August 6, 2017

Cubs.com, Cubs tab Lester for finale against Nationals http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/246614820/cubs-tab-lester-for-finale-against-nationals

Cubs.com, Avila rakes, Contreras rolls to lead win vs. Nats http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/246615136/avila-contreras-lead-cubs-over-nationals/

Cubs.com, Contreras starts in left, keeps hot bat in lineup http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/246615166/cubs-willson-contreras-starts-in-left-field/

Cubs.com, Lackey battles, earns win vs. tough Nats lineup http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/246643236/john-lackey-tosses-5-innings-for-win-vs-nats/

ESPNChicago.com, Cubs find winning formula against Nationals http://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/45250/cubs-find-winning-formula-against-nationals

CSNChicago.com, Definitive proof that Willson Contreras is the best catcher on the planet right now http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/definitive-proof-willson-contreras-best-catcher-planet-right-now-miguel-cabrera-buster-posey-victor-martinez-mlb-nl-mvp

CSNChicago.com, No days off: The Cubs absolutely cannot keep Willson Contreras out of the lineup right now http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/no-days-cubs-absolutely-cannot-keep-willson-contreras-out-lineup-right-now-bill-belichick-joe-maddon-alex-avila-nationals-giants

Chicago Tribune, Another day, another big showing from budding superstar Willson Contreras http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-cubs-nationals-spt-0806-20170805-column.html

Chicago Tribune, Never too early for talk of Kris Bryant and Bryce Harper teaming up http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-harper-bryant-sullivan-around-baseball-spt-0806-20170805-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Joe Maddon confident Cubs can turn it up a notch against top teams http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-joe-maddon-confidence-cubs-notes-spt-0806-20170805-story.html

Chicago Sun-Times, Willson Contreras, playing left field, continues his hitting barrage http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/willson-contreras-playing-left-field-continues-his-hitting-barrage/

Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs find winning formula in victory against Nationals http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/cubs-find-winning-formula-in-victory-against-nationals/

Chicago Sun-Times, MORRISSEY: One victory over the Nationals is worth a lot more http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/morrissey-one-victory-over-the-nationals-is-worth-a-lot-more/

Daily Herald, Cubs' Contreras hitting hot in win over Nationals http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170805/cubs-contreras-hitting-hot-in-win-over-nationals

Daily Herald, Maddon not concerned with Cubs' struggles against good teams http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170805/maddon-not-concerned-with-cubs-struggles-against-good-teams

Daily Herald, Ostrowski: Cubs' schedule only looking better from here on out http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170805/ostrowski-cubs-schedule-only-looking-better-from-here-on-out

-- Cubs.com Cubs tab Lester for finale against Nationals By Kyle Melnick Jon Lester has won three World Series, started 339 games, is a four-time All-Star and has 2,000 career strikeouts. On Sunday afternoon, the 33-year-old Cubs lefty will face the Nationals and Erick Fedde, a 24-year-old who's thrown 87 Major League pitches. The veteran-vs.-rookie matchup will wrap up a three-game series at Wrigley Field. Though this is their final regular-season meeting, the clubs could meet again in the National League Division Series, which would feature the past two NL Cy Young Award and Most Valuable Player Award winners. While Washington has a significant lead in the NL East, the Cubs will battle to maintain their NL Central edge the next two months with the Brewers, Pirates and Cardinals vying for the lead. In his previous start against the D-backs, Lester hit his first Major League home run and collected his 2,000th career strikeout. However, the left-hander lasted just four innings and threw 104 pitches, allowing three runs and striking out nine. Lester is 2-1 with a 2.53 ERA in five career starts vs. the Nationals. The 12-year veteran allowed one run over six innings while striking out seven when he faced Washington in June. Fedde, the Nats' No. 3 prospect according to MLBPipeline.com, made his long-awaited Major League debut Sunday vs. the Rockies, allowing seven runs over four innings. His delivery looked better than the results showed, but he struggled finishing batters off after throwing two strikes. Sunday will be the right-hander's first time pitching away from Nationals Park. Things to know about this game • Washington catcher Matt Wieters is hitting 16-for-49 (.327) with three doubles, a triple and 8 RBIs off Lester in his career. • After a 2-for-4 showing with an RBI single and a two-run homer Saturday, Cubs backstop Willson Contreras is batting .338 with eight home runs and 27 RBIs in the second half. He started in left field Saturday to keep his hot bat in the lineup while new Cub Alex Avila started at catcher. • The Cubs didn't face the top of the Nationals' rotation -- Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez -- this series since each pitcher is dealing with a circumstance that made him miss his start. Chicago would likely face tougher pitching if the teams meet in October. -- Cubs.com Avila rakes, Contreras rolls to lead win vs. Nats By Carrie Muskat and Jamal Collier CHICAGO -- Without Stephen Strasburg, Max Scherzer or Gio Gonzalez, the Nationals turned to journeyman Edwin Jackson on Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Field. The Cubs roughed up the 33-year-old right-hander with a four-run

