August 13, "That was one of the best plays I've ever seen in baseball," Hammel said of Rizzo's precarious play. "It was impressive.

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1 August 13, 2015 Cubs.com Montero's walk-off lifts Cubs to sixth straight By Carrie Muskat and Adam McCalvy CHICAGO Miguel Montero smacked a redeeming walk-off home run leading off the 10th inning and Anthony Rizzo made an acrobatic catch to lead the Cubs to a 3-2 victory Wednesday night over the Brewers for their 12th win in the last 13 games. It was the Cubs' 11th walk-off win this season. Milwaukee had tied the game at 2 in the ninth when Ryan Braun scored from third on a wild pitch by Hector Rondon, which Montero said he should've blocked. Braun belted his 250th career home run in the first inning, but the Cubs tied the game in the second on Kris Bryant's opposite-field blast and took a 2-1 lead in the fifth on Addison Russell's RBI single. Montero connected off Michael Blazek for his second career walk-off hit. "He was upset with himself [about the wild pitch] any catcher would be," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of Montero. "You always believe it's your fault. [The home run] was kind of a redeemer right there. That ball was properly struck." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Glovework: Rizzo's spectacular catch was a highlight of the game. He jumped on top of the rolled tarp near first base, then took a step on top of the wall and the back of a seat to grab a popup by Braun with one on and one out in the sixth. Besides his balancing act on the tarp, Rizzo also made a stellar defensive play in the second. Scooter Gennett was at second with nobody out when Jean Segura bunted to Jason Hammel, who threw him out at first. Rizzo then fired to Bryant at third to get Gennett, who had rounded the bag too far. Rizzo wasn't alone. In the third, second baseman Chris Coghlan made a leaping catch to rob Jonathan Lucroy of a potential hit and end the inning. Rizzo also made a perfectly timed grab of Segura's liner in the fifth. "That was one of the best plays I've ever seen in baseball," Hammel said of Rizzo's precarious play. "It was impressive." Extra life: The Brewers missed an opportunity to put Russell away in the fifth. With two outs and a runner at second base, Milwaukee's Adam Lind and Gennett converged on Russell's popup in foul ground near the visitor's bullpen, but neither could come up with a catch. Russell smacked the very next pitch for a go-ahead single against Milwaukee starter Matt Garza, who pitched seven innings for the second straight start. "It's a tough play," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. "Tough play, but makeable." Start me up: Hammel wasn't happy about being pulled after four-plus innings in his last start, and didn't look pleased when he was lifted with two outs in the sixth Wednesday. Hammel did reach a milestone when he fanned

2 Shane Peterson to start the sixth it was career strikeout No. 1,000. The right-hander scattered four hits over 5 2/3 innings, striking out five in the game. "I am certain he's going to be upset," Maddon said of Hammel. "I expect him to be upset. I'm happy that he's going to be upset because he's such a competitor and an outstanding pitcher." Wanting more: Braun's single put the Brewers in business in the top of the ninth inning against Rondon, who had already thrown one wild pitch when he found himself with runners at second and third and nobody out in a onerun game. Rondon struck out Khris Davis and Gennett, then struck out Segura, too, but threw another wild pitch in the process that allowed Braun to score the tying run.still, it felt like a missed opportunity for Milwaukee. "We had a couple spots in the game where we had to execute, and I think with where we're at right now to win games we've got to out-execute the other team and execute the baseball plays," Counsell said. "We had a baserunning mistake early that cost us a rally. We were fortunate to tie it there in the end. But we've got to make that extra play to win a game like this." QUOTABLE "They've got a youth movement. They sacrificed a lot of years for, not only the city, but a bunch of guys who played here to get what they've got, but they've been adamant in sticking with their plan, and they got what they wanted. Garza, the former Cub talking about the buzz at Wrigley Field of late "Of course [I've seen Derek Jeter make those kind of plays]. I don't know what baseball fan hasn't. Mine is nothing compared to his. He's all out, face in the stands. I had a nice easy landing, which I'm very lucky for. It's one of those things where instincts take over. Every little play matters." Rizzo on his catch SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Braun had three hits and scored three runs, beginning with the first-inning solo home run off Hammel that left Braun one shy of Hall of Famer Robin Yount's franchise record for home runs. Yount hit 251 home runs during his 20-year Brewers career. Cubs starting pitchers are 9-0 with a 2.38 ERA in their last 13 games. QUOTABLE "This is a team on a roll right now. At times, you play teams during different stretches, and this is a team that's playing well, playing with a lot of confidence right now. Everything is going their way. We have to upset that somehow." Counsell, on the Cubs WHAT'S NEXT Brewers: Rookie right-hander Tyler Cravy will make his first career start against the Cubs when the teams finish their three-game series on Thursday. Cravy is still seeking his first big league win after three starts and one relief appearance, including a loss to the Cardinals last week in which Cravy surrendered six earned runs in five innings. Cubs: Jon Lester is 3-0 with a 1.84 ERA in his last four starts, and will try to keep that string going Thursday in the series finale against the Brewers. This will be Lester's fourth career start against Milwaukee and second this year. He picked up a win May 1 at Wrigley over the Brewers, throwing seven scoreless innings. First pitch is scheduled for 1:20 p.m. CT.

