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Cubs Daily Clips - MLB.commlb.mlb.com/documents/7/1/8/178442718/May_16_evg60u0h.pdf · CHICAGO --...

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May 16, 2016 ESPNChicago.com Cubs' Jon Lester outpitched despite early no-hit bid By John Jackson CHICAGO -- Through six innings on Sunday, Jon Lester had allowed no hits but needed 91 pitches to record 18 outs. Besides the obvious drama of a possible no-hitter, there was the potential intrigue of Lester reaching his pitch limit and being pulled from the game before giving up a hit. That scenario, no doubt, would have sparked an interesting reaction from the Wrigley Field crowd. Afterward, the Chicago Cubs' left-hander was asked if was aware of both the no-hitter and pitch count at that point. “It’s hard not to notice,” Lester said. “We’ve got two giant scoreboards out there that kind of display everything. You’ve got giant numbers out there telling you what your pitch count is at and you’ve got a giant scoreboard telling you you haven’t given up any hits. “But it really doesn’t matter now.” It doesn’t matter because, while Lester’s no-hit bid drew the early attention, he was outpitched by right-hander Gerrit Cole, who tossed eight shutout innings to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 2-1 win. It was the Pirates’ first win this season over their NL Central rivals after dropping the first five games between the teams, including the first two of the three-game series this weekend. “Jonny was fantastic,” Chicago manager Joe Maddon said, “but that was as good as we’ve seen Cole in a while, so give him credit.” Cole (4-3) was as efficient as he was effective. He threw just 95 pitches in the game, striking out seven and walking none. It was a much better effort than his last start against the Cubs on May 2 in Pittsburgh when he allowed six runs (five earned) on six hits in 4 2/3 innings. “It was a well-pitched game on both sides,” Lester said. “Obviously, Cole probably didn’t pitch the way he wanted to the last time he faced us and he kind of came back with a little vengeance there. He really threw the ball well. “It sucks sometimes, the old cliché of tip your hat to the other guy. But when you don’t allow any [runs], it gives you a chance to win that ballgame. He did that today and sometimes you have to tip your hat to the other side. The other guy just threw the ball … not a lot but he threw the ball better than I did.” Lester lost the no-hit bid with one out in the seventh inning when Starling Marte stroked a single to right field. With Marte at second following a stolen base, the left-hander struck out righty Francisco Cervelli for the second out and was an out from getting through the inning unscathed. But third baseman Jung Ho Kang stroked a 1-1 fastball to the right-center gap for a run-scoring double to give Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead. The hit came on Lester’s 109th (and last) pitch of the game. “By striking out Cervelli, I thought he had a lot left in his tank because Cervelli doesn’t strike out often,” Maddon said of Lester. “It was just a pitch in the wrong spot and give him credit for getting a knock.”
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Page 1: Cubs Daily Clips - MLB.commlb.mlb.com/documents/7/1/8/178442718/May_16_evg60u0h.pdf · CHICAGO -- Through six innings on Sunday, Jon Lester had allowed no hits but needed 91 pitches

May 16, 2016 ESPNChicago.com Cubs' Jon Lester outpitched despite early no-hit bid By John Jackson CHICAGO -- Through six innings on Sunday, Jon Lester had allowed no hits but needed 91 pitches to record 18 outs. Besides the obvious drama of a possible no-hitter, there was the potential intrigue of Lester reaching his pitch limit and being pulled from the game before giving up a hit. That scenario, no doubt, would have sparked an interesting reaction from the Wrigley Field crowd. Afterward, the Chicago Cubs' left-hander was asked if was aware of both the no-hitter and pitch count at that point. “It’s hard not to notice,” Lester said. “We’ve got two giant scoreboards out there that kind of display everything. You’ve got giant numbers out there telling you what your pitch count is at and you’ve got a giant scoreboard telling you you haven’t given up any hits. “But it really doesn’t matter now.” It doesn’t matter because, while Lester’s no-hit bid drew the early attention, he was outpitched by right-hander Gerrit Cole, who tossed eight shutout innings to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 2-1 win. It was the Pirates’ first win this season over their NL Central rivals after dropping the first five games between the teams, including the first two of the three-game series this weekend. “Jonny was fantastic,” Chicago manager Joe Maddon said, “but that was as good as we’ve seen Cole in a while, so give him credit.” Cole (4-3) was as efficient as he was effective. He threw just 95 pitches in the game, striking out seven and walking none. It was a much better effort than his last start against the Cubs on May 2 in Pittsburgh when he allowed six runs (five earned) on six hits in 4 2/3 innings. “It was a well-pitched game on both sides,” Lester said. “Obviously, Cole probably didn’t pitch the way he wanted to the last time he faced us and he kind of came back with a little vengeance there. He really threw the ball well. “It sucks sometimes, the old cliché of tip your hat to the other guy. But when you don’t allow any [runs], it gives you a chance to win that ballgame. He did that today and sometimes you have to tip your hat to the other side. The other guy just threw the ball … not a lot but he threw the ball better than I did.” Lester lost the no-hit bid with one out in the seventh inning when Starling Marte stroked a single to right field. With Marte at second following a stolen base, the left-hander struck out righty Francisco Cervelli for the second out and was an out from getting through the inning unscathed. But third baseman Jung Ho Kang stroked a 1-1 fastball to the right-center gap for a run-scoring double to give Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead. The hit came on Lester’s 109th (and last) pitch of the game. “By striking out Cervelli, I thought he had a lot left in his tank because Cervelli doesn’t strike out often,” Maddon said of Lester. “It was just a pitch in the wrong spot and give him credit for getting a knock.”

Page 2: Cubs Daily Clips - MLB.commlb.mlb.com/documents/7/1/8/178442718/May_16_evg60u0h.pdf · CHICAGO -- Through six innings on Sunday, Jon Lester had allowed no hits but needed 91 pitches