first inning, and Willson Contreras added a two-run homer in the sixth to post a 7-4 win over the Nationals and snap a three-game losing streak. Contreras, starting in left field rather than at catcher to keep his hot bat in the lineup, hit an RBI single in the first while Alex Avila added a two-run homer -- his first hit since joining the Cubs -- and Kris Bryant smacked an RBI double to back John Lackey, who improved to 4-0 in his past five starts. "It's a challenge to face that lineup, regardless of what time of year it is," Lackey said of the Nationals. Since the All-Star break, Contreras has hit eight home runs and driven in 27, both tops on the team. With the win, the Cubs maintained a half-game lead in the National League Central over the Brewers, who also won Saturday. Chicago now is 15-6 since the All-Star break. Told that Cubs manager Joe Maddon wanted to make sure he was in the lineup, Contreras smiled. "That tells me they have a lot of confidence [in me]," Contreras said. "Thank God I'm able to keep hitting well and keep having important RBIs in the game." Lackey did give up Bryce Harper's 28th home run in the first inning, which bounced off the video board in right field. Harper also threw out a runner at third with a perfect strike in the bottom of that frame, and he robbed Jon Jay of a potential extra-base hit with a running catch in the fifth. The Nationals had a chance with two outs in the ninth, with Harper at the plate before the Cubs' Wade Davis struck him out to seal the victory. "He's one of the best closers in the game," Harper said of Davis. "Definitely tough in that situation. I got one pitch I can drive and hit it foul. I knew if I missed a pitch against him, it would be a tough at-bat." And if Davis had missed at any point in the at-bat, the game could've been tied. "The last curveball [from Davis to Harper] was an unbelievable pitch and pretty nasty," Avila said. "It looked like a fastball out of his hand, and it just kind of fell off the table and perfect location, down and away, looking for that swing and miss. You couldn't have asked for a better pitch." The Nationals have a 13-game lead in the NL East over the Marlins, who lost to Atlanta on Saturday. Strasburg and Scherzer were sidelined with injuries while Gonzalez was on paternity leave. This was Jackson's fourth start with the Nationals, and he struck out eight over five innings, scattering six hits. He settled in after giving up four runs in the first inning to not allow a run during his final four innings. "From then on, it's just keep the game close," Jackson said. "... We can definitely come back from three runs, and that was my objective." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Jump start: Jay and Bryant hit back-to-back doubles to open the Cubs' first and tie the game at 1. One out later, Bryant scored on Contreras' swinging bunt. Contreras was erased trying to advance on Ben Zobrist's single, but Avila followed with his first hit with the Cubs, a home run 412 feet to straightaway center, to open a 4-1 lead. "I'm glad to get that first one out of the way," Avila said. Ricochet: In the Nationals' fourth, Ryan Zimmerman singled and reached third on Daniel Murphy's single. Zimmerman then scored on Anthony Rendon's sacrifice fly to left. Contreras, making his third start in left field, did throw home, but the ball bounced off Zimmerman. One out later, Matt Wieters hit an RBI single to close the gap to 4-3. QUOTABLE "Today was like an American League game, to be honest. That lineup is more of an American League lineup -- at least that's what it felt like to me, trying to navigate through that order." -- Avila, on facing the Nationals