3 Cubs.com Rizzo climbs on tarp, into stands for catch By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO The Cubs' Anthony Rizzo showed off his acrobatic skills in Wednesday night's 3-2, 10-inning win over the Brewers. Milwaukee had a runner at first and one out in the sixth inning when Ryan Braun hit a popup that drifted toward the fans along the first-base line. Rizzo jumped onto the rolled tarp next to the brick wall, took a step on top of the wall and then the back of a seat, while being able to lean over and grab the ball. Somehow, Rizzo landed on his feet in the seats amid the cheering fans, and had the presence of mind to turn and throw the ball back to the infield. "It's one of those ones where you put your head down and I came up with the catch," Rizzo said. "I really don't remember any of it. It slowed down at the moment, and once I made the catch, it sped up real fast." Said Cubs pitcher Jason Hammel: "That was one of the best plays I've ever seen in baseball. It was impressive." The Cubs first baseman had a run in with the tarp once before, in May 2013 during a Cubs-Padres game, when he landed between the tarp and the brick wall. This time, he showed off his leaping ability, coordination and balance in one athletic move. At first, the umpires were going to rule that it was not a catch and allow Braun to continue his at-bat, but Cubs manager Joe Maddon talked to home-plate umpire Tripp Gibson, who conferred with the others, and they realized that yes, Braun was out. "They were really straight up about it," Maddon said. "When you go out to talk to umpires and they actually say, 'I should've done this instead,' that's a beautiful thing, man." Rizzo provided a catch that will certainly be featured on this year's Cubs' highlight reel. "Of course, you want to make that play," Maddon said. "You do not want to give [Braun] another pitch." Braun, who had hit a solo home run in the first, was impressed. "Just incredible effort by an unbelievable player," Braun said. "From a pure effort perspective, one of the greatest plays I've ever seen in the regular season. It's a really dangerous play, obviously. You have no idea where you're going to land. If his foot were to hit the seat wrong or fall in-between seats, he could have broken an ankle. So for him to even attempt that, it's a special play by a really good player." Rizzo said hasn't practiced that kind of manuever. He wasn't exactly sure if it was legal. "I ask a lot of umpires what you're allowed to do and what you're not allowed to do," Rizzo said. "Half say you're not allowed to go up on the wall, half say you are allowed to go up there. I tried to throw it as fast as I could. It was a big out there." Fortunately, the fans were on his side. "I don't know how I kept my balance on the first row seats luckily, we made the out and didn't come away injured from it," Rizzo said. He's seen Derek Jeter dive into the seats many times, including the incident when he came out with a bloody cut on his face. No blood was shed on Rizzo's play. "Mine was nothing compared to [Jeter]," Rizzo said. "He's all out, face in the stands. I had a nice easy landing, which I'm very lucky for. It's one of those things where instincts take over."

4 The Cubs totaled four hits in their sixth straight win, which Miguel Montero clinched with a walk-off home run leading off the 10th. Give Rizzo an assist. "If we don't play that kind of defense, we do not win it," Maddon said. Cubs.com Lester gives Cubs an anchor for stretch run By Phil Rogers CHICAGO It was an emotional moment for Terry Francona, but you couldn't tell it by the demeanor of Jon Lester. Lester, recently recovered from lymphoma, had thrown five shutout innings against the Rockies in Game 4 of the 2007 World Series, keeping the Red Sox on track for a sweep. Francona, who had watched over Lester like he was his own son, felt like hugging him on the mound. "Junior, that's plenty,'' Francona said to Lester. "You did great.'' Lester, as Francona recounted in his 2013 book, said nothing, which was typical. He put his head down and shuffled off to the dugout, still all-business. That's Lester, even all these years later. He's all about preparation, endurance and accountability. He'll accept the responsibility of being a leader, if what you're looking for is someone who leads by example. Theo Epstein knows Lester as well as any baseball executive does, and Lester trusts Epstein enough that he didn't think Epstein was overselling him when he told him he thought the Cubs would quickly become competitive if he joined them. Epstein said that when he made his presentation to Lester in Chicago last fall, he drew some parallels between where the Cubs were and where the Red Sox had been in their quest for an elusive championship. "I started to say [we're] somewhat similarly situated to where we were with the Red Sox when we brought in Curt Schilling,'' Epstein said. "[I told him] 'You'd be coming in to ' and he kind of finished the sentence. He's aware of what '04 meant [to the Red Sox] and wants that for his team and himself here going forward in Chicago.'' That time is here, probably quicker than even Epstein felt it would be after Lester followed Joe Maddon in hopping on board. The Cubs, in pursuit of baseball's Holy Grail, enter the last 50 games of the regular season positioned to grab a Wild Card spot. Their chances to hang onto their ticket into October will be helped greatly by having the stone-faced lefty at the front of an outstanding starting rotation, which ranks fourth in the NL in ERA. Lester, who faces the Brewers today, seems expertly wired for the stretch run. "He's a real anchor,'' Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell said. "He's a person, player, who's been there, been through it. He's experienced it. There's nothing that's going to surprise him in this stretch right here. He's lived it all, many times. But more than anything to me, [he's] a name you look at and you say that guy's a real anchor.'' For his part, Lester says he wouldn't have come to Chicago if he didn't believe it was realistic for the Cubs to win right away. "I don't like to lose,'' Lester said. "You can call me arrogant. You can call me cocky, whatever you want. I like to win. That's what I'm here to do. Hopefully we do that.'' Lester has historically been a strong finisher the guy you want on the mound when you need a big out.