The fastball to Kang was up and out over the plate – one of the few mistakes Lester made. “He’s a good fastball hitter,” he said. “I was trying to go in and didn’t locate. I made a lot of good pitches today. It sucks to go through that whole scenario there to leave one [over the] middle and the guy doesn’t miss it and hits a double. “That’s a tough one, but you have to look at the other hundred and whatever pitches I threw that worked.” Lester (4-2) allowed just the one run on two hits in 6 2/3 innings. He suffered the loss despite lowering his earned run average to 1.88 through eight starts. While Sunday’s outcome wasn’t to his liking, he said he’s happy to be off to a strong start this year after struggling with an injury in spring training and expectations as a big free-agent signee a year ago. “I think I was a little bit behind the eight-ball a little last year going out there to start the year and put myself even further behind the eight-ball with a terrible April," he said. “This year’s just so much different, health-wise and the whole mentality of where we are as a team and all that stuff. I try not to compare last year to this year, but I feel like I’ve thrown the ball pretty well from the first day of spring training. Hopefully, I’ll just continue to give our team chances to win ballgames.” -- ESPNChicago.com Jon Lester's no-hit bid eclipsed by Gerrit Cole, Pirates By John Jackson CHICAGO -- Jon Lester's no-hit bid gained much of the early attention, but it was Gerrit Cole who turned in the pitching gem. Cole allowed just three hits in eight shutout innings to lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday at Wrigley Field. Third baseman Jung Ho Kang homered and drove in both runs as Pittsburgh beat Chicago for the first time this season after dropping the previous five games between the teams. Cole (4-3) was as efficient as he was effective. He threw just 95 pitches, struck out seven and walked none. Mark Melancon allowed a run but was able to work out of a ninth-inning jam for his 11th save. Lester (4-2) racked up 91 pitches through six hitless innings, which made his chances of throwing a no-hitter remote. It became official when Starling Marte stroked a clean single to right field with one out in the seventh. With Marte at second following a stolen base, Lester struck Francisco Cervelli out for the second out and was one out from getting through the inning unscathed. Then Kang stroked a 1-1 fastball to the right-center gap for a run-scoring double to give Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead. The hit came on Lester’s 109th and last pitch of the game. The hit had to feel like a measure of revenge for Kang, who was hit with a pitch by Cubs ace Jake Arrieta on Saturday. Kang suffered a broken leg against Chicago last season when Chris Coghlan (now with the A's) slid into him at second base. Kang continued that story line by stroking a solo home run to left off Hector Rondon to make it 2-0 in the ninth inning. --

Page 3: Cubs Daily Clips - MLB.commlb.mlb.com/documents/7/1/8/178442718/May_16_evg60u0h.pdf · CHICAGO -- Through six innings on Sunday, Jon Lester had allowed no hits but needed 91 pitches

ESPNChicago.com Joe Maddon defends 'cyborg' Jake Arrieta, pokes fun at Pirate By John Jackson CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs continue to maintain that it was purely accidental when Jake Arrieta hit Jung Ho Kang of the Pittsburgh Pirates with a pitch on Saturday -- and any implication otherwise is absurd. Before the finale of the three-game series between the teams on Sunday, Cubs manager Joe Maddon addressed the comments made by Pirates pitcher Jeff Locke that “anytime somebody like Arrieta hits somebody, you’ve got to assume automatically that one didn’t just get away.” “I think Jake walked Locke on four consecutive pitches,” Maddon said. “I really don’t think that Jake was pitching around Locke. My point is, it can happen at any time, that a really exceptional pitcher can lose command of his pitches. “That’s how I would answer Mr. Locke. I really believe that Jake was not trying to throw four consecutive balls to him when he was hitting. I don’t think he was intimidated by Mr. Locke being at the plate and was really trying to throw a strike.” Maddon then had a little fun and said it’s easy to forget Arrieta is human the way he has been pitching. “He definitely has a cyborg look about him, no question,” Maddon said. “When you watch him out there, I could definitely see Arnold Schwarzenegger at his best out there, just going through this pitching delivery motion and throwing pitches exactly where he wants all the time. But I think even Arnold messed up a couple of times as the Terminator. “The thing I find interesting is hitters get hit by pitches all the time. It’s a part of the game and I would say 99.9 percent of the time it’s unintentional and then when somebody wants to bring it to the forefront, that’s their right to do that, but ... I think Jake actually said it, you’ll know when he’s wanting to hit someone. “He was obviously distraught that he had done it; he didn’t want to do that. I think he would have been more Arnold Schwarzenegger-esque had it been intentional.” -- CSNChicago.com Pirates' Gerrit Cole: Cubs Aren't The Best Team In Baseball By Tony Andracki Gerrit Cole took care of business against the Cubs Sunday and backed up his play with some bold statements. After tossing eight shutout innings and helping the Pirates beat the Cubs for the first time in their last eight tries, Cole doubled down on his performance. When a reporter posed the question that Cole just shut down the best team in baseball, the Pirates pitcher politely corrected the statement: "It's just an opportunity to salvage the series," Cole said. "I don't really think they're the best team in baseball." Of course, the Cubs are currently the best team in baseball - the only team still in the single digits in the loss column halfway through May. The Cubs sit at 27-9 overall with a +109 run differential. In fact, their run differential was higher than the next two teams (Red Sox +58) and Cardinals (+46) combined entering play Sunday. Following Sunday's loss, the Cubs have outscored the Pirates 38-13 in the six head-to-head games this season.

Page 4: Cubs Daily Clips - MLB.commlb.mlb.com/documents/7/1/8/178442718/May_16_evg60u0h.pdf · CHICAGO -- Through six innings on Sunday, Jon Lester had allowed no hits but needed 91 pitches

Cole had a rough go of it last time out against the Cubs, failing to go even five innings while allowing six runs (five earned) on six hits and four walks. He was 2-1 with a 2.13 ERA and 0.947 WHIP in four starts against the Cubs during the 2015 regular season, but lost that one-game wild-card playoff when he surrendered four runs in five innings, including homers to Kyle Schwarber and Dexter Fowler. -- CSNChicago.com Ice In His Veins: Addison Russell Stunning Cubs With Calm Demeanor By Tony Andracki Ask Joe Maddon about Addison Russell and an uncontrollable smile creeps along his face. Ask Joe Maddon about Addison Russell's potential and his eyes get a sort of glossy look in them. The Cubs manager gushes about nearly all his players, but he speaks about Russell a bit differently. Maddon is a wordsmith, but even he has to be running out of different ways to talk about the 22-year-old shortstop. After an infield single in the Cubs' loss to the Pirates Sunday, Russell is now working on a nine-game hitting streak. He has 13 RBI in those nine games and drove in nine runs in his last four starts before Sunday. Russell is on pace for 122 RBI and 86 walks. Look up any "clutch" stat and Russell is excelling in that category. So what makes him so different? "Just a slow heart beat," Maddon said. "If you talk to the kid anytime, he's always suavecito. There's nothing really hurried about him. He's just got a great way about him. "Again, he's gonna keep getting better. Everybody's liking when he's doing good. I'm here to tell you: He's gonna get better." Maddon pointed to Friday's game when Russell moved past a bad swing-and-miss at a pitch out of the zone to deliver the crucial blow to the Pirates - a three-run homer off Francisco Liriano. Russell followed that up with a two-run shot into the teeth of the wind Saturday. The Pirates outfielders took a combined one step on the two homers - no doubters. That power potential is something Maddon has been talking up since spring training, continually pointing to Russell's strong hands and youth (players don't typically hit their power peak until 26-27 years of age). Russell said he feels more confident this year at the plate and is working to get pitches he can drive and do some damage with. That calm demeanor - that "slow heart beat" - is not anything new to the second-year rising star. "It's been that way my whole life," Russell said. "It doesn't mean that I don't get nervous or anything like that. It's just I don't show a lot of emotion out there." Russell is comfortable in that skin and is developing a reputation as a "clutch" player 174 games into his big-league career.