"They're great. They're some of the best fans in baseball. It's a lot of fun being out there and interacting with them. They're classy. They go out there and do their thing. They say some things that are funny. I enjoy going out there and going back and forth with them. Like I said, they're classy fans. They do it the right way. It's a lot of fun to go out there and hang out with them." -- Harper, on Cubs fans SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Davis has converted 23 consecutive saves, a single-season club record. It's the second-longest streak in Cubs history, trailing Ryan Dempster's 26-save streak in the 2005-06 seasons. GLOVE WORK Harper put the Nationals on the board first with his 28th home run, then made the defensive play of the game in the Cubs' half when he threw out Contreras trying to advance to third on Zobrist's single. According to Statcast™, Harper's 185-foot throw from right was clocked at 97.8 mph. "I was just trying to be aware of what people are going to do," Harper said. "Contreras is a catcher. He can run a little bit. You never know. I was ready to go." WIETERS EJECTED Wieters was ejected after the sixth inning for arguing balls and strikes with home-plate umpire Chad Whitson. After Jason Heyward struck out swinging to end the inning, Wieters stopped before heading to the dugout to voice his displeasure with Whitson and was thrown out of the game in between innings. "I was more arguing that they had a different strike zone than we had," Wieters said. "That's what I thought for most of the game. Our left-handed hitters were getting some pitches called that were off the plate to them, and we had a couple pitches that last inning that we didn't get that were really close, if not strikes. His opinion obviously differed from mine, but I thought they had a little bit more liberal strike zone, for whatever reason, on the outside corner today." WHAT'S NEXT Nationals: Erick Fedde, the Nats' top pitching prospect and No. 3 prospect on the team according to MLBPipeline.com, will take the mound for Sunday's series finale at Wrigley Field. It will be Fedde's second career start after he gave up seven runs on 10 hits in four innings against the Rockies in his MLB debut last week. First pitch is at 2:20 p.m. ET. Cubs: Jon Lester will close the homestand and the series on Sunday. In his last start against the D-backs, he gave up three runs on five hits over four innings, and he had to be lifted early because of a high pitch count. Lester also hit his first Major League home run in that game. He faced the Nationals in Washington on June 29, giving up one run over six innings, but he did not get a decision. First pitch is scheduled for 1:20 p.m. CT. -- Cubs.com Contreras starts in left, keeps hot bat in lineup By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Cubs manager Joe Maddon wanted Alex Avila to catch John Lackey on Saturday, but he also wanted to keep Willson Contreras' hot bat in the lineup. So he started Contreras in left field. "Had to -- he's swinging the bat so well," Maddon said of Contreras, who delivered a two-run homer and an RBI single in the Cubs' 7-4 victory over the Nationals.

Since the All-Star break, Contreras has eight home runs and 27 RBIs, most on the team, and is batting .338. Saturday was his third start in left field this season, and he made a nice running catch for the first out in the second inning to rob Daniel Murphy of a possible extra-base hit. "I'm not afraid of any position," Contreras said. "I'm here to play. This is my job, and I'll do everything for my team." Playing the outfield should have given Contreras' legs a break. "Probably," Contreras said, "but I'd rather be behind the plate. [The outfield] is a different position from catching. It will give me a break with my legs and stay good with the bat." Avila has been impressed by Contreras in the short time they've been together. "He understands himself and knows his swing, and it doesn't seem like he gets tired," Avila said. "It's nice being that age. He's got tremendous ability and has an idea how to use it. I told him a few days ago when I got here, 'I'm here not only to help the team win, but help you.' I'll keep myself available for him. As he gets older, he'll notice things about himself and the league. His baseball IQ will only go up from here." Can Avila relate to Contreras' over-amped approach? "I've never had that much energy," Avila said. Contreras, who has started at catcher for 75 of the Cubs' 109 games so far, said he's felt like "the heart of the team" since the All-Star break. "I'm able to help the team any time and any situation, and that's one thing I'm proud of," Contreras said. "I started making adjustments -- mental adjustments -- and I'm able to do little things on the field to help the team. I'm going to keep looking forward to helping the team." Worth noting • The Cubs players will be wearing personalized biker vests on their upcoming road trip to San Francisco and Arizona, part of the "Easy Rider" road trip, created by strength coach Tim Buss. "It was [Buss'] idea, and I said it was an outstanding idea," Maddon said. "Biker trip, 'Easy Rider' road trip to the West Coast." The black vests have each players' number and nickname, plus "North Siders" on the back with an American eagle. There's also a patch that says, "I'm not perfect, just forgiven." Joe Maddon shows off his "Easy Rider" vest. Contreras' vest, for example, has the nickname, "Killer," which pitcher Jon Lester and Buss gave the catcher. "It's [because of] the way I play and the way I look at people when I play," Contreras said, laughing. • The Nationals' Sean Doolittle is known for his elevated fastball, and Javier Baez knew that when he went to the plate in the ninth inning on Friday. Baez still swung and missed at three straight pitches from the lefty. "You're dealing with a lot of young hitters who have to take it from the sideline into the game," Maddon said. "The prep is good. You have to have execution." Said Baez: "The last [at-bat], I was trying to do too much. Obviously, I was trying to tie the game. The way he was lifting his leg, it was hard to get the timing. That's why I was big on my swing."

