Cody Bellinger’s return to Dodger Stadium couldn’t have performed out a lot better.
He acquired a pregame tribute and cheers Friday, robbed Jason Heyward of a house run Saturday and slugged a no-doubt homer Sunday as a part of the Chicago Cubs’ collection win towards the Los Angeles Dodgers. His homer Sunday, the second of back-to-back residence runs with Patrick Wisdom, stood because the profitable run in a 3-2 victory.
Bellinger’s 422-foot residence run at 108.1 mph was his hardest-hit ball of any sort since 2020.
“I had a lot of fun and I tried to enjoy every second of it,” Bellinger mentioned. “You only come back for the first time one time. I really just wanted to soak in the moment and to have a fun time with the fans.”
Although his second youngster is due any day, Bellinger mentioned after the sport he nonetheless deliberate to fly with the crew Sunday evening to Oakland.
“We need to keep that (bun) in the oven and let that settle in while he’s rolling,” supervisor David Ross joked.
While the Cubs head to Oakland winners of three consecutive collection, the White Sox have but to win a collection this season as they navigate round accidents to 3rd baseman Yoán Moncada and shortstop Tim Anderson.
Every Monday all through the season, Tribune baseball writers will present an replace on what occurred — and what’s forward — for the Cubs and Sox.
Yan Gomes, the (selective) base stealer
Yan Gomes’ spotless profession stolen-base document stays intact, a tidbit that stunned the veteran catcher.
Gomes, 35, isn’t identified for his offense, although even in Year 12 of his big-league profession he nonetheless possesses some pop in his bat. He recorded his seventh profession multihomer recreation and second with the Cubs when he slugged two homers as a part of a three-hit recreation Friday at Dodger Stadium.
But maybe extra impressively, Gomes stole second base within the third inning. It arrange the Cubs’ first run of their 8-2 win, with Gomes scoring on Ian Happ’s two-out double. The steal improved Gomes to 8-for-8 in his profession.
“I thought for sure I’ve gotten thrown out before,” Gomes mentioned. “But on the identical time, I don’t go very a lot. Shoot, this a few years within the massive leagues and getting solely eight baggage I don’t assume is one thing to be extraordinarily pleased with, nevertheless it’s 100%.
“There’s so much that, obviously not being a base stealer, goes into it. (First base coach Mike Napoli) tells you to go, you’re like, ‘Oh, my gosh, are you sure I should go? I feel like he’s going to pick me off even though there’s not much of a threat there.’”
Gomes grew to become the sixth major-league catcher since 1901 to tally not less than three hits, two residence runs and a stolen base in a single recreation and the primary since Ivan Rodriguez did it for the Texas Rangers on Aug. 16, 1999, in Cleveland. Gomes is the primary National League catcher to perform the feat for the reason that Philadelphia Phillies’ Darren Daulton on Aug. 17, 1985, at Wrigley Field.
Gomes’ manufacturing out of the No. 9 spot in Friday’s victory offered a pleasant increase, although the Cubs haven’t gotten constantly dependable manufacturing from Gomes or fellow catcher Tucker Barnhart. That’s not why they’re on the crew, although. Gomes, who’s 8-for-34 (.235) with no walks and 6 strikeouts to begin the season, facilities his each day deal with the pitching workers.
He discovered that method when he got here up with Cleveland beneath supervisor Terry Francona.
“I was taking pride in that,” Gomes mentioned. “If I do some at the plate, great. Obviously it’s going to get pointed out. But if we’re celebrating after the game with the win, I feel like we all did our jobs.”
How are the Sox addressing early wildness?
Sox reliever Aaron Bummer issued a bases-loaded stroll to the Baltimore Orioles’ Cedric Mullins within the sixth inning of Saturday’s recreation at Guaranteed Rate Field.
One inning later, Sox reliever Kendall Graveman walked Ryan O’Hearn with the bases loaded.
That’s usually not a recipe for achievement — however the Sox discovered a approach to win 7-6 in 10 innings regardless of strolling 10 batters.