Page 5: Cubs Daily Clips - MLB.commlb.mlb.com/documents/7/1/8/178442718/May_16_evg60u0h.pdf · CHICAGO -- Through six innings on Sunday, Jon Lester had allowed no hits but needed 91 pitches

"I think that's his personality," veteran second baseman Ben Zobrist said. "He's very calm. He's very focused and I think when he gets up to the dish, I say he's got ice in his veins. "He's not getting too hyped up there. He's ready to do the job and have a good, quality at-bat. He's just gonna continue to get better. Any struggles that he has, even at this time, it's just because he's young. He's just gotta get that experience." While most players - especially young guys in their sophomore season in "The Show" - tighten up in high-pressure spots, Zobrist has watched Russell play without fear, whether it's with two strikes, two outs or the game on the line. Maddon mentioned Russell's approach unprovoked two separate times throughout the weekend, talking about the shortstop's pregame routine when he's a self-described "loner." "He's got great aptitude and he's a great listener," Maddon said. "Those are two wonderful qualities to have as a young person trying to get better in your profession." Count Cubs ace Jake Arrieta among those at the forefront of the Addison Russell Fan Club thanks to his defense, which included a diving snare of a line drive in Sunday's game. "I'm always impressed with Addison," Arrieta said. "Whether he's hitting .320 or not, his defense shows up every day. He's capable of some pretty special things when he's on the field. "He's swinging the bat really well. A couple big home runs. It's just a matter of time before he really comes into his own at the plate. We've seen it in spurts. He's such a young player and to see the promise already from him is pretty incredible." If you ever wanted to know Russell's ridiculous potential, just look at how Cubs players and coaches constantly talk about how much more is left in the tank. This about a guy who has an OPS over 1.000 through the first 15 days of May. "The sky is the limit for that guy," Zobrist said. "He's an incredible athlete. He's strong, he's quick. He's got all the tools to be a fantastic player. "He's already making those adjustments. It's because he thinks along with the game. He's not just assuming it's gonna happen. He's making the adjustments and he's working hard. "It really irks him when he's not playing the way he's capable of. He's got all the intangibles that you have to have on top of the physcial aspect. He's just gonna get better." -- CSNChicago.com Gerrit Cole Outduels Jon Lester, Shuts Down Cubs By Tony Andracki Ben Zobrist tossed his bat to the ground in disgust and jogged to first base as Pirates right fielder Sean Rodriguez settled under the ball. It was an odd sign of frustration from a guy who has been the hottest hitter in the game over the last couple weeks on an offense that just scored 17 runs over the previous two games. But it illustrated the reality: The Cubs' offense can't possibly be on at all times.

Page 6: Cubs Daily Clips - MLB.commlb.mlb.com/documents/7/1/8/178442718/May_16_evg60u0h.pdf · CHICAGO -- Through six innings on Sunday, Jon Lester had allowed no hits but needed 91 pitches

Zobrist and the Cubs couldn't solve Pirates ace Gerrit Cole, losing 2-1 on Sunday in front of 40,814 fans at Wrigley Field. It was the Cubs' first loss to the Pirates in the last eight games dating back to last September. Cole was absolutely brilliant, allowing three hits (one of which was a sun-aided double by Dexter Fowler in the first when Pirates infielders lost track of the ball) and didn't walk a batter, striking out seven. "That was as good as we've seen Cole in a while," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said, "so give him credit. ... There's nothing to complain about. Just a really well-played baseball game and we got beat today." A Zobrist double and an Addison Russell infield single were the only two legit hits off Cole all day. Jon Lester took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before Starling Marte singled to right field on Lester's 101st pitch of the day. Two batters later, Jung Ho Kang drilled a double in the gap and the Pirates were on the board. Lester admitted it was hard not to notice he had something special brewing, but "it doesn't matter now," he said. "It was a well-pitched game on both sides," Lester said. "Cole probably didn't pitch the way he wanted to the last time he faced us and came back with a little bit of vengance there. He really threw the ball well today. "It sucks sometimes. The old cliche of, 'tip your hat to the other guy,' but when you don't allow any, it gives you a chance to win that ballgame. He did that today and sometimes you have to tip your hat on the other side. The other guy threw the ball better than I did today." Kang later added a solo homer in the ninth inning off Cubs closer Hector Rondon. The Cubs mounted a rally in the ninth when Fowler walked and Jason Heyward singled to lead off the inning. After Kris Bryant popped out to shallow center, Anthony Rizzo drove home Fowler with a sacrifice fly to right field. But Zobrist grounded into the shift in shallow right field to end the threat and the game. The Cubs are off Monday before hitting the road for 10 days beginning Tuesday night in Milwaukee. -- CSNChicago.com Cubs Preaching Patience On Jorge Soler's Development By Tony Andracki As Joe Maddon passed by a small contingent of fans beyond the left field bleachers at Wrigley Field before Friday's game, one fan found the courage to yell "try not to suck" at the Cubs manager. That "Maddonism" has become the rallying cry for Cubs Nation in 2016, but baseball isn't always that simple. Maddon can't simply tell Jorge Soler to "try not to suck." Soler entered play Sunday hitting .174, which would be the lowest mark in the National League if he had enough plate appearances to qualify. His .530 OPS would also be the fourth-lowest mark in the NL if he qualified. Soler's struggles culminated in a rough game Wednesday night, as he struck out all four times up and left four men on base in the Cubs' 1-0 loss to the San Diego Padres. Still, Maddon kept trotting Soler out there, giving him the start in left field each of the first two games against the Pittsburgh Pirates over the weekend. Soler went 1-for-6 with a walk and a run in those two games against a pair of left-handed pitchers.

Page 7: Cubs Daily Clips - MLB.commlb.mlb.com/documents/7/1/8/178442718/May_16_evg60u0h.pdf · CHICAGO -- Through six innings on Sunday, Jon Lester had allowed no hits but needed 91 pitches

"He just has to go out there and play," Maddon said. "He needs opportunity. When a guy has a tough day, I don't get really carried away in a negative way. It's part of development. It's part of making a young player a good major league player. "When you're attempting to develop young players, there's a lot of patience involved. And then if you put your scout's hat on, you can see what the eventual reward is going to look like. A guy like Jorge, you have to be patient." Soler flashed his potential when he posted a .903 OPS and 20 RBIs during his 24-game cup of coffee in 2014. He also set a record by reaching base nine straight times to begin the postseason, drawing five walks and collecting four hits — including a double and two homers — to help jumpstart the Cubs' offense against the St. Louis Cardinals in the NLDS. It's that potential — and the fact that Soler just turned 24 in February — that explains why the Cubs aren't so quick to just bench Soler or give up on him in any form. "That's absurd. If we had walked away from him last year, we probably don't get out of that Cardinals series," Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said. "He and (Kyle) Schwarber were our two best hitters in that series. He played a primary role in helping us win a couple of those games. "That's how good he's capable of being, and you need to invest in him in order to help him get to that level on a more consistent basis. And you have to win games along the way. We have good problems to have." Like Epstein said, the Cubs have proven they've placed an emphasis on winning now so they have to manage Soler's development with what's best for the entire team. Still, the Cubs entered play Sunday 27-8 with a plus-110 run differential, one of the best starts the game has ever seen. Epstein predicted Soler will get hot and carry the Cubs at some point like he did in the playoffs. He also reminded everybody this is actually the normal development path for young players, referencing the Kansas City Royals' patience with guys like Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas and Alex Gordon. But Cubs fans and Chicago media have gotten a little spoiled of late, watching how guys like Kris Bryant, Addison Russell and Schwarber have been key contributors from the first second they stepped foot on a big league field. "We have to be patient," Epstein said. "The fans have to be patient, too, because not everyone steps right in and wins the Rookie of the Year and takes off and puts up a .900 OPS. "There are more variations of performance. It comes more sporadically. If you invest in young players over time, you get rewarded. His talent is there. It's undeniable. Look what he did against the best pitchers in the league at the most important time last year." Soler's playing time has become a source of debate, too. Those who look at his numbers cry for the Cubs to bench him or send him back down to Triple-A Iowa. There are also those who believe Soler's slump is at least partially due to inconsistent playing time with Bryant drawing a bunch of starts in left field. Epstein and Maddon both acknowledged Soler would have plenty of opportunity to play as the season wears on, but Maddon also pointed to Soler's overall inexperience in professional baseball.