• The Cubs have nine relievers, which Maddon is hoping is enough to get through the weekend. They added lefty Rob Zastryzny on Friday when shortstop Addison Russell was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a right foot strain. "We need [the extra pitcher] now in order to get everybody back on firm ground in the bullpen," Maddon said. "If something were to happen badly -- even like an injury, whatever, early in a game -- and you don't have the length, you can blow up your bullpen in one day, so we thought we needed one extra arm. And yes, we want to get back to having a four-man bench." -- Cubs.com Lackey battles, earns win vs. tough Nats lineup By Scott Chasen CHICAGO -- Wade Davis' final curveball to Bryce Harper might have been the most memorable pitch of the game, but John Lackey had one of his own that was pretty nasty. Battling against Harper for the third time in the Cubs' 7-4 win over the Nationals at Wrigley Field, Lackey worked the count to 0-2 with a pair of well-placed fastballs that Harper fouled off. Then came the final pitch of the at-bat, a low breaking ball that Lackey was asked about after the game -- specifically, if he had broken out a rare splitter to retire one of the games most feared hitters. "Nah, I don't have one of those," said Lackey, who gave up three runs (two earned) over five innings on Saturday. "I wish." Lackey used the pitch, described simply as a breaking ball, to finish off Harper for the second time, atoning for a mistake he made to the slugger in the first. Harper got the best of Lackey in their first meeting, smashing a fastball over the middle of the plate off the video board in right and putting the Nationals ahead, 1-0. But Lackey looked solid the rest of the way, working in and out of trouble against one of the best lineups in the Majors. "He's a bulldog out there. He's going to give you everything he's got," said catcher Alex Avila, who was paired up with Lackey for the first time. "Today was like an American League game, to be honest with you. That lineup is more like an American League lineup -- at least that's what it felt like for me, trying to navigate through that order." The relentless lineup would cause some problems for Lackey, dinging him for a pair of runs in the fourth. Lackey allowed two straight singles to start the frame before surrendering the first run on an Anthony Rendon sac fly to left. Willson Contreras, who got the start in left field, attempted to throw home on the play, but his throw actually bounced off the runner at home, and Daniel Murphy was able to advance from first to second before eventually scoring on a two-out single. Lackey kept his composure, though, striking out Edwin Jackson to end the frame and returning for the fifth. The veteran right-hander faced the top of the order once more, but he got through it, striking out Harper for out No. 2 and getting Ryan Zimmerman to fly out to end the inning. "Johnny Lackey battled, battled, battled," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said after the game. "He gets the win, right? Johnny gets the win." --

ESPNChicago.com Cubs find winning formula against Nationals By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO -- It wasn’t always pretty Saturday, but perhaps the Chicago Cubs have found their formula for winning games via their bullpen -- at least against lefty-dominated teams like the Washington Nationals. With three lefties to call upon now, manager Joe Maddon can play the matchup game to limit some of the better left-handed hitters in the league. On Saturday, Brian Duensing and Justin Wilson were asked to face a lineup that featured six lefties to start the day. Duensing was great, while Wilson pitched himself out of a jam before Wade Davis walked his own tightrope. The bottom line is the Cubs won 7-4. “It went well,” Duensing said of his 12-pitch sixth inning. “Executed some pitches in some good sequences. ... Our scouting reports have helped out a lot. Having some success, confidence is high right now.” Duensing’s confidence should be high, as he has been the surprise of the team -- along with catcher Willson Contreras, who homered again. Duensing's ERA dropped to 2.33 after his 1-2-3 frame. Wilson, meanwhile, isn’t having as much luck right now, but that can be attributed to a new league, team and situation in the standings. He has walked three and given up four hits in three appearances since the Cubs acquired him, but he worked his way out of a jam Saturday even after a throwing error by Javier Baez allowed a run to score in the eighth inning. “Walks are stupid,” Wilson said. “Stop it. Don’t let them on there for free. “I grinded through it but not very pleased with it. Glad we won the game. That’s all that matters.” Wilson gave way to Davis, who walked two batters himself but wasn’t scored upon, keeping his perfect saves mark intact. Pedro Strop also got through a clean inning, meaning Maddon might have enough lefty and righty options ... if a few guys can settle down, particularly Wilson. “We need to keep putting him out there,” Maddon said. Wilson knows his adrenaline has been high since coming over from Detroit; he also found a flaw in his delivery he intends to fix. This is the time for everyone to work out the kinks, as there are more important games to come, including a possible October matchup with these Nationals. “We have the guys,” Maddon said. “There is no question. Duensing was outstanding once again. We have to get Wade through an inning using less pitches. ... We have to get beyond that so we can use him two days in a row.” Of course, come October, neither John Lackey nor Saturday's opposing starter, Edwin Jackson, is likely to start a playoff game, because both teams would probably like their guy to go more than five innings. For their part, the Cubs can feel better pitching to so many lefty hitters than they did two weeks ago. At that time, Mike Montgomery was in the rotation, Wilson was with the Tigers and Duensing was the lone southpaw. “It does help because you can bounce things off each other,” Duensing said. “We’re three lefties but all different.” Saturday might have been the formula, but when more is on the line, the Cubs will still have to pitch better. Wilson should get there once he has a few more outings with his new team, while Davis could be heading in the wrong direction -- unless he finds another level down the stretch. That’s an unknown, but at least the arms are there, and they made the pitches when the Cubs needed it most Saturday. A winning formula. “Today it all worked,” Wilson said. “But I would like to pitch better.” --

