a day and a half in Chicago to play. Well, look, it s an advantage for them to have the game changed to tonight, Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. Because nobody wants to sleep for five hours, then have to come out and play. So we would obviously have preferred the other way, but the game s at 7. Let s go. Maddon said almost all games from Monday through Friday should start at night, while day games should be reserved for weekends, holidays and the occasional getaway day on the last game of a homestand. Part of it is the rest, part of it is your routine, Maddon said. A big part of it is routine. The more you break a player s routine, the more difficult it is to remain consistent in the game. It d be tantamount to you working different shifts two or three times a week. How much would you like that? Nobody really looks at it that way, but it s true. Progress report Willson Contreras (strained right hamstring) will return to Chicago to be re-evaluated Saturday after a brief injuryrehabilitation stint with Class A Myrtle Beach, whose season ended Friday night. The Cubs hope to have a better idea about Contreras possible return date after the medical staff checks him out. Contreras, 25, has been sidelined since suffering the injury while running to first base Aug. 9. Meanwhile, Addison Russell is jogging without pain in his comeback bid from a sprain and plantar fasciitis in his right foot. Russell has yet to resume baseball activities and could be out several more weeks. Waiting and worrying Albert Almora Jr. is one of several Cubs who s thinking of friends and family members in south Florida as Hurricane Irma bears down. Almora, who grew up near Miami in Hialeah, said his parents decided to hunker down and wait out the storm. The family has five dogs, two cats, a bird and more than 50 chickens and did not want to abandon the animals. Family is everything to me, said Almora, 23. I know there s going to be a stretch where I m not going to hear anything from them, and I don t know what I m going to do. It s going to be tough. Daily Herald Brewers shut down Cubs bats, win 2-0 By Bruce Miles This idea of Friday night baseball at Wrigley Field seems to suit just about everybody. "Actually, there's no reason why it shouldn't always be a Friday night, period," said Cubs manager Joe Maddon before his team went out and lost 2-0 to the Milwaukee Brewers. "It's like it's a big deal right now, but it shouldn't be because Friday night baseball is appropriate. It should always be appropriate. There's plenty of time on the weekend to enjoy Saturdays and Sundays. I'm happy that it turned out this way, but it always should be this way. "They invented lights for a reason. God invented lights for night baseball. That was part of his overarching plan."

10 The Cubs and Brewers played the first regular-season Friday night game in the history of Wrigley Field. The game originally was scheduled for 1:20 p.m., but the Cubs got special approval from the city of Chicago to move it to 7:05. That initially caused the Brewers to do some crying into their beer, but they came around to it, especially after using Thursday's off-day to regroup from getting swept in three games at Cincinnati this week. With the victory over the Cubs, the Brewers improved to and moved within 4 games of the first-place Cubs (77-64) in the National League Central. "Rest is not a bad thing at this time of the year, for sure," said Brewers manager Craig Counsell. ""Look, the game is at 7 o'clock. We're here. We're playing at 7 o'clock. It's all good. I understand why they changed it. If it would have been reversed, they wouldn't changed it. Nobody would have argued with that, and everybody would do the same thing. "Sleep's a bipartisan issue, man. Everybody wants more sleep. Nobody's going to argue against getting more sleep." The Cubs got the game changed because they played a night game at Pittsburgh Thursday and wanted to get their players some extra rest. Counsell gave an interesting answer when asked if the Brewers would have done the same thing. "If we had a chance to change it, I think we would have," he said. "We would have tried to. Would they (Major League Baseball) have let us? Maybe a bigger question. But that gets into the conspiracy part of the world. "I think it's an advantage for them to have the game changed to tonight, yes, because nobody wants to sleep for five hours and play. We would obviously prefer it the other way, but the game's at 7. Let's go. Let's go play." Ryan Braun gave the Brewers a 2-0 lead in the first inning with a home run in the first inning against the wind. It was Braun's 300th career homer, and it came off Cubs starting pitcher John Lackey. "Felt really good tonight," said Lackey, who fell to "Really, with the week off, I was almost a little too strong the first inning." From there, it was a good night for Lackey, who wound up pitching 7 innings and giving up 4 hits. Cubs batters did little with Brewers starter Jimmy Nelson, who lasted 5 shutout innings. He came out of the game because of soreness in his right arm. He went back into first base awkwardly, jamming his shoulder, after singling off the wall in the top of the fifth, but he pitched the bottom of the inning. The Cubs' Anthony Rizzo hit one to the warning track with two outs and two on in the fifth but he got it up into the wind, and the ball stayed in the park. Daily Herald Cubs fret about family members in Irma's path By Bruce Miles Members of the Cubs with Florida roots and Florida residences are doing their best to cope with the onset of Hurricane Irma. Outfielder Albert Almora Jr., who is from Hialeah, Florida, said his parents opted to stay and ride it out even though he tried to get them to leave. "I did," he said. "We have a lot of animals. We love animals. They're part of the family. You can only go so far with them. We did everything that we needed to do well to stay safe."