5 His career record in September is with a 3.20 ERA. That's his second-lowest ERA over any month, and he's accomplished it even though his September WHIP is 1.315, his second highest of any month. The pitchers who get out of jams in big games are often the ones who have done it before, the ones who expect themselves to be able to get the ball where they need it to go. That's Lester. Down the stretch in 2007, Lester went 2-0 with a 3.34 ERA. He was even better in '08, his first full season in the Major Leagues (4-1, 2.14 ERA in September). The one ugly stretch run was in 2011, when Lester went 1-3 with a 5.40 ERA as part of the September collapse that led to Francona being dismissed from the Red Sox and Epstein leaving Boston to take over the Cubs. That was the season of the chicken-and-beer debacle that stained a great era, and Lester didn't run from it. He was the first player to publicly acknowledge he'd taken advantage of Francona by spending too much time in the clubhouse, and in 2013, with former Red Sox pitching coach John Farrell at the helm, it was clear he'd learned from his mistake. Lester had a 2.97 ERA in August, then a 2.57 ERA (and 3-0 record) in September. He kept his focus and arm strength through October, winning four of his five starts, including two World Series duels with Adam Wainwright. The job at hand for Lester is doing everything he can to lighten the load for Jake Arrieta, Jason Hammel, Kyle Hendricks and newcomer Dan Haren. "He's the guy that takes the pressure,'' Counsell said. "He's the guy. He's not surprised by that. He's dealt with that. He's felt it. He's accepted it. He's wanted it. It's a good thing.'' For a team that hasn't been to the World Series since 1945, having such an experienced guy at the front of the rotation should be a very good thing. Cubs.com Hammel unhappy about being lifted early By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO In his last start against the Giants, Jason Hammel was pulled in the fourth inning after throwing 76 pitches, and wasn't happy about the early exit. On Wednesday night, the right-hander was lifted with two outs in the sixth and a runner at second against the Brewers. He wasn't too pleased about manager Joe Maddon's decision this time, either. The Cubs did beat the Brewers, 3-2 in 10 innings Wednesday. Hammel did not get a decision, giving up one run on Ryan Braun's 250th career homer a solo shot in the first. He did not expect an abbreviated outing. "I am certain he's going to be upset," Maddon said. "I expect him to be upset. I'm happy that he's going to be upset because he's such a competitor and an outstanding pitcher. "From my perspective, where I'm sitting, it's not about being nice," Maddon said. "It's about trying to do the right thing at the right moment. The game was tied at 1 when Maddon pulled Hammel, whom the manager did not want facing Milwaukee's Adam Lind. "He's one of the scariest left-handers out there," Maddon said. Was Hammel upset at the early exit? "Yeah, obviously," Hammel said.

6 Surprised? "Obviously," he said. Even Cubs catcher Miguel Montero said Maddon's decision caught him a little off guard. "[Hammel] was a little flat with his slider and a little bit up," Montero said. "[Maddon] saw that. They were hitting the ball good, and that's why he probably made that decision. As a player, we don't understand because we like to compete and we think we're still good. Sometimes we have to kind of step back and say, 'You know what, you were right.'" Cubs.com Lester aims to sweep Brewers, extend win streak to seven By Adam McCalvy The Brewers will try again to stop Jon Lester and the steamrolling Cubs when the teams finish a three-game series on Thursday afternoon at Wrigley Field. The Cubs rode a remarkable Anthony Rizzo catch and Miguel Montero's walk-off home run to a 10-inning, 3-2 win on Wednesday and have won 12 of their last 13 games. Conversely, the Brewers have lost 15 of their last 21. "This is a team on a roll right now," Brewers manager Craig Counsell said of the Cubs. "At times, you play teams during different stretches, and this is a team that's playing well, playing with a lot of confidence right now. Everything is going their way. We have to upset that somehow." Things to know about this game. It's up to Brewers rookie right-hander Tyler Cravy to upset that Cubs confidence. He'll make his first career start against Chicago, still seeking his first Major League win. Cravy replaced slumping veteran Kyle Lohse in Milwaukee's starting rotation last week and surrendered six earned runs in five innings of a loss to the Cardinals.. The Cubs counter with Lester, who is 3-0 with a 1.84 ERA over his last four starts, striking out 30 batters in those games versus four walks. He owns a 2.01 ERA in three previous starts against the Brewers, including seven scoreless innings in a 1-0 win on May 1 at Wrigley Field. Cubs rookie Kris Bryant extended his hitting streak to nine games with a second-inning solo home run on Wednesday. He's hit 13 of his 16 home runs in home games. Cubs.com Maddon confident Castro will handle change By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO Starlin Castro could get his first start at second base when the Cubs face White Sox left-hander Jose Quintana on Saturday. Cubs manager Joe Maddon said he has no doubt that Castro, bumped from shortstop, will handle the new assignment. "He's ready to roll, his attitude is fabulous," Maddon said Wednesday. "He knows it's about winning, he knows he's a big part of us winning. It's up to me and us to put him out there at the right times." Castro is batting.181 since the All-Star break, and.247 this season against lefties, compared to.233 against righthanded pitchers.