CSNChicago.com Definitive proof that Willson Contreras is the best catcher on the planet right now By Tony Andracki Every Cubs player had a leather vest hanging in their locker Saturday evening, a new addition in advance of the "Easy Rider" themed road trip to the West Coast beginning Monday. On those vests contained the nickname for each player as the nameplate on the left breast, things like "Schwarbs" for Kyle Schwarber or "Q" for Jose Quintana. On Willson Contreras' vest, the word "Killer" spread across the left side. Killer? Yep, that's Contreras' nickname within the Cubs clubhouse, apparently. It came from Jon Lester and Cubs strength coach Tim Buss (who engineered all the leather vests). But why "Killer"? "Because of the way I play and the way I look at people on the field," Contreras said, almost bashfully. Opposing pitchers would have to agree. Contreras is on an absolutely surreal run right now, leading baseball with 27 RBI since the All-Star Break (tied with Colorado's Nolan Arenado) after three more runs knocked in during Saturday's 7-4 win over the Nationals. But Contreras' epic summer actually began earlier than the midseason break, dating back to June 18. The 25-year-old catcher woke up that mid-June morning hitting .244 with a .708 OPS, five homers and 28 RBI. Fast forward seven weeks and those numbers now sit at .279, .861, 19 and 68, respectively. He's raised his average 35 points, his OPS 153 points and has driven in 40 runs in 39 games (35 starts) while crushing 14 homers. "I've been locked in throughout my career in the minor leagues, but not at this level," Contreras said. "Just simplifying things, doing simple things. I think that's the key." Case in point: What's even more impressive is Contreras has done this while playing the most demanding position on a daily basis during the hottest time of the year. "He understands himself; he knows his swing," said veteran backstop Alex Avila, who also homered Saturday. "It doesn't seem like he gets tired. That's nice being that age. "He's got tremendous ability and has an idea how to use it. ... As he gets older, he's gonna notice some things about himself and about the league and his baseball IQ will only go up from here." Even on what is supposed to be an off-day, Cubs manager Joe Maddon couldn't possibly rationalize taking Contreras' bat out of the lineup, so he bumped him from catcher to left field for one afternoon. Saturday's monster showing now puts Contreras on pace for 28 homers and 101 RBI in only 480 at-bats. Those numbers are simply staggering for a catcher. No backstop has driven in 100 runs since Victor Martinez in 2004 (101).

Buster Posey drove in 103 runs in 2012, but he also played 29 games at first base that year and only 111 behind the plate. In fact, Contreras is off to a similar start to his career as Martinez and Miguel Cabrera among Venzuelan-born players: And Contreras has also done it in a premium spot in the lineup, settling in as the No. 4 hitter now behind Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo: Take any stretch of games and his numbers just looks insane: It's still only the first week of August and any talk of Contreras being the NL MVP is a little overblown right now. But with these last seven weeks, he's at least earned a spot in the conversation. -- CSNChicago.com No days off: The Cubs absolutely cannot keep Willson Contreras out of the lineup right now By Tony Andracki Joe Maddon didn't channel Bill Belichick with some "no days off!" chant before Saturday's 7-3 win over the Washington Nationals, but it's clear Willson Contreras will get no rest right now. As Maddon wrote out the lineup against former Cub Edwin Jackson and the Washington Nationals, he wanted to get newly-acquired veteran catcher Alex Avila behind the plate, but knew he couldn't take the red-hot Contreras out of the lineup. So Contreras started in left field for only the third time this season and hit in his now-usual cleanup spot in the lineup behind Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo as the Cubs look to snap a three-game skid. The plan worked out perfectly as Contreras drove in a run in the first on a swinging bunt before Avila hit a two-run shot. Contreras later added a two-run blast of his own in the sixth inning to give the Cubs some much-needed insurance. The 25-year-old rising star has been an absolute monster since the All-Star Break, hitting .370 with a 1.141 OPS, eight homers and 27 RBI in 21 second-half games. Contreras woke up on the morning of June 18 hitting only .244 with a .708 OPS, five homers and 28 RBI. After another big game Saturday, he's now hitting .279 with an .861 OPS, 19 homers and 68 RBI. He's driven in 40 runs and crushed 14 homers in a stretch of only 39 games. That's a next-level hot streak, especially for a catcher. "You can't deny what he's doing right now," Maddon said, admitting Contreras has joined the ranks of the elite catchers in the game. "I don't want him to be impacted and start thinking differently, but he is playing at that level. Who's playing better than that at that position? "A combination of everything considered, it's not just the hitting — controlling the running game, the blocking, the energy that he provides every day. ... Yep, he's one of the best right now." Any talk of Contreras joining the NL MVP race is premature, though "The Willson Contreras Game" Thursday helped put him on the map nationally, even if the Cubs wound up losing that contest. Contreras is the "f--king Energizer Bunny" and said he has no issues bringing that intensity and energy level to the field on a daily basis.