Page 8: Cubs Daily Clips - MLB.commlb.mlb.com/documents/7/1/8/178442718/May_16_evg60u0h.pdf · CHICAGO -- Through six innings on Sunday, Jon Lester had allowed no hits but needed 91 pitches

Soler has played in just 158 big league games and only 155 minor league games while battling injuries throughout his career. He also spent about two years where he didn't play much competitive baseball in defecting from Cuba before signing with the Cubs. "His development has been spotty, in a sense, because of injuries," Maddon said. "He's shown flashes of brilliance. I guess from a fan's perspective or (media) asking me qeustions, I can understand where you're coming from. "But from where I sit, it's very easy to see what the right thing to do is. I can't and I won't get caught up in that kind of rhetoric. It's about a young man developing. ... You just gotta keep throwing him out there until eventually it clicks and it will." Maddon also has learned the need to be extra patient with young Latin players who are tasked with the culture shock of adjusting to life in a new country as well as learning a new language on top of developing on-field skills. Soler admitted in spring training he had concentration and focus lapses last season but had no problem turning it on in the playoffs when the stakes were raised. Maddon isn't willing to point to concentration issues as a reason for Soler's struggles this year. "Actually, I think that's really done well," Maddon said. "He's done a lot of work with the hitting coaches, with our sports psych guys. If you watch him in the batter's box when he might not like something, he just takes the walk back and forth in the box (he doesn't get out of the box because that is a finable offense). "Even that's a mindful moment for me right there. His self-awareness is growing. Of course you want to see more performance right now, but I know that's gonna be forthcoming. I'm not worried about that. "He's really trying to do the right things and that matters a lot. You've got this 6-foot-5 behemoth, strong man, tremendous power, working on different things, making the adjustments to the United States. He'll figure it out." -- Chicago Tribune Cubs, Jon Lester come up empty after strong pitching performance By Paul Skrbina The wedding of May 19, 2008, and May 15, 2016, was called off Sunday afternoon. Starling Marte was responsible for the breakup. With one out in the seventh inning, the Pirates' left fielder ended Jon Lester's bid for his second career no-hitter with a clean single to right that sliced between Ben Zobrist at second and Anthony Rizzo at first during the Cubs' 2-1 loss to close a 7-3 homestand at Wrigley Field. The ball took with it Lester's hopes of duplicating the no-hitter he threw for the Red Sox against the Royals eight year ago. "It's hard not to notice," Lester said of not allowing a hit through 6 1/3 innings Sunday. As the anticipation mounted, so did Lester's pitch count. He couldn't help but notice that too. "You've got giant numbers telling you where your pitch count's at and you've got a giant number telling you you haven't given up any hits," he said of the video boards. "It doesn't really matter now." Cubs manager Joe Maddon felt the same way — it didn't really matter — about Lester's pitch count. With an off day Monday, Maddon said he was game for seeing what Lester had left. The lefty retired 16 in a row after a leadoff walk to Francisco Cervelli in the second and finished with nine strikeouts.

Page 9: Cubs Daily Clips - MLB.commlb.mlb.com/documents/7/1/8/178442718/May_16_evg60u0h.pdf · CHICAGO -- Through six innings on Sunday, Jon Lester had allowed no hits but needed 91 pitches

"It was a little dicey," Maddon said. "But if he's got it going on, go for it." Instead, the Pirates, whom the Cubs had beaten the previous five times the teams met this season, went for it. By doing so they ended hope of the first no-hitter by a Cubs pitcher at Wrigley Field since Milt Pappas turned the trick Sept. 2, 1972. Two batters after Marte singled and stole second base, Jung Ho Kang put the Pirates ahead by turning Lester's 109th pitch into a double off the wall in right-center field and banishing the lefty to the bench in favor of Adam Warren. Warren walked two — one intentional — to load the bases before escaping the eighth. But Kang stole the show in the ninth when he belted a home run off Cubs closer Hector Rondon to close the visiting team's scoring and make a winner out of starter Gerrit Cole. The same Gerrit Cole the Cubs clobbered for six runs in 42/3 innings earlier this season this time handcuffed them to three hits and struck out seven while walking none in eight innings to push his Wrigley numbers to 6-1 with a 2.21 ERA in 45 innings. "Cole probably didn't pitch the way he wanted to the last time he faced us and probably came back with a little bit of vengeance," Lester said. "It sucks sometimes, the old cliche, 'Tip your hat to the other guy.' When you don't allow any it gives you a chance to win that ballgame. "He threw the ball better than I did today." Just barely. With Cole out of the game in the ninth, the Cubs threatened. Dexter Fowler drew a walk against Pirates closer Mark Melancon, and Jason Heyward followed with a seeing-eye single to right to put runners on the corners with nobody out and Kris Bryant and Rizzo waiting to bat. But all the Cubs could muster was a Rizzo sacrifice fly. Zobrist went back and forth with Melancon, stepping out of the box at least twice, before grounding out. "That's the way it goes," Heyward said. "It's not over till the last out is made. We gave ourselves a chance; that's all we can ask for. It's not going to happen every time." But it has been happened a lot of the time for the Cubs this season. -- Chicago Tribune Sunday's recap: Pirates 2, Cubs 1 By Paul Skrbina Jon Lester lost his no-hit bid with one out in the seventh when Starling Marte singled cleanly to right field. Two batters later, Jung Ho Kang doubled in Marte take away the shutout in the Pirates’ 2-1 victory Sunday against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Kang struck again in the ninth with a solo home run off Hector Rondon. Anthony Rizzo's sacrifice fly in the ninth pulled the Cubs (27-9) within one. At the plate

Page 10: Cubs Daily Clips - MLB.commlb.mlb.com/documents/7/1/8/178442718/May_16_evg60u0h.pdf · CHICAGO -- Through six innings on Sunday, Jon Lester had allowed no hits but needed 91 pitches

