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The Daily CCO: Walk-Offs, Bullpen and Cubs News and Notes

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The Cubs won their 10th game in a row Thursday night when Anthony Rizzo worked a bases loaded walk in the 11th inning to force in Willson Contreras with the winning run. The Cubs improved to 72-41 on the season, 31 games above .500 and increased the lead over the Cardinals in the division to 13 games.

During the 10-game winning streak, the Cubs have now won games in walk-off fashion on a pinch-hit safety-squeeze bunt by Jon Lester, a wild pitch and a walk.

According to Christopher Kamka, Anthony Rizzo was the first Cubs player to work a walk-off walk against the Cardinals since Bob Will walked with the bases loaded 52 years ago against Bob Gibson (July 27, 1961).

The Cubs had one walk-off win before this 10-game stretch. And Joe Maddon’s team is now 16-16 on the season in one-run games.

Post-Game Reports – Recap

The Cubs are 9-0 in the month of August for the first time since 1908. And a majority of the success is due to the Cubs’ starting pitching, with a big assist from the defense.

Jon Lester recorded the Cubs’ ninth quality start of the month. The starting staff has a 1.24 ERA and 0.796 WHIP in August. Since the break, the Cubs are 19-6 and the rotation has a 2.33 ERA and 0.975 WHIP.

Here are the post-game reports and recap from Thursday …

  • CCO – Cubs Walk-Off Walk Downs Cardinals in Extra Innings
  • Comcast SportsNet – Anthony Rizzo’s walk-off walk delivers Cubs a bizarre 10th win in a row
  • The Sun-Times – Rizzo’s 11th-inning walk beats Cards in a walk-off for 10th straight win
  • ESPN Chicago – Cubs cornering market on walk-offs as win streak reaches 10
  • The Tribune – Cubs reach deeper into bag of surprises for 10th consecutive win
  • ESPN – How they won: Retiree David Ross key player on both ends
Pedro Strop – Hector Rondon

The Cubs lost Pedro Strop on Thursday for what could be four to six weeks. Strop suffered a torn meniscus in his left knee and is scheduled to undergo arthroscopic surgery Friday. With as much pain as Strop was in and having to be helped off the field on Wednesday, this was really a best case scenario for Strop and the Cubs.

Strop expects to return and be able to help the Cubs in October.

Hector Rondon is scheduled to throw a bullpen Friday. The Sun-Times reported the best case scenario for Rondon is that he will be available Saturday or Sunday. According to the Tribune, Rondon thinks he has a chance of being available for Saturday’s game.

Joe Maddon said before Thursday’s game that with Strop out he believes relievers like Joe Smith and Justin Grimm will be able to “pick up the slack” and play bigger roles in the bullpen.

Carl Edwards Jr. will continue being used in high-leverage situations. Maddon reiterated Thursday that he will not push it Edwards Jr. The young right-hander will likely not be available in back-to-back days, at least for now.

Mike Montgomery

Joe Maddon said before the game that he needed to get Mike Montgomery some work. Montgomery had not pitched in a game since July 31. Maddon was able to use Montgomery on Thursday, the lefty pitched the final two innings with mixed results and picked up the win.

Montgomery allowed one hit, walked two and hit a batter (Matt Holliday) while striking out four. Montgomery struck out Matt Carpenter with the bases loaded for the third out in the 11th inning. Montgomery made 42 pitches, 23 for strikes.

The Cubs are expected to activate Trevor Cahill from the DL to have him start one of the games of the twin bill with the Brewers (Aug. 16).

ESPN Chicago initially reported Montgomery was in the mix for that start. Jesse Rogers clarified his report and said that Maddon wanted to get Montgomery “stretched out for the impending doubleheader.”

The Tribune hinted at Montgomery possibly following Trevor Cahill in one of the two games with the Brewers on Tuesday, kind of a piggyback.

The Cubs have not announced the starting pitchers for the four games in three days with the Brewers.

Matt Holliday

Mike Montgomery threw one up and in to Matt Holliday in the 10th inning of Thursday’s game. In the effort to get out of the way of the pitch, Holliday put his hands up as he turned away. The ball hit Holliday in his right hand. His immediate reaction said something was wrong and it was more than just being hit by a baseball.

X-rays revealed Holliday suffered a broken right thumb. The Cardinals will place Holliday on the DL and he will miss a significant amount of time, if not the remainder of the regular season.