7 "He's still a really big part of the organization," Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said of Castro, who has not started at shortstop in the last five games. "A 25-year-old with 200-hit seasons and three All-Star appearances, we still see him as a really good player. He's just suffering through a season that's not been him at his best. "There's still a chance to turn things around," Epstein said. "His attitude has been unbelievable. He's gone out to second base without any hesitation, making a great play in his first game [Tuesday]. It's just a little bit of a dip in his career. We expect him to bounce back." Epstein also cautioned that one never knows how soon they might need Castro because of the uncertainty in the game. On Tuesday, two players were hit by pitches on the wrist and forearm. "We could've lost two guys last night," Epstein said. "You can't get too far ahead of yourself." Extra bases: Seven Cubs pitchers have recorded a save this season, tied with the Rays for the most on one team in the Major Leagues. And Maddon is very comfortable mixing and matching the rest of the season in save situations. "If you have that one solid guy at the end of the ballgame, of course you want that guy because then you can manipulate the previous eight innings," Maddon said. "When you don't have that one guy, then you've got to keep in mind all nine. Therein lies the difference." Told that his former team was the only one with as many pitchers with saves, Maddon smiled and toasted them, saying, "Cheers." Kyle Schwarber will catch again, but the Cubs aren't sure when. With the return of Miguel Montero from the disabled list, Schwarber has been playing more left field, starting there the last five games, including Wednesday. "I've got to get him back there at some point," Maddon said of the rookie. "I don't want him to lose all the good work he's done.... He's made so much progress with it." Asked if the new large video boards may be influencing the drop in home runs at Wrigley Field, Epstein shrugged. Maybe the wind has simply blown in more this year at the ballpark. "Ask Al Gore," Epstein said. ESPNChicago.com Miguel Montero the hero after feeling like the goat By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO Apparently it had been too long since the Chicago Cubs won a dramatic game after blowing a late lead. That was more of the norm earlier in the season, when they grinded out victories en route to 18 wins in their last at-bat that included 10 walk-offs. Make that 11 after Miguel Montero homered to lead off the 10th inning on Wednesday night, giving the Cubs their sixth consecutive win, 3-2, over the Milwaukee Brewers. They improved to 64-48, gaining a game on the wild-cardleading Pittsburgh Pirates and extending their lead over the San Francisco Giants to 4.5 games. Yes, it was another good night at Wrigley Field. But it didn't look like it would be one inning earlier, when closer Hector Rondon threw two wild pitches in the ninth, allowing the tying run to score after an Addison Russell error opened the door for the Brewers.

8 "I have to block that pitch," Montero said of the second wild pitch, which allowed the Brewers' second run to cross the plate. "I've blocked pitches tougher than that. It was an easy block. It won't happen again." Montero took some of that internal anger with him to the plate when he faced righty Michael Blazek in the bottom of the 10th with the score tied, 2-2. "He threw like a two-seamer, the ball stayed up a little bit, and I put a good swing on it," Montero said. It was Montero's 11th home run of the season and came at a perfect time, considering how the ninth inning went down. Montero was clearly not pleased with his lack of defensive fundamentals in failing to block Rondon's pitches in the dirt. "That can't happen," he said. "It's a good wakeup call." Fortunately, Montero and Rondon got out of the inning without further damage, setting up Montero's heroics a few minutes later. The Cubs are getting every break lately, from replay challenges to great defensive plays that end up in the stands. See Anthony Rizzo, sixth inning, for more on that. Montero was asked how his thumb is holding up; he's only been back since Friday after missing almost a month. "I do feel pretty good. No pain, no gain. Like Rocky," he said, laughing. The Cubs are having a ball as they continue their ascent in the National League. Wednesday's win was in walk-off fashion, adding another chapter to an already magical second half of the season. ESPNChicago.com Cubs' Jason Hammel perturbed at second straight quick hook By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO Chicago Cubs pitcher Jason Hammel was clearly annoyed with being pulled early from his second consecutive start Wednesday, grunting his displeasure through short answers in his postgame press conference after a 3-2, 10-inning victory over the Milwaukee Brewers: Reporter: "Joe [Maddon] is expecting you to be upset." Hammel: "I don't know what to say. Yeah, obviously." Reporter: "Were you surprised?" Hammel: "Obviously." Hammel was yanked in the sixth inning after only 65 pitches leading 2-1. The tying run was on second with lefty Adam Lind at the plate. Maddon decided to bring in left-handed pitcher Clayton Richard much to the surprise of Hammel, who walked slowly to the dugout muttering to himself along the way. "I am certain he's going to be upset," Maddon said. "I'm happy he's going to be upset." Maddon pulled Hammel after 76 pitches in his last start against the San Francisco Giants while leading that game 5-2. In that instance he saw Hammel struggling; in this one, he simply liked the matchup better. Lind had hit the ball hard in previous at-bats after homering the night before. "He's one the scariest left-handers," Maddon said. "It's not about being nice, it's about trying to do the right thing at the right moment."

9 Hammel talked with Maddon last week after the first time it happened but was less interested in a conversation this time around. "Move on," Hammel said. Maddon was asked if he was "pushing the limits" in taking Hammel out early in consecutive games. "I'm sure there is a statute of limitations," Maddon half-laughed. "I might be pressing it right now." Hammel made a point of saying how well the team played behind him and that winning was the most important thing, but he clearly wasn't thrilled with a second straight early trip to the showers. "Trying to win ballgames," he said. "I'll leave it at that." ESPNChicago.com Cubs' Anthony Rizzo makes diving play into stands By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO In arguably one of the better defensive plays of the year, Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo jumped onto the tarp, tiptoed along the wall and then hopped into the Wrigley Field stands Wednesday night to catch a foul ball off the bat of Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun in the sixth inning of the Cubs' 3-2 victory in 10 innings. "Probably one of the best plays I've seen in baseball," Cubs starter Jason Hammel said afterward. Braun hit a high popup near the Brewers' bullpen, which came down just over the cement railing past the tarp. Rizzo jumped on the tarp as he tracked the ball, then stood on the railing before jumping into the stands as the ball landed in his glove. "I really don't remember any of it," Rizzo said. "It all kind of slowed down at the moment and once I made the catch everything sped up real fast." At first, the umpires declared Rizzo out of bounds when he made the catch, calling it just a foul ball. After huddling about the play, they reversed the call. "They were really straight up about it," manager Joe Maddon said. "It's so cool when you go out and talk to umpires and they say 'I should have done this.' That's a beautiful thing." The umpires also ruled Jonathan Lucroy, who was on first base, would be awarded second after Rizzo threw the ball back onto the field from the stands. He needed to come back onto the field of play before throwing the ball. Rizzo was asked how he kept himself from getting hurt. "I don't know how," he said. "I don't know how I kept my balance. Luckily, we made the out and I didn't come away injured from it. "Everyone was fired up. Even old man David Ross was fired up. Got a compliment from him." Rizzo said he watched the replay of it several times and would again. "It's an exciting play," Rizzo stated. "One I'll remember for a long time."