11 Manager Joe Maddon, who resides in Tampa in the off-season, said his family members are on the way out. "My brother's already out of St. Augustine, And Jaye (Maddon's wife) is leaving tonight," he said. "The concern always is gasoline. How far could a vehicle go? I've been in touch with her all day. They were going to leave early this evening. Traveling with two dogs and a cat makes it a little bit more difficult, also." Working their way back: Catcher Willson Contreras was the DH Friday night for Class A Myrtle Beach, which played Down East for the right to be named co-champions of the Carolina League. Down East won the game 2-1. The rest of the playoffs have been canceled because of the hurricane. Contreras went 1-for-2 with 2 walks. He has been on the 10-day disabled list Aug. 11 with a strained right hamstring. The Cubs have been looking at a 4-6-week timetable for Contreras to return. He was scheduled to fly back to Chicago after the game and rejoin the Cubs, but no time has been set for him to come off the DL. Shortstop Addison Russell worked out at Wrigley Field Friday afternoon. He has been on the DL since Aug. 3 with a right-foot strain and plantar fasciitis. The Cubs say Russell has been jogging and is pain free. He likely has two more weeks to go on the DL. "You just do simulated games," said Joe Maddon. "You get him out there. Just do the best you can. You just try to be creative with him. Watch him. Ask him questions. 'How you feeling?' That kind of stuff. "It's difficult. But then again, we did it with (Kyle) Schwarber last year although I guess he did participate a little out west. You just have to be imaginative and get it done somehow, but the big thing is his health. You just watch him." Running up the totals: The Cubs entered Friday having averaged 6.1 runs per game since Aug. 1, nearly 1.5 runs better than the team's 4.7 runs per game in the first fourth months of the season. Seven double-digit games, including a pair of 17-run outbursts, helped that average. The Cubs' plus-88 run differential in the "second half" led the National League and was second to Cleveland's plus-125. Cubs.com Cubs stifled by Crew, see lead cut to 4 games By Carrie Muskat and Adam McCalvy CHICAGO It was a milestone night for Ryan Braun, who joined the 300-home run club, while Jimmy Nelson finished one strikeout shy of 200 for the season in an abbreviated outing as the Brewers edged the Cubs, 2-0, on a rare Friday night game at Wrigley Field. With the win, the Brewers rebounded from being swept in Cincinnati and pulled within four games of the firstplace Cubs in the National League Central. Chicago still leads the season series, 7-6. "I think we're realistic about how many games we have left," Braun said. "And when you're playing the team that's directly ahead of you in your division, it's that much more important and significant to find a way to win the series." Nelson singled with one out in the fifth inning and jammed his right shoulder sliding awkwardly back into first base. He pitched the bottom of the fifth but was then pulled as a precaution. Nelson did strike out seven over five

12 innings, allowing four hits and two walks before relievers Josh Hader, Anthony Swarzak and Corey Knebel (33rd save) finished Milwaukee's 10th shutout victory. "That was pretty incredible work by the bullpen right there," Nelson said. "Those guys, coming out throwing some 'fuzz.' Pretty dominant. That was pretty fun to watch, even if it just was from up here." John Lackey fanned nine over seven innings and took the loss, only his second in 10 starts since the All-Star break. "I thought we came ready to play and played well," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "Their ball [by Braun] went out of the ballpark and ours did not and that was the difference in the game." The Cubs' ball that didn't reach the bleachers was a fly ball by Anthony Rizzo with two on in the fifth inning that center fielder Keon Broxton caught. The Cubs came into the game having scored a Major League-best 305 runs since the break, while the Brewers had totaled the fewest (177) in that span. Milwaukee struck quickly as Braun homered in the first inning off Lackey to become the 145th player in Major League history to reach 300 homers and the fourth this season after Nelson Cruz, Curtis Granderson and Matt Holliday. This was the first regular-season Friday night game at Wrigley Field. Major League Baseball and Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel had approved the time change, which was appreciated by the Cubs, who played a night game Thursday in Pittsburgh. The Cubs have played three postseason games on Friday nights, including Game 3 of the World Series last October. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED First things first: Eric Thames doubled off the left-field wall to lead off the game and tallied one out later on Braun's 15th homer of the season. Braun launched a two-seam fastball from Lackey a projected 410 feet, according to Statcast, to center field. Braun is the 12th active player in the Majors with 300 homers. It was the 33rd off Lackey this season, most by a National League starter. "I told him, 'Hey, that's not just another homer. That's a huge homer for us. A big one,'" Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "It's a good spot to get it there, and 300's a big number." Escape artist: For the third time in the game, the Cubs had runners at first and third with two outs in the fifth inning. Jon Jay was hit by a pitch, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch as Kris Bryant drew a walk. But Nelson escaped once again, this time getting Rizzo to fly out to Broxton. The northeast wind didn't help Rizzo's ball. "If the wind's blowing out, that thing is off the freaking glass out there," Nelson said. Said Broxton: "Balls out there tonight were doing all types of crazy stuff. I call it tap dancing up there in the sky. Balls were dancing all around up there. You just have to keep your feet moving." Maddon thought the problem was direction. Rizzo's drive happened to find the gap between scoreboards at Wrigley Field, giving the wind a chance to knock it down. "It was hit well enough to go but it was so high," Maddon said. "If you get it at the scoreboard [behind the left-field bleachers] a little more, it has a chance." QUOTABLE "They were having fun. I know them pretty well. They were making fun of my hair." Cubs infielder Javier Baez, on a doll with braids that the Brewers made and had in their dugout during the game. SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

13 The Cubs were shut out for the 10th time this season, tied for the most in the NL. The Brewers' 10 shutout victories are good for a tie with the Padres for fourth most in the NL. WHAT'S NEXT Brewers: Chase Anderson gets the call for the Brewers in the middle game of their series against the Cubs on Saturday at 3:05 p.m. CT at Wrigley Field. He used pinpoint command to the tune of a 2.89 ERA through the end of June, then spent seven weeks on the disabled list with a left oblique strain. This will be Anderson's fifth start back. Cubs: Mike Montgomery will make his 12th start for the Cubs. So far, the lefty is 4-4 with a 4.17 ERA as a starter and is coming off a loss to the Braves in which he gave up three runs over five innings. Cubs.com Feeling strong, Lackey takes tough-luck loss By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO A year ago in August, John Lackey was dealing with a tender right shoulder, which forced him to go on the disabled list. This season, the veteran right-hander is feeling strong in the second half and the timing is perfect for the Cubs. Lackey struck out nine over seven innings but it wasn't enough as the Cubs lost, 2-0, to the Brewers in the first Friday night regular-season game in Wrigley Field history. Ryan Braun smacked a two-run homer in the first inning, and that's all Milwaukee needed to pull within four games of first-place Chicago in the National League Central. The loss was just the second in Lackey's last 10 starts since the All-Star break. He has a 3.67 ERA in that stretch. "Johnny Lackey was really good, their guy [Jimmy Nelson] was good," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "Their 'pen was good, our 'pen was good. [Anthony Rizzo] hit a three-run homer that was kept in the ballpark and their guy [Ryan Braun] punctured the wind. I have nothing to complain about. I thought we came ready, they came ready. It was a really good game of baseball and they won." Rizzo flied out to center to end the fifth inning, stranding runners at first and third. The Cubs totaled five hits in the loss, their 10th shutout defeat of the season. Lackey did miss time in early July because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot but has looked strong since the All- Star break. The difference? He's healthy. "I'm feeling pretty good physically, especially at this point in the season," Lackey said. "I'm feeling strong and a lot better than at this point last season. I was grinding through a shoulder situation at this time last year. It's nice to feel good and compete when you're feeling physically nice." Braun's homer came off an 0-1 pitch in the first inning, and scored Eric Thames, who had doubled off the left-field wall. "I felt really good tonight," said Lackey, who was making his first start since Sept. 1. "With the week off, I was almost a little too strong in the first inning. I threw a few too many fastballs and was up in the zone a little bit. My arm was feeling great, physically I felt great. Once I settled in and started using everything, things started rolling pretty good." He gave up two more hits both singles over the next six innings. This marked the first time he had pitched seven innings in consecutive games this year.