In a tied game in extra innings, there is a zero chance that Montgomery meant to hit Holliday. This is a bad injury to a good player that means a lot to his team.

In what has been the Cardinal Way for decades, it is highly likely that one or more of the Cubs’ hitters will be thrown at today in retaliation for Holliday. Whether it was intentional or not, that’s the Cardinals’ way. If you hit one of their players, one or more will get hit with the baseball.

The Cardinals will go after either Anthony Rizzo or Kris Bryant. It will be interesting to see how the Cubs respond. As Joe Maddon said last year, the Cubs don’t start stuff … but unfortunately in this case they will be forced to finish it.

Oscar De La Cruz

Oscar De La Cruz was electric and unhittable Thursday in South Bend’s 7-4 win over Dayton. De La Cruz picked up his first decision in the Midwest League in his third start.

De La Cruz did not allow a hit in five innings of work. De La Cruz walked one, hit a batter and struck out six while recording four groundball outs. De La Cruz made 76 pitches, 57 for strikes, to 17 batters.

Oscar De La Cruz is 1-0 with a 0.61 ERA and 0.55 WHIP in three starts for the South Bend Cubs. De La Cruz has given up one run on five hits with three walks, two HBP and 22 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings.

Joe Nathan

The Cubs designated Joe Nathan for assignment on Aug. 5 when Jorge Soler was activated from the DL. Nathan appeared in three games, completed two innings and gave up two hits and two walks. Nathan struck out four (0.00 ERA, 2.00 WHIP).

Nathan is expected to refuse the assignment to the minors and become a free agent.

According to Jon Heyman, Nathan has received “strong interest” from some other teams.

Trevor Clifton

Righty Trevor Clifton, the reigning Carolina League Pitcher of the Week, turned in another excellent outing for High-A Myrtle Beach.

Clifton completed six innings Wednesday night in a game the Pelicans ended up losing 2-1 in 10 innings to the Red Sox. Clifton was charged with one unearned run on three hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Clifton made 95 pitches, 59 for strikes.

Clifton has not allowed an earned run in his last 13 innings. Clifton is 1-0 in his last two starts with a 0.00 ERA and 0.46 WHIP (one run, four hits, two walks, 11 strikeouts).

For the season, the 21-year old right-hander is 6-7 with a 2.96 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 20 starts.

News and Notes

• The Sun-Times reported it is no longer a numbers game as Jason Heyward focuses on end game. According to Comcast SportsNet, it is time for Jason Heyward to forget about offensive numbers.

• David Ross and Dexter Fowler discussed the Tommy La Stella situation with the Spiegel and Goff Show on Thursday. Ross said La Stella is a “great human being, great teammate, great player. I want him back, to be honest with you. We’re a better team with him on it. But I want him to be the Tommy La Stella that I know. I don’t want him to be a guy who’s dealing with whatever he’s dealing with.”

• According to the Tribune, Joe Maddon’s goal of 1,000 innings from his rotation is on target.

• And speaking of the rotation, the Cubs ERAs at Wrigley Field this season: Kyle Hendricks: 1.19; Jake Arrieta: 1.71; Jason Hammel: 1.99; Jon Lester: 2.07; John Lackey: 2.67

• Christopher Kamka pointed out that if the four-inning start that Jason Hammel made in New York against the Mets is removed from his totals, Hammel would have a 2.26 ERA on the season.

• The Tribune reported the Cubs’ depth, youth rises to the occasion.

• The Padres announced Clayton Richard will start Sunday against the Mets at Citi Field. The Padres plan on using a six-man rotation for a couple of weeks. With the Cubs playing the Padres in San Diego (Aug. 22-24) it is likely they will face former teammates Edwin Jackson and Clayton Richard.

• The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported in the wake of the injury to Matt Holliday, the Cardinals will “explore Carlos Gomez’s situation and whether he’s a fit and can help.” Derrick Goold said the Cardinals have not given any indication they will be in play for Carlos Gomez.

This Day in Cubstory

1994 – Ian Happ, born

1994 – Major League Baseball players went on strike and for the first time in 90 years there would not be a World Series.

1974 – Matt Clement, born

1934 – The Cubs swept the Deans in St. Louis. The Cubs beat Paul in game one of a doubleheader 7-2 and Dizzy in game two, 6-4.

1876 – Cal McVey pitched and caught Al Spalding in Chicago’s 5-0 victory over Cincinnati

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