10 ESPNChicago.com Rapid Reaction: Cubs 3, Brewers 2 (10 innings) By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO The Chicago Cubs beat the Milwaukee Brewers 3-2 in 10 innings on Wednesday night. Here's a quick look at the game. How it happened: Miguel Montero homered to lead off the 10th inning after Hector Rondon threw two wild pitches and Addison Russell made an error in the ninth inning allowing the Brewers to tie the game. Milwaukee took a 1-0 lead on Ryan Braun's 20th home run of the season in the first inning but the Cubs tied it in the second when Kris Bryant homered to right for his 16th of the year. The Cubs took the lead in the fifth as Russell brought home Montero with a base hit after Jason Hammel's sacrifice moved Montero to second. Hammel lasted 5⅔ innings, giving up four hits and a walk while striking out five. What it means: The Cubs keep rolling, though they needed a little late-inning magic after nearly giving the game away. When you go 12-1 over your past 13 games they aren't all going to be pretty. Despite a ninth-inning strikeout, Bryant has come alive in August, earning a hit in his ninth straight game while his on-base percentage is over.450 this month. He's trending toward being the favorite for rookie of the year as he's second in the National League in home runs among first-year players and first in RBIs. Montero had a tough time with Rondon's wild pitches but made up for it all with his 11th home run of the season. The Cubs extended their playoff lead on San Francisco to 4½ games. Hammel pulled again: For the second consecutive start Hammel was pulled early, after throwing just 65 pitches in 5⅔ innings. The tying run was on second with the dangerous Adam Lind at the plate but the move was almost as surprising as the last time Joe Maddon did it to Hammel last Thursday against the San Francisco Giants. Lefty Clayton Richard came in to get Lind and pitch a perfect seventh inning. Rizzo web gem: Anthony Rizzo made the play of the game, and maybe the year, for the Cubs when he ranged into the stands to make a catch of a foul ball off the bat of Braun in the sixth inning. Rizzo jumped onto the tarp near the Brewers' bullpen then onto the cement railing before catching the ball as he entered the stands. Since he was out of play, and threw the ball back into the playing area, the runner on first base, Jonathan Lucroy, was awarded second base, where he was left stranded. La Stella in September: Before the game Cubs president Theo Epstein told reporters infielder Tommy La Stella will definitely be on the Cubs' roster in September, if not earlier. Epstein said the team almost activated him from the disabled list to play in the big leagues now but decided he needed everyday at-bats in the minors. La Stella has missed all but two games this year with an oblique injury. What's next: The series finale takes place on Thursday afternoon when Jon Lester (7-8, 3.22) takes on Tyler Cravy (0-3, 5.40). ESPNChicago.com Chicago Cubs' bullpen, not the closer, is by commitee By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO Are the Chicago Cubs really using a closer by committee or is it more like bullpen by committee? That last phrase sounds strange every bullpen is by committee but the interchangeable roles before the ninth inning give it that "committee" feel. A lot of people might believe their closer is also interchangeable but the reality is only Hector Rondon and Jason Motte have been labeled as such though the Cubs have a league high seven different players with saves. "I've done it before," manager Joe Maddon said of using several closers. "I'm very comfortable with it."

11 But that's not really what he's done this season. Rondon had the job then gave it to Motte for a while before earning it back again. The reason five other relievers have saves is more a function of all the close games the Cubs have played this season. They've ranked near the top of the league in one run affairs having played 42 of them to date. More important is their 25 one-run victories. It's meant they've needed their closer more than a lot of other teams. But Rondon (and Motte for a while) can't pitch every day hence others getting save chances as James Russell did in Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. "I told Rondon to show up in sneakers," Maddon said after the win. He didn't want to throw Rondon after heavy use in the weekend sweep of the San Francisco Giants where the righty even earned a rare two-inning save. "I would never run away from that one guy that can slam it," Maddon said. Rondon has come pretty close to slamming it this year. He's 19-for-22 in save opportunities, including 10 for his last 10, with a 1.74 ERA. What more do you want out of your closer? It's entirely possible his midseason break from the ninth inning pressure helped him so this isn't a criticism of Maddon pulling him from that role but just an observation they really haven't had a closer by committee. The bottom line is when Rondon and Motte have been rested they've been used as the closer in almost every opportunity. The middle innings are a different story. "You have to be ready," righty Justin Grimm said. "He goes with matchups. You have to be ready to roll with it." Grimm is a great example of a Cubs pitcher who has to be ready at any moment and it was something he had to get used to. Last week alone he came into the game in the fifth inning to earn a victory then pitched the ninth inning on Saturday to earn the save but only because Rondon wasn't available. "If you can pull it off it can really help," Cubs President Theo Epstein said to reporters of the interchangeable roles. The beauty of Maddon's strategy is two-fold. If the "normal" eighth inning guy is struggling, for example, he can rotate him to a less pressure-filled situation in favor of someone else who's had some experience there. The other thing Maddon can do is play to a pitcher's strength more often. If he needs a ground ball in the sixth inning he might go to Pedro Strop or if it's a strikeout that's needed Grimm might be better suited. And those middle guys get tired as well so, again, a rotation in that part of the ballgame makes perfect sense. Closer by committee works less often because the ninth inning does take a different mentality. "We tried it with no closer and got off to a bad start and it didn't work," Epstein said of his 2003 Boston team. Maddon really hasn't tried it though he's needed several good arms back there because the Cubs have played tight games all season. That probably won't end anytime soon. ESPNChicago.com Cubs' offense picking away at opposing starters By Jon Greenberg CHICAGO As Dexter Fowler walked out of the Chicago Cubs clubhouse Sunday, someone loudly reminded him that he won the game in his first at-bat against Jake Peavy. Fowler agreed, with a smile and a laugh.