14 Cubs.com Montgomery, Cubs aim to extend lead on Crew By Adam McCalvy It's getting to be make or break time for the teams chasing the Cubs in the National League Central. To hold off the Brewers and Cardinals, the Cubs will have to do much of the work themselves. Thirteen of Chicago's remaining 21 games are against Milwaukee and St. Louis, including Saturday's matchup with the Brewers at Wrigley Field. The Cubs saw their lead over both of those teams cut to four games after losing to the Brewers on Friday night while the Cardinals defeated the Pirates. Chase Anderson starts opposite Mike Montgomery, the Cubs' left-hander pitching in place of an injured Jake Arrieta. "I think [the Brewers and Cardinals] may like that more than we like that because they have the opportunity to try to get to us," the Cubs' Ben Zobrist said. "That just makes our opportunity to break away late in the season easier. If we can beat those teams, we'll break away a little more." Either way, Zobrist plans to enjoy the experience. "September is always a fun time when you're in the mix," he said. "We always look forward to it. It'll be fun to play some important games here." The Cubs entered their weekend series against the Brewers in a strong position. Brewers manager Craig Counsell, whose club was swept by last-place Cincinnati in its previous series, did not downplay the stakes. "When we're in the chasing position, we have less room for error," Counsell said. "That's the way it sits. When you're getting to 20 or so games left and you're chasing, [do-or-die time] is closer for us, for sure." Things to know about this game Ryan Braun became the 145th player in Major League history to reach the 300-home run milestone when he took John Lackey deep on Friday night, and Braun will present a particular challenge for Montgomery. Entering Friday, Braun's OPS against left-handed pitchers was second best among active players with at least 750 plate appearances. Only Arizona's Paul Goldschmidt (1.039) was a bigger threat against southpaws. Braun is 4-for-9 lifetime against Montgomery with a homer. Montgomery is starting because Arrieta is nursing a right hamstring strain suffered Monday against the Pirates. After seeing the results of an MRI scan, the Cubs are hopeful he will only miss a start or two. Anderson is still searching for the command he enjoyed as he compiled a 2.89 ERA in the first three months of the season, before he went on the disabled list with a left oblique strain. Anderson has a 3.80 ERA in his first four starts back and has walked multiple batters in each of those games. Cubs.com Russell pain-free, but timetable unchanged By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO The good news for Addison Russell is he's pain-free, but the Cubs don't expect the rehab time to be any shorter for the shortstop, who has been sidelined since Aug. 3 with a right foot strain. Russell aggravated the injury on Aug. 31 and was expected to be out three weeks from that date. "'Pain-free' are two good words," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Friday of Russell, who did not accompany the team to Pittsburgh for a four-game series earlier this week but stayed in Chicago to rehab. Russell was doing some light jogging but the Cubs are being careful.

