OSS: Cubs pull off a repeat of a sweep I recently enjoyed.
Four up
1. Addison Russell hit his seventh homer of the year, a bomb to near dead-center. The tweak he made to his swing around the ASB has been showing some dividends with a .299/.339/.385 line, not including today’s game. It’s not like he’s blowing the doors down with a .725 ish OPS, but you’ll take it when it’s packaged with the leather he’s been flashing of late.
2. All Clayton Richard had to do to make this start a success was to make it past the second inning, unlike the dumpster fire of outings that has been the norm for Cubs fifth starters of late. He went six, allowing just one run and striking out three, and even drove in a run with a double in the fourth inning.
3. Starlin Castro made an INCREDIBLE defensive play to gun down Jean Segura (I think). I’d link it but finding highlights on mlb.com with my shitty connection is annoying. I’m not sure which is more impressive, this one or the one Russell pulled off earlier this week.
4. He didn’t homer today, but Rizzo just destroyed the Brewers in this series. It only makes me wish Aramis was still on the field for the extra nostalgia factor.
Three down
1. The Cubs nearly crapped the bed again in the ninth when the Brewers strung together a few hits against Rondon, sandwiched around an error by Castro.
2. I must have missed the context, but when I was catching up with the score via gameday I saw that James Russell batted for himself. What up with that?
3. Kris Bryant had to leave the game after being shaken up on a slide into second, seemingly headfirst into Jean Segura’s crotch. It sounds like he passed all concussion protocols and should avoid the DL, though I wouldn’t be surprised to see Herrera get the start tomorrow.
Next up: Jon Lester vs Francisco Liriano, 6:05 PM CT. This could be a preview of the Wild Card game.