It marked their first victory with not less than 10 walks since Sept. 14, 2020, after they issued 10 in a 3-1 win towards the Minnesota Twins.
“We did walk a lot of guys, but we made pitches when they had to be made,” supervisor Pedro Grifol mentioned Sunday morning. “(The Orioles went) 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position. That means you’re making pitches and you’re playing defense.”
The Sox walked 26 within the collection, their most in a three-game span since June 21-23, 1996 (additionally 26).
“Obviously we need to do a better job staying in the strike zone and attacking guys,” catcher Yasmani Grandal mentioned Sunday. “The good thing is it’s happening now and not later in the year. We are going to address that early instead of late.”
The Sox had success in that space the earlier collection, limiting the Twins to 5 walks in three video games. But the Orioles have proven why they rank within the high 5 within the majors in walks.
Entering Sunday, the Sox had allowed 74 walks this season. Only the Oakland Athletics (79) had issued extra.
Grifol mentioned one secret’s attacking the strike zone earlier with a purpose of throwing two strikes within the first three pitches of an at-bat.
“We win the two-out-of-three battle for the day, we probably have a good chance to win a baseball game,” Grifol mentioned. “If we lose that battle, we’re going to be in trouble. Games like (Saturday), you don’t come out on the right side of those types of games. We did because we showed grit, we showed the ability to come back four different times.”
Week forward: Cubs
The Cubs have been one out from a three-game sweep of the Dodgers and carry momentum into their three-game set in Oakland, a main alternative to win one other collection.
The Cubs have performed effectively towards good groups, however the collection towards the Athletics gives one other take a look at: Can they beat up on unhealthy groups? It’s a should in the event that they’re severe about contending for the postseason, and no crew has been worse to begin the 12 months than the A’s (3-13).
A scheduling quirk means the Cubs received’t wait lengthy to see the Dodgers once more. The four-game collection that begins Thursday at Wrigley Field will problem the Cubs pitching workers to proceed to seek out success towards a Dodgers lineup that failed to attain greater than two runs in all three video games over the weekend.
Sunday’s starter, Drew Smyly, wasn’t wanting too far forward regardless of figuring out his subsequent begin additionally can be towards the Dodgers. He held them to at least one run and 4 hits in 5⅔ innings within the victory. He relied much less on his curveball than in his first two begins, incorporating his sinker and cutter extra regularly.
Smyly didn’t need to give away an excessive amount of perception into his method earlier than seeing them once more in 5 days.
“The plan was to be very aggressive in the zone,” Smyly mentioned. “This team’s obviously super talented and they’re very disciplined. They’re known to not really chase much and make pitchers work. So my mindset was let’s just come out as aggressive as can be, try to get strike 1, strike 2 to keep them on their heels.”
- Monday: at Athletics, 8:40 p.m., Marquee
- Tuesday: at Athletics, 8:40 p.m., Marquee
- Wednesday: at Athletics, 2:37 p.m., Marquee
- Thursday: vs. Dodgers, 6:40 p.m., Marquee
- Friday: vs. Dodgers, 1:20 p.m., Marquee
- Saturday: vs. Dodgers, 1:20 p.m., Marquee
- Sunday: vs. Dodgers, 1:20 p.m., Marquee
Week forward: Sox
Jake Burger lined the primary pitch he noticed Friday over Guaranteed Rate Field’s left-field wall for a solo residence run within the second inning towards the Orioles.
“It comes in waves, and right now I feel pretty good and feel like I’m controlling what I can control and putting my best on swing on every ball,” Burger advised the Tribune earlier than Saturday’s recreation. “It’s always been a part of my game. I’ve always hit balls hard. Any way I can contribute to the team and help us win ballgames is always a plus.”
The infielder homered once more Saturday, a two-run blast within the sixth that helped the Sox regain momentum. And he went deep within the first inning Sunday for his fourth homer of the season, second on the crew.
Burger returned to the Sox from Triple-A Charlotte on April 5 when Eloy Jiménez went on the injured record, and he spent a while at designated hitter. He additionally has crammed in at third base with Yoán Moncada out with a sore decrease again. Burger is slashing .350/.391/1.050 in his first eight video games.