15 "We have not accelerated anything as of now," Maddon said. Meanwhile, catcher Willson Contreras went 1-for-2 with two walks as the designated hitter for Class A Advanced Myrtle Beach in a 2-1 loss to Down East in the Carolina League Southern Division Championship Series on Friday. Contreras, who has been out since Aug. 11 with a right hamstring strain, was to return to Chicago on Saturday and be re-evaluated at that time. The Cubs' Minor League teams are done after Friday and there's nowhere for Contreras or Russell to go for a rehab assignment. "You just do the best you can and try to be creative," Maddon said. "You just have to be imaginative and get it done somehow." Worth noting The Cubs played their first regular-season Friday night game at Wrigley Field, thanks to approval by Major League Baseball and Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel. Friday night games had not been allowed during the regular season in the past because of opposition from the neighborhood. "There's no reason why it shouldn't always be a Friday night," Maddon said. "It's a big deal right now but it shouldn't be. Friday night baseball is appropriate, it should always been appropriate. I"m happy it turned out this way but it always should be this way." The later start gave the Cubs more rest time after arriving early Friday morning from Pittsburgh. The Brewers had Thursday off. "They invented lights for a reason," Maddon said. "God invented lights for night baseball. That was part of his overarching plan. Day games should be played on weekends only and getaway days. Part of it is rest, part of it is routine. The more you break a player's routine, the more difficult it is to remain consistent in the game." Cubs catcher Rene Rivera said his family was OK in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Irma struck. Anthony Rizzo was able to get his family from their Florida home to Chicago ahead of the storm. Maddon was monitoring the storm tracker. His wife, Jaye, was hoping to leave their Tampa Bay area home Friday night, loading up the two dogs and a cat for the drive north. "The biggest concern is just gasoline how far can a vehicle go?" Maddon said. "I've been in touch with her all day. They're going to leave early this evening. They think if they leave in the evening it might be somewhat easier." Unfortunately, the Maddons' RV was already in the Chicago area. That would've made their escape easier. Maddon's brother, Mark, who lives in St. Augustine, Fla., also was able to evacuate. "You just have to take the necessary precautions," Maddon said. "It's awkward to go through this. I just want her to get out of there as quickly as she can and start reporting as she gets along the way." Cubs.com Deep lineup has Cubs poised for October run By Phil Rogers CHICAGO They're on pace to win 89 games, not the 103 they finished their dream season with a year ago. They've had injuries to key players and a downturn in production from some others. But here's the thing about the 2017 Cubs.

16 They not only have a chance to win another championship, but they just might bludgeon an opponent or two along the way. Consider how they've scored a Major League-best 5.9 runs per game since the All-Star break. They've scored 10 or more runs eight times in the second half, with 17-2, 17-3 and victories in the last two weeks. There's no secret to this success. "There's a lot of good players on this team,'' Ben Zobrist said. "We have a lot of good players sitting on the bench, as a matter of fact. Just a lot of good players on the offense that are capable of coming at teams offensively from a lot of directions. I don't think there's a real breather in our lineup.'' Javier Baez is hitting.270 and has hit 21 home runs, including one every 15.4 at-bats in the second half. Joe Maddon wrote him into the eighth spot in the lineup against Brewers right-hander Jimmy Nelson on Friday. "If he's hitting eighth for you, that's pretty good,'' Maddon said. "That's kind of a nice thing. You like to have the scariness all the way down through No. 9.'' While the Cubs were favored in all three postseason series last season, they may not be favored in any this October. But the way their lineup is scoring runs in bunches, they're capable of scoring the timely runs they need to beat guys like Max Scherzer, Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke, and they could erupt to do serious damage. While scoring is up by about 4 percent in the Major Leagues over last season, the broader trend barely scratches the surface in explaining the Cubs. They have had a crazy spike since the All-Star break, not just compared to the first half of the season but also the second half last season. They are scoring 21 percent more runs than after the break in 2016, while hitting 45 percent more home runs (a National League-best 81). They were averaging 4.5 runs at the All-Star break, a shockingly low 11th in the NL. "I feel like it's more about the offense in the first half just