12 Fowler, the leadoff hitter, didn t reach base in that at-bat, striking out on an 85 mph cutter, but he saw 12 pitches from Peavy, fouling off seven. The next hitter, Kyle Schwarber, saw eight pitches, fouling off three, and worked a walk. After striking out Chris Coghlan in five pitches, Peavy gave up back-to-back singles to Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant, the latter scoring Schwarber. By the time the inning was over, Peavy had thrown 38 pitches. He gutted out five innings, giving up two runs on four hits and two walks. Not bad numbers, but he threw 101 pitches to do it. The Giants bullpen was perfect, but the Cubs won 2-0, increasing their wild card lead over San Francisco to 3 1/2 games. That s why Fowler was a happy man walking out of the clubhouse, he did his job and set the tone. He s been getting on base a lot, Rizzo said before Sunday s game. That s huge for our lineup because everyone is a threat, pretty much, in our lineup. So we need him on base to set the table. And even when he doesn t get on base his on-base percentage is.414 since the All-Star break but only.339 during the Cubs recent hot streak he s making the starter work early. The Cubs are seeing 3.98 pitches per plate appearance, according to Baseball Reference, the most in the National League. The league average is Last year, the Cubs also led the NL, seeing 3.88 pitches per plate appearance, and the year before they were third at The league average both seasons was While the Cubs stress a patient approach looking for balls to drive, not working walks it s also the product of having more talent on the roster. Good hitters generally look for their pitches, which is typically what makes them good hitters. There is no magic formula working here. In 2008, when the Cubs won their second division title in a row and had the best record in the league, they were third in this category, seeing 3.88 pitches. The year before, they saw 3.73 pitches, slightly below the league average of The addition of Schwarber to the everyday lineup after the All-Star break is certainly paying dividends. In his first 29 games, Schwarber, with his.997 OPS, has 110 plate appearances and is seeing 4.27 pitches per plate appearance, which is tops on the Cubs, albeit in a small sample size. If he had a qualifying number of appearances, he would be fourth in the National League in this statistic. Addison Russell, the other leadoff hitter batting ninth, is fifth in the NL at 4.17, while Bryant is seventh at Fowler is 10th at Chris Coghlan is 24th at 3.93 and Anthony Rizzo is 26th at The Cubs aren t a monster offensive team quite yet, but this approach, and Joe Maddon s lineup construction, makes this team very dangerous going into the playoff stretch. After a day off Monday, the Cubs won for the 11th time in 12 games Tuesday, 6-3, knocking out Brewers starter Taylor Jungmann in the third inning. Jungmann lasted 2 2/3 innings. He gave up four runs, two earned, but most importantly he racked up 81 pitches, which is quite a lot for less than three innings worth of work. "We worked good at-bats," Maddon told reporters. "I love the tenacity of the at-bat. It continues to get better." It was the shortest outing from an opposing starter during this stretch, but indicative of other results.

13 In the last 12 games, opposing starting pitchers have thrown an average of 92.9 pitches in 4.8 innings. Six times starters didn t get out of the fifth and only once did a pitcher reach the seventh. Over the last eight games, no opposing starter has pitched six innings. While everyone knows pitcher wins aren t the measure of the man, the Cubs offense has kept opposing starters to 0-10 over the last 12 games. I think that s pretty good. CSNChicago.com Six in a row: The Cubs are feeling 'unbeatable' By Tony Andracki Joe Maddon thinks the Cubs have caught their second wind. At this point, it's pretty much impossible to argue that. The Cubs (64-48) pulled out their sixth straight victory Wednesday night, walking off the Milwaukee Brewers, 3-2, in front of 36,438 fans at Wrigley Field. After Hector Rondon blew a save by allowing an unearned run in the ninth, Miguel Montero ended it with an opposite-field blast to lead off the 10th inning. Montero and the Cubs were on Cloud Nine in the clubhouse after the game. "Right now, the feeling in the clubhouse is we're pretty unbeatable," Montero said. "... That's the kind of feeling that we actually get and hopefully it stays there and we keep believing it. "We got a good ballclub. The young guys are just getting better and better. There's no reason why we should not win." Before Tuesday night's game, Maddon spoke about how well the Cubs rookies have been playing, and they delivered again Wednesday as Kris Bryant homered and Addison Russell drove in a run with a two-out hit in the fifth inning. Maddon said the Cubs were like a car that wouldn't quite turn over ("Like my old '65 Plymouth that Uncle Chuck used to drive all the time") coming out of the All-Star break. "And then, eventually, it turns over, and all of a sudden, guys start feeling it a little bit," Maddon said. "I thought there was a certain amount of mental fatigue post-break. I think we're getting through that somewhat right now. "And like I said, you put yourself in position, now it's the playoff hunt in September, energy just shows up. You don't have to look for it; it's there. "So we're looking for that component that takes care of that, so that when you arrive at that moment, you're ready to rock and roll. That's what our guys are starting to get." The Cubs had only four hits Wednesday, but they made them count and played some stellar defense behind starter Jason Hammel and four relievers. "There you go, man: Pitching and defense getting it done again," Maddon said. "I could not be more proud of our guys.... If we don't play that kind of defense, we do not win it." Anthony Rizzo made the highlight-reel play, jumping completely into the stands to make a catch in the sixth inning to ignite the crowd and the dugout ("Even old man David Ross was fired up," Rizzo said).