“He didn’t make the team out of spring training and he’s come in and been a huge part of this club the last week and a half,” Grifol mentioned Sunday morning.
As of Sunday afternoon, the Sox have been tied for 14th within the majors with 17 homers. For distinction, the Tampa Bay Rays led the large leagues with 36. The groups have a weekend collection beginning Friday in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Burger has been an instance of the Sox depth, which has been examined early with the accidents to Jiménez (who returned Friday), Moncada and Tim Anderson.
Lenyn Sosa has gotten an prolonged take a look at second base with Elvis Andrus shifting to shortstop to fill in for Anderson.
“Obviously the depth of the 40-man (roster) is critical,” Grifol mentioned. “We feel like we’re in a pretty good spot. Obviously our starters are our starters and we want those guys back as soon as possible, but in the meantime these guys are pretty damn good too, so we’re happy about that.”
- Monday: vs. Phillies, 6:10 p.m., NBCSCH
- Tuesday: vs. Phillies, 6:10 p.m., NBCSCH
- Wednesday: vs. Phillies, 1:10 p.m., NBCSCH
- Thursday: off
- Friday: at Rays, 5:40 p.m., NBCSCH
- Saturday: at Rays, 3:05 p.m., Fox-32
- Sunday: at Rays, 12:40 p.m., NBCSCH
What we’re studying this morning
This week in Chicago baseball
April 18, 1991: New Comiskey Park opens
The new period launched 30 years in the past, on April 18, 1991, with Gov. James Thompson tossing out the ceremonial first pitch and different luminaries in attendance.
The good vibes pale shortly, nonetheless, because the Sox misplaced 16-0 — no, that isn’t a typo — to the Detroit Tigers. To say the Sox and their followers anticipated higher is placing it mildly, particularly contemplating the Sox have been 6-1 getting into the sport and had ace Jack McDowell on the mound; he had gone the space and struck out 10 in each of his begins to that time.
April 20, 1946: Cubs make their TV debut
“Television Eye to Follow Cub Fortunes Today: Entire Game Will Be Seen in Broadcast” learn the Tribune headline on the morning of April 20, 1946.
WBKB, Chicago’s first industrial TV station, had its cell unit at Wrigley Field for the defending NL champion Cubs’ residence opener towards the St. Louis Cardinals.
WBKB workers announcer Jack Gibney was behind the microphone, and the photographs regarded all proper leaving Clark and Addison, or not less than pretty much as good as is perhaps anticipated with a Nineteen Forties digital camera and no zoom lens.
But anybody at residence hoping to see the ballgame, a 2-0 loss for the Cubs’ first defeat of the season, was in for an disagreeable shock.
“Fail in Effort to Televise Cubs’ Game,” the following day’s Tribune headline mentioned. See, a humorous factor occurred again at station headquarters at State and Lake, nonetheless the house of ABC-7 immediately.
April 21, 2012: Philip Humber pitches good recreation
For only some seconds, Philip Humber’s good recreation bid was out of his arms.
”Go get it,” Humber mentioned as catcher A.J. Pierzynski chased down an errant slider that pinch hitter Brendan Ryan was dominated to have swung at. “Throw him out.”
As quickly as Pierzynski retreated and accomplished his throw to first base to finish the twenty seventh consecutive out, the newest chapter in Humber’s wonderful ascent was accomplished.
Just 15 months after Humber needed to earn his means onto the Sox’s 2011 opening-day roster, he threw the twenty first good recreation in major-league historical past with an environment friendly 4-0 victory over the Mariners.
Quotable
“He’s a worker. He’s been around a really long time. The expectation is he’s going to continue to trust in himself, which I know he does. We trust in him. … Nobody’s perfect. Guys have tough days. It is baseball. I don’t think we were expecting him to hit .400 all year. I don’t know if you were, but we weren’t.” — Cubs supervisor David Ross on Dansby Swanson’s powerful collection at Dodger Stadium, the place he went 3-for-13 with eight strikeouts.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com