But the Cubs are also focused on making sure he doesn't run himself into the ground, acquiring Avila in part to save Contreras from himself. Just last week, Maddon was asked if he would ever give Contreras a start in left field to keep his bat in the lineup while still giving him a breather from the demanding physical tolls of catcher. At the time, the Cubs field general didn't dismiss it, but he admitted it would be a tricky spot to tell guys like Kyle Schwarber, Jon Jay or Albert Almora Jr. they won't get a chance to play because the team needs to move their catcher out to the outfield. But Saturday became that situation for Maddon and the Cubs as Schwarber takes a seat on the bench despite hitting .261 with a .911 OPS over the last month since being recalled from Triple-A Iowa. Almora also remains on the bench, having not drawn a start since Tuesday against Arizona. But his splits are pretty jarring (.343 AVG, .961 OPS vs. LHPs compared to .235/.582 vs. RHPs) and the young outfielder figures to get plenty of playing time during the upcoming week in San Francisco as the Cubs are slated to face a trio of southpaws in Matt Moore, Ty Blach and Madison Bumgarner. With the Cubs facing something of a "must-win" game Saturday, there was simply no Way Contreras could be out of the lineup, even if it means he won't get another day off until later next week if everything plays right. "He's swinging the bat way too well," Maddon said. "I gotta get Alex in there. You look at what's happening: Jonny Lester's going [Sunday] — that's Willson — and then there comes a bunch of lefties in San Francisco — that's Willson. "So we needed to get Alex some at-bats and have him play and so with that, it's really difficult to take Willson Contreras' bat out of the lineup right now." -- Chicago Tribune Another day, another big showing from budding superstar Willson Contreras By Paul Sullivan As the Cubs handed out black leather motorcycle jackets Saturday for their upcoming "Easy Rider" trip to San Francisco and Arizona, Willson Contreras discovered the nickname "Killer" etched onto his name tag. Contreras said Jon Lester and pitching coach Chris Bosio gave him the nickname, but he wasn't exactly sure why. But if the leather fits, wear it. Contreras has been living up to the nickname all season, destroying opposing pitching while evolving into one of the top catchers in the game. Contreras was given a day off from his catching duties Saturday, but still homered, drove in three runs and made a nice running catch in left field in the Cubs 7-4 victory over the Nationals. The 25-year-old Contreras, in his first full season, is hitting .327 with 14 home runs and 43 RBIs since June 16, and admitted the success he has had over the last couple of months has altered his life. "It has changed a lot," he said. "As I said in Baltimore (after the All-Star break), now I feel like I'm in the heart of the team. I'm able to help the team at any time in any situation. That's one thing I'm proud of because I started making mental adjustments and I'm able to do things on the field to help them win."

One of the fun things about watching the Cubs' rebuild has been seeing young players come up, go through struggles, gain confidence in themselves and become integral parts of the team. Javier Baez was first in 2014, before Kris Bryant, Addison Russell and Kyle Schwarber arrived in 2015, and Contreras and Albert Almora Jr. last year. None of them are finished products, but they already have learned how to win together, and hope to stay together for a long time. Manager Joe Maddon moved Contreras to left field Saturday to give newly arrived veteran Alex Avila a chance to pair up with John Lackey. "I've been playing all around the nine positions," Contreras said. "I'm just missing pitching. I haven't pitched in my career, but you never know." Contreras had an RBI single on a swinging bunt to give the Cubs the lead off Edwin Jackson in the four-run first, before Avila cranked a two-run homer to center. Contreras added a two-run shot off reliever Matt Grace in the sixth, and the bullpen came through for four innings to get Lackey the victory. In a recurring theme, Contreras was the talk of the clubhouse afterward. "He understands himself, he knows his swing and it doesn't seem like he gets tired," Avila said. "It's nice being that age. … I told him when I got here, 'I'm here not only to help the team win, but to help you.' "I keep myself available for him. As he gets older he's going to learn some things about himself and about the league. His baseball IQ will only go up from here." Avila, 30, was asked if he had that much energy at 25. "No," he said with a grin. "I've never had that much energy." Having a solid veteran like Avila behind the plate is certain to give Maddon the idea of using Contreras for more spot starts in left. Lackey said after Miguel Montero's release that the Cubs needed a veteran catcher who knew his way around, and Avila is the perfect complement. "We talked a little bit yesterday, obviously watching the game, going over the lineup a little bit," Lackey said of Avila. "He has been around a long time and is a good hitter. He received the ball great, and everything was fine." Lackey got out of a third inning jam when he induced Bryce Harper to ground to first, and he struck out Harper on three pitches in the fifth with a man on. He lasted only five innings (95 pitches), allowing two earned runs, but conceded "against a great offense like that, you take it." Now Lester steps up Sunday in the finale of a most interesting series to face the Nationals in what could be a harbinger of Game 1 of the National League Division Series in October. Two months of anticipation should be more than enough. -- Chicago Tribune Never too early for talk of Kris Bryant and Bryce Harper teaming up By Paul Sullivan Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper admittedly "trolled" the media in June when he Instagrammed a picture of himself and Cubs star Kris Bryant and added the hashtag "Back2BackOneDay."