14 "These games are really helping us get into that strong mentality of, 'we can do this,'" Anthony Rizzo said. "Not that we haven't had that all year, but all year we've been grinding - five or six games over.500. Up to eight or nine [over], then go back down. "We never really got into a nice little run. Right now, we feel that and everybody feels really good about it." It was the Cubs' 12th win in their last 13 games. The Cubs gained a game on their direct competition Wednesday, pulling to within 1.5 games of the Pittsburgh Pirates for the first wild card spot and extending their lead to 4.5 games over the San Francisco Giants for the second wild card. "I couldn't be more proud of this group," Maddon said. "Most of them are young, but they come to play. I think they've gone through that intimidation moment or that 'happy to be here moment.' "I think they feel like they belong here right now and they're showing up with a good look." CSNChicago.com Cubs: Maddon not worried about 'being nice' with quick hook on Hammel By Tony Andracki Joe Maddon is trying to win baseball games, not make friends. These are the kinds of calls Theo Epstein's front office envisioned when they pitched the idea of coming to Chicago to Maddon in the offseason. The celebrity manager was at it again Wednesday night, yanking starter Jason Hammel out of the game after just 65 pitches, when he had given up only one run in 5 2/3 innings. His last time out, Hammel threw just 76 pitches against the San Francisco Giants, and the veteran was not happy with the decision. He wasn't any happier this time around, refusing to speak much on the matter after the game, saying he was "obviously" surprised and upset that he came out of the game. Maddon said he was "certain" Hammel would be upset but explained his reasoning while also reminding the media that the number of pitches doesn't matter because "it's not a 100-pitch exercise." Maddon didn't like how Hammel matched up against Adam Lind with a runner on second and two outs, so instead of walking the Brewers first baseman, he brought in left-hander Clayton Richard from the bullpen to face the lefty Lind. "From my perspective, where I'm sitting, it's not about being nice," Maddon said. "It's about trying to do the right thing at the right moment. I've been watching Lind all year. He's one of the scariest left-handed hitters out there right now. "You could have chosen to walk him or 'pitch around him,' which I wasn't comfortable with that either. I thought Clayton could put the ball on the ground; he did not.... I thought it was the right thing to do." Hammel is a 32-year-old veteran in his 10th year in the big leagues. He has been one of the Cubs' most consistent starters all year, posting a 3.11 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in 22 games. So even catcher Miguel Montero was surprised by Maddon's quick hook. "It caught me a little off guard there," Montero said. "But he had his plan. Obviously, Hammel threw his ball good, maybe not quite as good as I've seen him in the past.

15 "They were putting good swings on it. (Maddon) saw that. He saw that they were hitting the ball good. That's probably why he made that decision. "As a player, we don't understand because we like to compete and we think we're still good and all this. But sometimes, we kinda actually step back and go, 'You know what? You were right because I didn't pitch that great.' "He didn't pitch bad, but I've seen him better before." But, all's well that end's well, maybe? The Cubs did get the win, and Hammel talked about how proud he was of the way his teammates played. However, given this is two starts in a row, Maddon knows the frustration is building for Hammel. "I'm sure there's a statute of limitations involving something like this, and I might be, like, pressing it right now," Maddon said. "However, I really like the guy a lot; I think he's outstanding. I'm sure we'll be able to get through it. "I want him to be upset, actually, because of his competitive side. I'm fine with that." CSNChicago.com Cubs searching for spots to get Kyle Schwarber in at catcher By Tony Andracki The Cubs still see Kyle Schwarber as a catcher long-term. But for 2015 with both Miguel Montero and David Ross healthy and playing well, it will be hard to find time to get the hot-hitting rookie behind the plate. For the fifth straight game, Schwarber was penned into the lineup as the Cubs' left fielder Wednesday night. Ross caught one of those games, and Montero caught his fourth straight Wednesday since coming off the disabled list. "There might be spots for him to (catch) the rest of the way and certainly long-term, we still see him as a catcher," Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said Wednesday. "But I think right now, we're so hot and clicking so well with this alignment that there's not really a reason to go away from it. "But I think there are spots. We've talked about finding the right spots for him to get back there at some point. I think he'll do a lot of both." Schwarber's move to left field was a way for the Cubs to keep his bat in the lineup every day, as Joe Maddon got creative and moved Chris Coghlan to second base (and Starlin Castro to the bench). Schwarber entered play Wednesday with a.997 OPS and has helped jumpstart this Cubs offense since the All-Star Break. There were questions about whether or not Schwarber could catch well enough to play the position in the big leagues, but the rookie has put in all the hard work and received rave reviews from his teammates, coaches and the Cubs front office for his progression behind the plate. Even though he's been playing left field over the last week, Schwarber still has been working with Cubs catching coach Mike Borzello and catching bullpens before games. Maddon wants to make sure Schwarber still has a chance to put that hard work to use in game situations, though, and the Cubs skipper said that chance could come against the White Sox over the weekend when two left-handed starters will likely force Montero to the bench.