The Cubs managed just three hits – doubles from Dexter Fowler and Ben Zobrist and a single from Addison Russell – against Pirates starter Gerrit Cole, who allowed no runs and struck out seven in eight innings. On the mound Lester struck out nine and walked two in 6 2/3 innings but fell to 4-2. In the field Russell snagged a low line drive off the bat of Kang for the first out in the fifth inning. Key number 108. Runs by which the Cubs have outscored opponents, better than the next two teams in run differential combined. The quote “There’s a lot of responsibility with that. It’s somewhat of a headache. … It’s a difficult choice on a daily basis. I kind of enjoy it.” – Cubs manager Joe Maddon on choosing the right T-shirt to wear each day. Up next At Brewers, 7:10 p.m. Tuesday, CSN. RH Kyle Hendricks (2-2, 3.03) vs. Chase Anderson (1-5, 6.11). -- Chicago Tribune Joe Maddon says replay has saved him some breaths By Paul Skrbina Working out has worked out fine for Joe Maddon. So, too, has Major League Baseball's replay review system. The Cubs manager said Sunday baseball is "doing as well as they possibly can" to keep review times to a minimum. He doesn't mind the waiting game that can come along with it. But Maddon has other motives for his point of view — mainly preserving some steps and some breaths. "It has saved me so many jogs out to second," said Maddon, who exercises regularly. "I hate when it happens at second base and the umpire walks toward center field with his back toward you. That is the umpire that is really smart and really upsets me." Maddon wasn't done exercising his vocal cords about a system he has criticized heavily in the past. "I've got to run farther. … That's at least two minutes, easily," he said. "Then you come back and you're out of breath. It sucks. To wait (an extra) 20 seconds to get it right is not that big of a deal. "But I'm appreciative that jog to second base has been eliminated, primarily." Maddon said unless technology allows for improvement, there's little chance delays will be shortened. "When you legislate things, legislation always leads to other problems that were not foreseen to begin with," he said. "That's the new reality. That's why I'm very much anti-legislation about anything.

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"Just let the players play." And the umpires umpire. Just don't make him chase you to center field. "You do want the call right," he said. "I think they're doing a nice job." Soler system: There has been a lot of talk about Jorge Soler's early struggles. But don't expect the Cubs to give up — or send down — the 24-year-old outfielder. Both Maddon and Cubs President Theo Epstein have repeatedly backed the man who is batting .174 with two home runs and six RBIs to go with a .530 OPS. "If the matchups dictate he has to sit a few games in a row, it doesn't mean that Joe or the front office or anyone's given up on him," Epstein said. "There's going to be other times where he's in there every single day." He said it: "There's a lot of responsibility with that. It's somewhat of a headache. … It's a difficult choice on a daily basis. I kind of enjoy it." — Maddon, known for his T-shirt collection, on choosing one each day. -- Chicago Sun-Times Lester’s gem lost in Cole’s dominance, 2-1 loss to Pirates By Jeff Arnold As focused as Jon Lester was on the matter at hand Sunday at Wrigley Field, the two video boards behind him displayed the obvious. One reminded Lester that he hadn’t allowed a hit entering the seventh inning against the Pirates. The other told him he was quickly approaching 100 pitches, suggesting that even if Lester continued to dominate, he likely wouldn’t finish the game. But when Starling Marte drove Lester’s 101st pitch into right field for a single, any notion of his second career no-hitter vanished. When Jung Ho Kang delivered an RBI double two batters later, Lester’s 6⅓ hitless innings became a moot point. Kang added a home run in the ninth against Hector Rondon, and the Pirates held on to beat the Cubs 2-1. “It really doesn’t matter now,” Lester said. “It sucks to go through that whole scenario there and leave one in the middle and the guy [Kang] doesn’t miss it.” Pirates ace Gerrit Cole made it stand up. Cole held the Cubs to three hits in eight innings and struck out seven. The Cubs threatened in the ninth against closer Mark Melancon. Dexter Fowler walked and Jason Heyward singled him to third. One out later, Fowler scored on Anthony Rizzo’s sacrifice fly. But after Heyward stole second base, Ben Zobrist grounded out into a shift. “That’s the way it goes, man,” Heyward said. “We gave ourselves a chance. That’s all we can ask for. It’s not going to happen every time.” Until that point, it was Lester who had given the Cubs every chance to complete the series sweep. Lester, who threw a no-hitter May 19, 2008, with the Red Sox, struck out nine, lowered his ERA to 1.88 and turned in his seventh quality start in eight outings. The rate at which the Cubs have scored runs has made life easy for the starters. Although Lester didn’t have that luxury Sunday, he knows it won’t be every day that the Cubs’ bats are quiet. Outside of the fastball to Kang that he didn’t locate, Lester discovered a silver lining. He found his curveball, and he knows he’s in a better place now than he was at this point last season, his first with the Cubs.

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“I was behind the 8-ball last year to start the year and put myself even further behind the 8-ball with a terrible April,” Lester said. “Hopefully, I’ll just continue to give our team chances to win ballgames, and that’s all I will try to do the whole year.” -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs’ Javy Baez deserves to start at third, but it’s complicated By Rick Morrissey The Cubs don’t have problems. They have options. Javy Baez has Gold Glove talent and should be a fixture at third base, sending Kris Bryant permanently to left field. The problem – oops, the fun issue! – is that Tommy La Stella is hitting .340/.417/.604 in 53 at-bats. He plays third base, too. Fielding should be as valued as hitting, but it isn’t. Baseball people talk a good game about the importance of defense but almost always choose offense if there’s a decision to be made. And stats freaks spend most of their time figuring out new ways to describe numerically what the eye can see, that someone is a great hitter, but haven’t come up with as many ways to quantify what makes someone a good fielder or a bad fielder. Baez is phenomenal, whether making the tough stop to either side of him on a hard-hit ball or, particularly, charging a slow roller, picking it up barehanded and firing a strike to Anthony Rizzo at first. This will be heresy, but he’s a better fielder than shortstop Addison Russell, who isn’t as flashy but always makes the plays he can get to. No, I don’t know where the nearest effigy-burning supply store is. Baez doesn’t have Russell’s stature, so finding at-bats for La Stella means finding them at Baez’ expense. La Stella’s natural position is second base, but the Cubs certainly aren’t going to take plate appearances away from Ben Zobrist, who is ridiculously hot. Zobrist can play left field, but if you think the Cubs would take at-bats from Bryant so La Stella can play second base, please report immediately to the drug-testing lab. And let’s not even get into what will happen whenever left field/catcher Kyle Schwarber returns from his knee injury. Somewhere down the line, maybe in a year or two, the Cubs will have some hard decisions to make involving trades. Some good, hard decisions. -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs notebook: Arrieta looks like a Cyborg; Cubs hit the road By Jeff Arnold As on top of his game as Cubs ace Jake Arrieta might be, manager Joe Maddon conceded he isn’t always perfect. A day after Pirates starter Jeff Locke suggested Arrieta might have hit third baseman Jung Ho Kang intentionally during the Cubs’ 8-2 victory Saturday, Maddon scoffed at Locke’s assertion. Locke told reporters that when Arrieta hits anyone, ‘‘You’ve got to assume automatically that one didn’t just get away.’’ Before the game Sunday, Maddon was asked what he thought of the comment, especially given that Locke was one of two players Arrieta walked.