The hashtag was a reference to a rumor from Hall of Fame baseball writer Peter Gammons that Harper preferred to sign with the Cubs when he becomes a free agent after 2018. "I do that to the media because they stir it more than I do," Harper told the Washington Post. "That's why I do the things I do at times, because it's funny to me. It's like, 'All right, people want to talk about this and talk about that. Why not just throw this out there and make them think about it?'" Harper and the Nationals are in Chicago this weekend, which led Bryant to joke: "Maybe we'll do another one." Bryant, a friend from Las Vegas, said he had no idea when the picture of the two and their significant others was taken that Harper was planning to troll the media. "He was stirring the pot," Bryant said. "He's just totally having fun because I think a lot of people were talking about that. He's funny, man. He knows how to get people talking about stuff, and I love that about him." Harper never has denied he would prefer to go to the Cubs. Does Bryant think there's any truth to it? "I haven't heard anything, honestly," he said. "I don't think he's even thinking about that either. He still has another year. Maybe next year at this time would be a good time to ask him and the picture would be clearer." Anthony Rizzo believes Harper might want to come to the Cubs, assuming they paid him what he's worth, which could be more than $250 million. "I don't blame him," he said. "Who wouldn't want to play in Chicago in the summertime?" Rizzo, who was talking with Harper at first base during Friday's game, said he wouldn't recruit him, as Stephen Curry and Draymond Green reportedly recruited Kevin Durant to the NBA's Warriors. "There really is not recruiting so much in baseball," Rizzo said. "It's just setting the market for the next player. I can't see guys, especially guys of his caliber, taking too big of a discount. (Durant) got a lot of money, and it's hard to (compare) because the (NBA) shoe deals are more than the contracts. It's crazy how marketable the NBA players are. "I'm sure it's going to be fun for everyone to talk about it." It already is. Deja vu: NESN broadcaster Dennis Eckersley received a big ovation Tuesday night at Fenway Park when he was introduced to the crowd during the Red Sox's game. The positive reaction was seen as a statement about where fans stood in the battle of Eckersley vs. Red Sox pitcher David Price, which began when Price ripped Eckersley on a team flight June 29 for what he perceived as unfair criticism of the team during a telecast. Price later told reporters: "I stand up for my teammates. Whatever crap I catch for that, I'm fine with it." Red Sox President Dave Dombrowski and manager John Farrell met with Price and handled the incident internally. According to the Boston Globe, team officials apologized to Eckersley, but Price and Farrell have not. Controversy and the Red Sox go hand in hand, and it's not unusual for players to be upset with the local media. The fried chicken and beer episode from 2011 is a special part of Red Sox lore. But whether the incident lingers the rest of the season will be interesting to watch. The Red Sox are in a close race with the Yankees in the American League East and have a good shot at heading back to the World Series for the first time since their 2013 title.