16 "I gotta get him back there at some point," Maddon said. "I don't want him to lose all that good work he's done. It's just about the schedule and how it's gonna play, like (Thursday is) gonna be Jon (Lester pitching) and that will be David (Ross catching). "I need to figure it out. (Schwarber has) made so much progress with it. He really has. But Miggy's fine. He's here for a reason, and he's done a great job, too. "So, it's a nice problem to have, but I do need to get him for a game or two back there." Chicago Tribune Miguel Montero homer in 10th lifts Cubs after terrific Anthony Rizzo catch By Mark Gonzales An upset starting pitcher, an untimely error by a rookie shortstop and a wild pitch with two outs and two strikes in the ninth inning Wednesday night couldn't break the spirits of the resilient Cubs. "Right now, the feeling in the clubhouse is we're pretty unbeatable," catcher Miguel Montero said after hitting an opposite-field home run to left to lead off the 10th for a 3-2 victory over the Brewers. Montero's shot extended the Cubs' winning streak to six games, equaling a season high and giving them 12 wins in 13 games. The Cubs (64-48) maintained their poise despite some emotional moments, thanks in part to an amazing defensive performance by first baseman Anthony Rizzo. He stepped on top of the tarp to catch Ryan Braun's foul pop before tumbling into an empty seat in the sixth. "Instincts take over," Rizzo said. "You know what's at stake right now, so every little play matters." Manager Joe Maddon subscribed to that thought, pulling starting pitcher Jason Hammel after 5 2/3 innings and 65 pitches following Rizzo's catch. For the second time in as many starts, Hammel was visibly upset to be pulled as he put his hands on his hips before handing the ball to Maddon. "I expect him to be upset," Maddon said. "I'm happy he's going to be upset because he's a competitor and good pitcher. But it's not about being nice. It's about trying to do the right thing at the right moment." After the game, Hammel praised his teammates for their defense but gave short responses about Maddon's decision to pull him. "I'm trying to win ballgames," Hammel said. "I'll leave it at that." Montero admitted he was surprised because first base was open, but "sometimes we've got to step back and say he was right." Clayton Richard retired Adam Lind on a fly to end the threat. Hammel lost a shot at the victory after Addison Russell made an errant flip to second in an effort to get the first out in the ninth. Closer Hector Rondon threw a wild pitch that advanced the tying and go-ahead runs into scoring position with no outs. Rondon was one strike away from getting out of danger until he threw a wild pitch on a 2-2 count that allowed Braun to score the tying run.

17 Montero was angry at himself for not blocking Rondon's pitch, but his homer sent Wrigley Field into delirium as the Cubs recorded their major-league-leading 11th walk-off win while cutting their deficit to 1 1/2 games behind the Pirates for the first National League wild-card spot. Montero said the mood is similar to the atmosphere he experienced with the Diamondbacks in 2011 when they ran away with the NL West title. "We walked in and said, 'You know what? We're going to win today,'" Montero recalled. "The young guys are still getting better and better. There's no reason we shouldn't win." Montero, who missed nearly four weeks because of a left thumb sprain, showed his value at a crucial moment despite feeling some degree of discomfort. "(The pain) is there a little bit," Montero said. "But no pain, no gain. It's like Rocky." Chicago Tribune Quick hook doesn't suit Cubs' Jason Hammel By Mark Gonzales At some point between now and when 25-man rosters can be expanded on Sept. 1, the Chicago Cubs will need to allow Jason Hammel to throw more than 5 2/3 innings or 76 pitches. Those were the maximum amounts he s thrown in the past two starts, and that has irked Hammel. I m sure there s a statute of limitations involving something like this, Joe Maddon smirked. I might be pressing it right now. I m sure we ll be able to get through it. Allowing Hammel to pitch deeper might be the only solution, although Maddon s moves have worked each time. The latest incident occurred with two outs in the sixth inning after first baseman Anthony Rizzo made a spectacular catch before tumbling into the stands to preserve a 2-1 lead over the Brewers. Maddon opted for left-hander Clayton Richard to pitch to left-handed hitting slugger Adam Lind with the tying run at second base. Maddon didn t get the ground ball he was seeking, but Richard induced Lind to fly to center to preserve the lead. It s not a 100-pitch exercise, Maddon said after pulling Hammel after 5 2/3 innings and 65 pitches. Lind is coming up. I didn t like it. I didn t want to walk him to pitch to the next guy (Khris Davis), who has been hot. Richard hadn t pitched since Aug. 2 and has been a starter throughout his career. But with the aid of a fastball that was clocked as fast as 95 mph, Richard might receive more work in a variety of roles. He can be a very interesting weapon moving forward, Maddon said. But with Dan Haren and Hammel currently lined up to pitch in consecutive games, the Cubs can t afford to stretch their well-worked bullpen to greater lengths especially since the Cubs have admitted they re content if Haren gives them six quality innings for each of his remaining starts. Closer Hector Rondon, who threw a game-tying wild pitch, has pitched in 53 games and is on pace to exceed last season s career high of 64 appearances. Pedro Strop, who worked out of a jam in the eighth, has appeared in 56 games and is on pace to pitch in 81 games easily exceeding his career high of 70 with the Baltimore Orioles in 2012.