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‘‘My point is that [Locke is] suggesting Jake always knows where the ball is going,’’ Maddon said. ‘‘I’m saying it’s evidenced by the fact [Arrieta] walked him on four pitches that he doesn’t always know where the ball is going.’’ Given Arrieta’s dominance despite struggling with his command a bit lately, Maddon said he understands the assumption by opposing hitters that Arrieta can put the ball wherever he wants. ‘‘He’s definitely got a cyborg look about him,’’ Maddon said of Arrieta. ‘‘When you watch him out there, I can see Arnold Schwarzenegger at his best, just going through this pitching motion, pitching exactly where he wants all the time. ‘‘But I think even Arnold messed up a couple of times in ‘Terminator.’ [Arrieta’s] not perfect by any means. When somebody wants to bring it to the forefront, that’s their right to do that. But I think Jake actually said it: You’ll know when he’s wanting to hit somebody.’’ Hitting the road After winning seven of 10 games on the homestand that wrapped up Sunday, the Cubs will play their next nine games on the road — three each in Milwaukee, San Francisco and St. Louis. The Cubs, who are 13-3 away from home, won’t play again at Wrigley Field until May 27. Maddon isn’t necessarily a fan of such long trips, but he thinks some positives will come from his team hitting the road, including better weather. The temperature at game time Sunday was 45 degrees. ‘‘There won’t be a wind blowing in our hitter’s faces,’’ Maddon said. But the trip also will bring its share of challenges, including tests against the Giants and Cardinals. ‘‘We’re going to play against some good teams that play well in their ballparks,’’ right fielder Jason Heyward said. ‘‘So it will be a lot of fun for us.’’ Starting success Left-hander Jon Lester’s outing of 6⅔ innings marked the 44th consecutive regular-season game in which a Cubs starter worked at least five innings. The streak is the longest in franchise history since 1910. -- Daily Herald No no-hitter for Lester in Cubs loss By Bruce Miles The Cubs love Wrigley Field. Cubs fans love Wrigley Field. But until winter decides to leave and summer gets here, the Cubs may be glad to hit the road for a while. "The wind's not going to be blowing in," said manager Joe Maddon after Sunday's 2-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley, where the temperature was 45 degrees and the wind was blowing in off Lake Michigan at 11 mph. "That'll be the biggest difference. I love playing at Wrigley. We all love playing here. But it's nice to get away for a little bit and then come back to it." No doubt the Cubs have taken care of business at the Friendly Confines. They finished this 10-game homestand with a record of 7-3, and they're 14-6 at home for the season. After an off-day Monday, they'll take off on a three-city trip to Milwaukee, San Francisco and St. Louis.

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Really, there wasn't much to complain about Sunday. The 40,814 fans in attendance witnessed a good pitchers duel between Cubs left-hander Jon Lester and the Pirates' Gerrit Cole. Suspense hung in the chilly air as Lester took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before Starling Marte singled to right field with one out. After Lester struck out Francisco Cervelli, Jung Ho Kang doubled to the gap in right-center to break a scoreless tie. Kang added an important insurance run in the ninth with a home run off reliever Hector Rondon. The Cubs came up with a run in the bottom of the ninth, but Ben Zobrist grounded out after battling Pirates closer Mark Melancon. That enabled the Pirates to come away with their first victory over the Cubs in six games this year. As for Lester's no-hit bit, he said it would have been hard not to know what was going on. In addition to keeping the Pirates hitless until the seventh, he was running up his pitch count. He entered the seventh with 91 and left after Kang's double having thrown 109 for the game. "It's hard not to notice," said Lester, who fell to 4-2 with a 1.88 ERA. "We got two giant scoreboards out there that kind of display everything. As far as both ends of the question, you got giant numbers out there telling you where your pitch count's at. You got a giant scoreboard telling you you haven't given up any hits. It really doesn't matter now." The Pirates (19-17) desperately needed a good outing from Cole against the Cubs (27-9), and they got it. He worked 8 scoreless innings, giving up 3 hits. Even though the Cubs are 8 games ahead of the Pirates in the National League Central, Cole seemed to be conceding nothing. "It was just an opportunity to try to salvage the series," he said. "I don't really think they're the best team in baseball." Time will tell on that one. Meanwhile, the Cubs will hope the ivy is in full bloom and the temperatures are more springlike when they return for the long Memorial Day weekend. "Happy to be playing baseball," said right fielder Jason Heyward. "We've got a fun group. We've got to take care of business in Milwaukee. We get a dome there, so regardless of the weather, we'll be inside. We're going to play some good teams that play well in their ballparks, so it will be a lot of fun for us." -- Daily Herald Maddon surprised by Locke's claim By Bruce Miles Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon found it almost laughable. Pittsburgh pitcher Jeff Locke seemed to think Cubs ace Jake Arrieta hit the Pirates' Jung Ho Kang on purpose Saturday. "I think anytime someone like Arrieta hits somebody, you have to assume automatically that one didn't just get away," Locke said. "He's been pretty sharp all year … so when he misses like that, maybe you raise an eyebrow or something like that, too. "I don't know what happened on the pitch. It got him pretty flush, though. It just seems a guy like that, with pinpoint accuracy, doesn't just miss in." Locke and the Pirates lost 8-2 to the Cubs on Saturday. The first thing Maddon did Sunday in response to Locke's comment was to point out Arrieta walked Locke on four pitches in Saturday's fifth inning.

