[ad_1]
About an hour ago
CHICAGO – Suddenly, the Chicago Cubs are trapped and look like a confident team again for the playoffs.
Kris Bryant and rookie Nico Hoerner each scored three hits. The Cubs triumphed four times to set a club record with 237 home runs as they hit the Pittsburgh Pirates, 14-1, on Saturday.
Bryant hit a two-point shot in the fourth and had four RBIs. The second Hoerner circuit in two days, a three-run circuit on the sixth, beat the old 235 mark of the Cubs, established in 2004.
"It's pretty cool to make records," said Bryant. "We like it, home shopping is fun and it's exciting."
Ben Zobrist and Victor Caratini added solo shots as the Cubs used a second big consecutive day on the plate to strengthen their offer for a fifth consecutive playoff spot. Chicago dominated the Pirates, 31-9, in the first two games of the series and won three straight wins.
James Marvel (0-2) allowed seven runs on nine hits in four sets on his second major league start. Kevin Newman had a single, double and triple.
Marvel was impressed by the Cubs.
"These are veterans who played well, and I was not very strong today, I did not really do my job," Marvel said. "I just have to find a way to improve it with that."
The two benches jumped briefly in the sixth after the batting hitter David Bote escaped from the relief ball, Clay Holmes, and was hit in the shoulder. Bote, Cubs' fourth batter was crushed, shouted to Holmes before going to first base, and the teams returned to their shelters without a fight.
The reliever Dillon Maples defeated Elias Díaz and Erik González in ninth place before the end of the match.
Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Holmes had trouble ordering and conceded that Maples was not sharp.
"(Holmes) did not try to hit our guys," said Maddon. "We did not try to hit their guys. Today, there was no reason to escalate that. "
Chicago came in second place for the NL Wild Cards, one in front of Milwaukee and four games behind St. NL, the leader in the city center.
"It's good to get those non-stressful wins," said Bryant. "Our attack is doing well, scoring points. Let's continue on this path and for the moment, I think we should feel very good about what we have been able to do. "
Maddon does not expect double-digit production, but he was impressed by the approaches of his batters.
"We hit the ball very well once again and when it counted," said Maddon. "We have been very successful not to swing on difficult terrain in the last two days. We did not look so much. When you see your presentation, you do not miss it. "
Remarks: Pirates 1B Josh Bell is day-to-day (tension in the groin) after leaving Friday's game. … CF Starling Marte (left wrist sprain) was absent from training for a sixth straight game and was restricted to a close race. … RHP Trevor Williams (7-6, 5.21) will face LHP José Quintana (13-8, 4.15) on Sunday.
[ad_2]
Source link