Sometimes games like this are the hardest box scores to write down! There was an almost limitless supply of goodness from start to finish.
For example, Kyle Hendricks was excellent again tonight, going six innings with seven strikeouts and just one walk. Technically, he conceded two deserved runs, but one of them only scored because of that scary collision between Nico Hoerner and David Bote (Bote, who left the game with an injured shoulder, was one of the only disappointments of the evening).
DavidRoss even decided — finally — to take out his starter BEFORE letting him go batter-to-batter and giving his reliever a dirty inning. I liked that.
Patrick wisdom had a three-hit, two homers, 6 RBI night, and he was basically responsible for seven of the Cubs runs in which he was hit because one hit on a ball he put in play that turned early turned into an error.
Jan Happ reached base three times in four plate appearances tonight, a feat he also accomplished yesterday.
Christopher Morel went 5-5 with a double and another home run. He’s not 7-9 with a double and two homers since he was pulled out of the leadoff spot during his slump.
Narciso Crook made his major league debut and scored his first hit (an RBI double) before adding another hit later in the game. And the Cubs of OTHER young fielders, Nelson VelazquezHe had his own double.
Nico Horner had a three-hit night and increased his batting average to a .310.
And even PJ Higgins had another great night on the record (3-5, HR) as he continues to look like a legitimate back-up/bench option for the Cubs next season (…or maybe the second half of this season).
It wasn’t all rosy – Rowan Wick had another tough outing (we’ll look at that in more detail tomorrow) – but it’s hard to complain when you’re going 15 runs on 23 hits with just FOUR strikeouts.
Cubs win the game, Cubs win the series. That’s a good night.
full box score.