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"I really don't think Jake was pitching around Locke," Maddon said. "My point is it can happen at any time, that a really exceptional pitcher can lose command of his pitches. That's how I'd answer Mr. Locke. "I really think Jake was not intentionally trying to throw four consecutive balls to him when he was hitting. I don't think he was intimidated by Mr. Locke being at the plate, and (he) was really trying to throw a strike. "He (Locke) was suggesting that Jake always knows where the ball is going. I'm saying it's evidenced by the fact that he walked him on four pitches that he doesn't always know where the ball is going." No batting practice again: The Cubs have made a habit of not taking on-field batting practice before games. It's something Joe Maddon started regularly in the latter part of last season. "We have such a wonderful (indoor batting) cage and a way to get prepared for the day," Maddon said. "By the time the game begins, they're frisky. I know that our guys believe in (limited BP) now. "Part of it is just convincing hitting coaches because it's like you have to do this in order to justify the fact that you're working and doing the right things, and, 'I'm doing my job, and I'm supposed to do this stuff because I was taught to do this stuff.' Sometimes it's more difficult to convince hitting coaches. "It's the most ridiculously overrated part of what we do every day." Maddon added that hitting coach John Mallee indeed is on board with the practice. He said it: Joe Maddon on Jake Arrieta: "He's definitely got a cyborg look about him, there's no question. When you watch him out there, I can definitely see (Arnold) Schwarzenegger at his best out there just going through this pitching-delivery motion and throwing pitches exactly where he wants all the time. "But I think even Arnold messed up a couple times in 'The Terminator.' Listen, he's not perfect by any means." -- Daily Herald Bernfield: Cubs don't have to rush next Arrieta deal By Jordan Bernfield What does Nationals' right-hander Stephen Strasburg's seven-year, $175 million contract mean for Jake Arrieta's future? The Cubs' ace is making $10.7 million this year and will go to arbitration to determine his salary again next year. He becomes a free agent following the 2017 season. Before picking up Saturday's win, Arrieta entered that game with a 22-1 record and a 0.92 ERA over his last 27 starts. Included in that stretch are two no-hitters and the National League Cy Young Award. He has more no-hitters in that stretch than losses, and since the end of the 2014 season, he has been one of baseball's best pitchers. Arrieta wants to remain in Chicago and pitch for the Cubs long term, but he's not going to take a hometown discount. "You want to be paid in respect to how your peers are paid," Arrieta said last week when asked about his expectations for his next contract. "I don't think that changes with any guy you ask. Guys want to be compensated fairly. It's something you see happens around baseball every year. There are not many guys who can pitch at the top of the rotation just floating around the league. That's why starting pitching is so valuable."

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Strasburg will now be paid like a top-of-the-rotation starter, despite never winning the Cy Young Award or posting an ERA below 3.00 over four full seasons. But he's 27 years old, and the Nationals believe they are paying for improved future performance. Arrieta turned 30 in March. In the first season of a new contract -- assuming he doesn't sign a new deal before his current one expires -- he'll be 32. He will be older than Price, Greinke and Scherzer were at the time they signed their contracts. And the price for elite pitching is only going up. Last off-season, David Price secured seven years and $217 million from Boston. Zach Greinke got $206.5 million over six years with the Diamondbacks. The year before, Max Scherzer got seven years and $210 million from Washington. That's a lot of money to pay a pitcher whose value will only depreciate with every pitch he throws. Arrieta may be great, but there's no pitch that can strike out Father Time. Arrieta also ascended to the ace role in only one year. Pitchers such as Price, Scherzer and Greinke, who earned megadeals over the last few seasons, had much longer track records of success. They were safer bets. Right now, Arrieta is unhittable. His consistent dominance since last year's All-Star break is historic. He is the Cubs' clear number one starter -- a key ingredient when building a championship team. But the Cubs will -- and should -- wait until they are confident in Arrieta's ability to consistently perform over multiple years before handing him the largest contract in franchise history. Three full seasons of elite performance would make him a much better bet despite his age. The Cubs have the deep farm system required to trade for a cost-controlled pitcher or two who could develop into their next ace. If Arrieta's price tag doesn't come down, thank him for the memories and find the young arms to make new ones. • Jordan Bernfield is an anchor and co-host of "Inside The Clubhouse" on WSCR 670-AM The Score. He also works as a play-by-play broadcaster for ESPN. Follow him on Twitter@JordanBernfield. -- Cubs.com Lester loses no-no, shutout in 7th as Cubs fall By Carrie Muskat and Cody Stavenhagen CHICAGO -- Gerrit Cole made a statement on Sunday, throwing eight shutout innings, and Jung Ho Kang smacked an RBI double and solo homer as the Pirates took a 2-1 victory over the Cubs and Jon Lester, who no-hit Pittsburgh through 6 1/3 innings. The Pirates notched their first victory in six games against the Cubs this season. "It was just an opportunity to try to salvage the series," Cole said. "I don't really think they're the best team in baseball, so it's just one game at a time. It doesn't really matter who you're playing. You just have to keep going at them." Dexter Fowler led off the Cubs' first with a double that shortstop Jordy Mercer lost in the sun, and Chicago collected two more hits off Cole, including a double by Ben Zobrist with two outs in the fourth. "Both sides pitched really well, both guys were on their game," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of Cole and Lester. "That was as good as we've seen Cole in a while. There's nothing to complain about -- it was just a really well-played baseball game, and we got beat today."

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Kang, whose double in the seventh came one out after Starling Marte ended Lester's no-hit bid with a single, hit his fourth home run in eight games this season with one out in the ninth, launching a 3-2 fastball from Cubs closer Hector Rondon into the left-field bleachers. "I'm impressed to the degree that this is a special guy, so when he does things, it's not like I'm one who says, 'That's unbelievable,'" Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said about Kang. "No, it's believable. He keeps doing things that shows you that he's a quality ballplayer, and he has a great feel for the game." The Cubs, who lead the Majors in run differential, tallied in the ninth on Anthony Rizzo's sacrifice fly off Mark Melancon. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Seventh: On May 19, 2008, Lester threw a no-hitter for the Red Sox against the Royals. On Sunday, he held the Pirates hitless until Marte's single on his 101st pitch. Lester struck out nine and walked two, throwing a season-high 109 pitches over 6 2/3 innings. He was lifted after Kang's double. Lester was well aware of the situation. "You've got giant numbers out there telling you what your pitch count is at and you've got a giant scoreboard telling you that you haven't given up any hits," Lester said. "It really doesn't matter now." Lost and found: Judging by the Pirates' first defensive play, it seemed as if they were in for another long day against the Cubs. Mercer lost Fowler's ball in the sun and it fell between him and second baseman Josh Harrison in shallow center. Fowler was credited with a double, but Cole kept the mistake from hurting. He struck out Jason Heyward, got Kris Bryant to pop out and Rizzo to fly out to end the inning. Closing time: Rondon took over in the Pirates ninth, and after striking out Francisco Cervelli, served up Kang's homer. It was the second run off Rondon in 15 games this season and the first home run. Rondon is still a perfect 7-for-7 in save situations. Closed case: Hurdle made a tough decision when he pulled Cole and sent closer Mark Melancon out for the ninth. Melancon surrendered one run, but was able to close the door when Ben Zobrist grounded out to Harrison, who was stationed in the outfield grass, to end the game. "You send your closer out there in the ninth, you're pretty much gonna die with him as well," Hurdle said. "I felt our best bet to win that game at that point in time was to put the guy in there, in Melancon, that's made a living doing it." WHAT'S NEXT Pirates: Left-hander Jonathon Niese starts for the Pirates to open a four-game series against the Braves on Monday at 7:05 p.m. ET at PNC Park. Niese is 3-2 with a 1.93 ERA in his past eight starts against the Braves. Cubs: After an off-day Monday, the Cubs hit the road, beginning with three games in Milwaukee. Kyle Hendricks will start Wednesday at Miller Park. He is 4-1 with a 1.49 ERA in seven starts against the Brewers. First pitch will be 7:10 p.m. CT. Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV. -- Cubs.com Lester: 'Tough one,' but positives to be found By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Thursday marks the eight-year anniversary of Jon Lester's no-hitter, and the left-hander took a run at celebrating another one.