wasn't what we're capable of doing,'' Zobrist said. "This is more of who we are as a team. It's more of our identity as an offense, what you've seen in the second half. The first half I think there were a lot of guys still tired and trying to catch their breath from a long season last year. We feel like we've put all that behind us.'' They've done this even with Addison Russell and Willson Contreras sidelined for long stretches and Kyle Schwarber hitting.199. Credit the addition of switch hitter Ian Happ and catcher Alex Avila (acquired July 31), along with contributions from role players like Jon Jay and Albert Almora Jr., for keeping the Cubs from leaning too heavily on Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant. Happ seemed likely to spend this season with Triple-A Iowa but opened eyes in Spring Training, was promoted in mid-may and is hitting.259 with 21 home runs. He has started at four positions, giving Maddon a second super utility man to go along with Zobrist. "We didn't expect that at the beginning of the season,'' Maddon said. "We did not anticipate that at all.'' He'll take all the nice surprises he can get, of course, as the Cubs work to protect the lead they've built over the Cardinals and Brewers. Maddon cautions that the Cubs have scored their runs in streaky fashion. He doesn't feel like he's managing the '27 Yankees. "It's awkward,'' he said. "We've had some really big-run games. That skews the averages a little bit. I feel good, but I think [the high-scoring games] put us over the top. It doesn't feel like that all the time.''

17 No, it wouldn't. But it's always nice to have firepower in the dugout, especially in October. ESPNChicago.com Cubs leave their bats out in the cold in loss to Brewers By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO It's what every Chicago Cubs fan fears, if in fact their favorite team gets back to the postseason: a stagnant offense that can't produce without hitting a home run. And when the conditions are bad for long balls, as they were Friday night at Wrigley Field, it makes for an even tougher assignment even for a team that leads the league in scoring since the All-Star break. A 2-0 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday, after Ryan Braun cut through the wind with a homer in the first inning, isn't cause for panic as the Cubs still lead their division by four games. But if these are playoff-type conditions cooler temperatures combined with pitcher-friendly wind patterns then scoring by other means is necessary. The irony is the Brewers have been dreadful at the plate in the second half, having their own problems getting runners home without hitting a long ball. But they're not expected to overtake the Cubs and make a run in October. That's what the champs want to do. Three times in the span of four innings the Cubs had men on first and third but couldn't get a runner to cross home plate. One key moment came in the second, when Ian Happ grounded out to pitcher Jimmy Nelson with Ben Zobrist on third and one out. Zobrist was left there stranded. "That was the one you're looking for right there but again I have no complaints," manager Joe Maddon said after the game. "We played well, they played well." One inning later, Zobrist struck out looking with two on and did again in the eighth inning as the tying run. If the Cubs can't count on contact from Zobrist, who can they count on? They struck out 12 times in the game. "Zo will take called third strikes on borderline pitches sometimes," Maddon said. "That's part of having a good eye. It's just one of those things. They pitched well." Zobrist isn't having the same year he had in his debut season for the Cubs. That's not news for anyone who has watched the champions this season. He'll probably be moved out of the cleanup spot when Willson Contreras returns from his hamstring injury, but seeing him take strike three is still disconcerting. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Zobrist has struck out looking 25 times in 373 at-bats this year. Last season, he struck out looking 30 times in 573 at-bats. It's just a part of who the Cubs are at the plate, though Maddon reiterated several times how well the Brewers pitched. "I have nothing to complain about," he said. "We came ready, they came ready. Really good game of baseball. They won." Though it didn't go well Friday, the Cubs have improved at playing small ball and getting a runner home from third with fewer than two outs. They rank 23rd in that category in 2017, up from last so there is hope. And if not for that wind, Anthony Rizzo might have hit two home runs. In either case, the Brewers took Round 1 of this showdown, scoring just enough to win. Did it give them life or can the Cubs repel their assault with a counterattack Saturday? With fall upon us, scoring might be at a premium meaning it will have to come from ways other than home runs. Ironic, again, considering this is the year of the long ball in Major League Baseball.