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PHOENIX – The large swaths of visiting blue-clad fans who covered the stands at Chase Field had little to cheer about for much of Saturday afternoon. The Cubs’ bats had been silent.
That was no longer the case when Willson Contreras went home in a draw with two strikeouts early in the ninth inning.
If it had been a week or two ago, Contreras might not have lived up to this spot for a number of reasons, one of which being that the Cubs potentially wouldn’t have extended the game at this point in the midst of their prolonged struggles. But this time Contreras had the opportunity to turn the tide. And as soon as he logged in on a 0-1 fastpitch, it was clear he had.
Contreras hit a two-run home run to take Chicago to a 4-2 victory over Arizona, closing a thrilling comeback. The 404-foot explosion hid inside the left field foul post, clearing the pen of the D-back relievers and landing in the seats.
As soon as Contreras made contact, his reaction showed he had it all figured out. Even if it wasn’t exactly his thought at the time.
“To be honest, I wasn’t thinking too much about the situation. I went there to take another at bat and hopefully do something good for the team, ”said Contreras, who went 3 for 4 and hit base four times. “It was a great place to be, and of course, I didn’t expect to hit a home run. I was just trying to get a good shot to hit, which I did.
It was Contreras’ fifth home plate appearance of the day, as he was again at bat atop the Chicago roster. While not a prototypical top hitter, the Cubs wide receiver has played that role 23 times this season, mostly against left-handed starters.
Joc Pederson was the first hitter against the righties, but was traded to the Braves on Thursday. Manager David Ross therefore decided to give Contreras more opportunities at the top of the order against the righties, which is why he was there on Saturday with Zac Gallen leaving for the D-backs.
Why beat Contreras there instead of a more typical speedster?
“Looking around I didn’t see a lot of other guys that I thought had marked me in this spot,” said Ross.
There are also reasons why Contreras is a good choice. He leads the Cubs with a 0.350 base percentage and 38 walks, while placing third with 14 homers. He’s also reliable, having played 82 games this season, including 641 2/3 innings behind the plate.
“He’s carried a heavy load for us this year,” said Ross. “When he’s fresh – and you see how cool he is after the All-Star break – it’s important for me to do a good job of keeping him fresh, with what the drummers look like. It is really clear that he is working very hard for us, me and this team this year.
Contreras would not have had the opportunity to give the green light if it had not been for an impressive rally ahead of him. Until their final outing with an empty base, the Cubs earned a brace from center fielder Rafael Ortega, another player who will have more opportunities after the Pederson trade.
Chicago then brought in veteran wide receiver Robinson Chirinos, who signed with the team on July 5 and had just eight home plate appearances in five games at that time. Chirinos hit a tie RBI single, setting the stage for the Contreras Homework two shots later.
“That’s the only thing you can ask guys who aren’t playing – be prepared when the going gets tough,” Chirinos said. “I think all the guys on this team do it. I was in the canoe and saw the guys move, stretch, hit, throw. As a teammate, I like to see that.
The Cubs’ two-game winning streak is their first since June 24. They also earned their first series victory since a three-game sweep against the Cardinals from June 11-13.
After losing 13 of 15 games to complete the first half, it will take more than two wins to push the Cubs into the playoffs. As the leader of the team, Contreras wants the team to look forward rather than back.
“I said to my guys, ‘Let’s start from zero. Let’s do it because I believe in this team, I believe in the talent that we have, ”said Contreras. “June was a difficult month, but it’s already over. We can’t wait to play better baseball.
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