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On Sunday, Lester took the loss despite holding the Pirates hitless through 6 1/3 innings in Pittsburgh's 2-1 win over Chicago. The Cubs lost for the first time in six games against the Pirates, but are still 15-3 against National League Central teams. On May 19, 2008, Lester threw a no-no for the Red Sox against the Royals, and if he had done so Sunday, he would've been the sixth pitcher with a no-hitter in both leagues. Starling Marte ended the no-hit bid when he singled to right on Lester's 101st pitch. Lester said it was hard not to notice what his pitch count was and what the situation was. "You've got two giant scoreboards out there that display everything," Lester said. "You've got giant numbers out there telling you what your pitch count is at, and you've got a giant scoreboard telling you that you haven't given up any hits. It really doesn't matter now." During Jake Arrieta's no-hitter last month in Cincinnati, manager Joe Maddon talked about how they had discussed protocol during such events and that a pitcher had more leeway in terms of pitch counts. Still, Lester's high this season was 106 pitches. He finished at 109. "It was a little dicey," Maddon said. "If he's got it going on, go for it." After Marte's single, Lester struck out Francisco Cervelli, and Maddon said that indicated to him that the lefty still had plenty in the tank. But Jung Ho Kang then doubled to right and Lester was pulled. "He's a good fastball hitter, and I tried to go in, and didn't locate," Lester said of the at-bat versus Kang. "I made a lot of really good pitches today, and as the game went on, I found my curveball a little bit, finally. It [stinks] to go through that whole scenario there and leave one middle and the guy doesn't miss it and hits a double. That's a tough one. "You've got to look at the other hundred pitches I threw," he said. "They were pretty good, and you have to take the positive from it. I feel like I found my curveball today. That definitely helped me." Lester's ERA did go down to 1.88, and he's one of three Cubs starters with a sub 2.00 ERA, joining Arrieta (1.29) and Jason Hammel (1.77). He definitely didn't let his teammates down, finishing with nine strikeouts. This was his 22nd career start in which he's given up two or fewer hits. "Jonny was awesome," Jason Heyward said. "He's been a bulldog for us." -- Cubs.com Federowicz: Options for Cubs with 3 catchers By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Tim Federowicz is now one of three catchers on the Cubs with the Saturday return of Miguel Montero, who had been on the disabled list. "It makes sense the way Joe [Maddon] likes to make moves," said Federowicz, who was promoted from Triple-A Iowa when Montero was injured April 25. "We have so many other versatile infielders and outfielders. Miggy, on the days he's not playing, we have another left-handed bat off the bench. I think Joe loves it, and it'll be good." Federowicz, 28, also had a first baseman's glove, which he had broken in at Iowa. He played three games at first, one game at third, and six at catcher. If first baseman Anthony Rizzo needs a breather, the Cubs now have a backup.

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• The Cubs did not take batting practice on Sunday, and will continue to not do so as long as they have hitting options such as a batting cage. "By the time the game begins, they're frisky," Maddon said of the players, whom he feels get worn out with too much pregame BP. "It's the most ridiculously overrated part of what we do every day." When did Maddon's aversion to BP begin? He was a hitting coach with the Angels in the Minor Leagues and working with Jack Howell, who had been sent down to the Triple-A team in Tucson. During a pregame hitting session, Howell did well in the first five minutes, and Maddon wanted to end the session. But Howell kept going and, as Maddon said, "hit right through 'feel.'" By hitting so much, Maddon said the players were fatigued. He changed his approach and focused more on condensing the work day and working smarter. • After Satuday's game, the Pirates' Jeff Locke said Jake Arrieta was too good of a pitcher, command-wise, to hit Jung Ho Kang with a pitch, which he did in the fourth inning. "I think Jake walked Locke on four pitches," Maddon said Sunday. "I really don't think Jake was pitching around Locke. My point is it can happen at any time, when an exceptional pitcher can lose command of his pitches." Bottom line is that even Arrieta doesn't always know where the ball is going. "He definitely has this cyborg look about him," Maddon said of Arrieta. "When you watch him out there, I can definitely see Arnold Schwarzenegger going through his pitching delivery motion and throwing the pitches exactly where he wants all the time, but I think even Arnold messed up a couple times. [Arrieta is] not perfect by any means." -- Cubs.com Kids help Cubs 'Play Ball' Sunday at Wrigley By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Young Oliver Biggam got the Cubs' game started on Sunday by saying, "Play ball," which was appropriate. Biggam was part of the Play Ball Weekend activities at Wrigley Field on Sunday. Prior to the start of the Cubs' game against the Pirates, kids ran out to each position and had Cubs players there sign a cap. Ariana Barton, wearing a "Play Ball" T-shirt, took the rosin bag to the mound. The activities were part of Major League Baseball's Play Ball Weekend, an extension of the Play Ball initiative launched in 2015, which is an effort to encourage widespread participation in both formal and casual baseball and softball activities. On Wednesday, Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg joined Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts at Hawthorne Scholastic Academy in Chicago to participate in a clinic as part of the Play Ball Weekend festivities. -- Cubs.com Hendricks to lead Cubs vs. Anderson, Brewers By Cody Stavenhagen Kyle Hendricks will be on the mound for the Cubs to begin a 10-game road trip Tuesday against the Brewers.

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So far this season, the road has not diminished the Cubs' success. They enter the series 13-3 away from home as part of their blistering start to the season. "It's actually good to get away sometimes," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "You're at home, there's a lot of demands at home, even having a young baby at home. A guy can catch up on his rest on the road. From our perspective, there won't be the wind blowing in the hitters' faces, and they'll like that. I think the change of venue, change of scenery, keeps it fresh and keeps it exciting and makes you appreciate it even more." The Brewers, who are in the middle of a seven-game homestand, will throw right-hander Chase Anderson, who is 1-5 with a 6.11 ERA this season. With the Brewers down and the Cubs up, odds are high that Miller Park will revert to "Wrigley Field North," as it was known in the early 2000s, when Cubs fans attended Milwaukee games in droves. Counsell played for the Brewers during some of those games. "I think it registers with players the first time it happens," Counsell said, "and after that, it just is what it is. Every player likes energy in the stadium, so you take the energy in the stadium and you use it for you. Use it for yourself." Three things to know about this game • Hendricks, a right-hander who is 2-2 with a 3.03 ERA this season, is 4-1 with a 1.49 ERA in seven starts against the Brewers, including three scoreless outings. That ERA is the best of any active pitcher against the Brewers. • Anderson has an 8.88 ERA over his past five starts after not allowing a run in his first two starts this season. He has never pitched against the Cubs, but did make an appearance against them as a pinch-hitter. • The Brewers hope to have Ryan Braun closer to full strength by Tuesday after the left fielder missed starts on Saturday and Sunday because of a sore right wrist. He began feeling discomfort on Friday, when Braun went 0-for-3 to snap a 12-game hitting streak, but took an intentional walk to extend his on-base streak to 23 straight games. It's the third-longest on-base streak in Braun's career. Braun is a .338 career hitter with 23 home runs and 94 RBIs in 121 career games against the Cubs. --


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