If this all sounds familiar to Cubs fans, it's only because the same thing happened on the North Side 13 years ago. Cubs broadcaster Steve Stone was involved in an incident on a team charter with pitcher Kent Mercker during the 2004 season, and the players rallied around Mercker the rest of the season. The ensuing battle between Stone and manager Dusty Baker stemmed from the fact Stone didn't think Baker did anything to contain his players. Stone ripped Baker on WGN-AM 720 the final week, and management had a closed-door meeting with Stone and Baker. Like Eckersley at Fenway, Stone received a loud ovation from fans during the final weekend at Wrigley. The '04 season ended with the Cubs blowing a wild-card spot in the final week. Will the '17 Red Sox suffer the same fate? Stay tuned. Three up Adrian Beltre: Rangers third baseman became 31st to join 3,000-hit club. Only ones not in Hall of Fame: Ichiro Suzuki (active) and Rafael Palmeiro. Rich Hill: Dodgers left-hander earned second Pitcher of the Month honor in two seasons for going 4-0 with 1.45 ERA in July, with 40 strikeouts over 31 innings. American League: The AL held a 111-105 lead over the NL in interleague play entering Friday. The NL's last interleague triumph was in 2003. Three down Nori Aoki: Astros outfielder traded from certain playoff team to subpar Blue Jays. What does Aoki know about Canada? "Niagara Falls." Todd Frazier: Former White Sox third baseman and current Yankee hitting only .161 with one home run in 17 games since the All-Star break. James Shields: White Sox starter posted major-league worst 9.00 ERA in July, going 0-2 with 1.96 WHIP in five starts. The list The Dodgers were on pace for 114 victories entering Friday, which would tie them for third on the all-time single season list. 1906 Cubs: 116 — Lost World Series 2001 Mariners: 116 — Lost ALCS 1998 Yankees: 114 — Won World Series 1954 Indians: 111 — Lost World Series 1909 Pirates: 110 — Won World Series 1927 Yankees: 110 — Won World Series Fact check

4 — Left-handed pitchers with at least 2,800 strikeouts after the Yankees' CC Sabathia joined the club. The others: Randy Johnson (4,875 strikeouts, second all time), Steve Carlton (4,136, fourth) and Mickey Lolich (2,832, 18th). -- Chicago Tribune Joe Maddon confident Cubs can turn it up a notch against top teams By Paul Sullivan he Cubs are 3-3 against the Nationals going into the season series finale on Sunday, but they're 5-11 combined against the other three probable NL playoff teams, the Dodgers, Diamondbacks and Rockies. Manager Joe Maddon said he doesn't care what their record is against those teams. "No, as long as you get to the playoffs," he said. "I want to believe we will beat some of the better teams in the league to get there. Right now there is so much parity throughout each league." After Sunday, only 12 of the Cubs' final 52 games are against teams currently above .500 — seven against the Brewers, three against the Diamondbacks and two against the Rays. "We've had a hard time with the West, and I think that's primarily because we've had a hard time with the pitching in the West, more than anything else," he said. "We have to be able to beat better pitching. … We'll take it any way we can get it, but I do believe we can play with anybody." Easy riders: Strength coach Tim Buss came up with the idea for a biker theme trip to the West Coast in which the players all will wear customized leather motorcycle jackets. Maddon said they thought of naming it the 'C.C. & Company' trip, referring to a 1970s biker film starring former Jets quarterback Joe Namath as C.C. Ryder. Instead they went with a film Maddon knew was more iconic. "'Easy Rider' with Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda really resonates," he said. Most of the players are too young to remember the 1969 film or know that the characters of Fonda and Hopper were killed at the end. Special shoutout: Willson Contreras is getting more acclaim, and that means commercial endorsements are likely to come his way, as they have to Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez. Contreras said that would be fine, he's focusing on helping out the Special Olympics, and was Celebrity Ambassador to Thursday's Rubber Duck Derby race for the charity. Contreras said a video sent to him that day by Special Olympics athletes "inspired" him, and then he hit two homers and drove in six runs. "I'll do it for the special kids, the special athletes," he said. "They're special to me and for everybody." Nine is enough: The Cubs are carrying nine relievers, which leaves the bench thin but gives Maddon more options, including four left-handers. "We need (nine) right now to get everybody back on firm ground in the bullpen," Maddon said. "We thought we needed the length more than anything. "If something were to happen badly, even injury early in the game, if you don't have the length you could blow up your bullpen in one day. We felt we needed an extra arm for today, and yes, we want to get back to having a four-man bench." Brian Duensing and Pedro Strop continued to excel in middle relief, and closer Wade Davis walked a pair in the ninth before striking out Wilmer Difo and Bryce Harper to record his 23rd save in 23 chances.

-- Chicago Sun-Times Willson Contreras, playing left field, continues his hitting barrage By David Just Days off will be hard to come by for Cubs catcher Willson Contreras if he keeps hitting like an MVP. Contreras entered the game Saturday against the Nationals with a .337/.409/.663 slash line since July 1, so manager Joe Maddon decided to start him in left field for the third time this season. Alex Avila made his second start for the Cubs behind the plate. ‘‘[Contreras is] swinging the bat way too well, and I’ve got to get Alex in there,’’ Maddon said. ‘‘It’s really difficult to take Willson Contreras’ bat out of the lineup right now. So I thought it was the right thing to do today.’’ The roster shakeup was a success from the get-go. Contreras hit an infield single in the first inning that scored Kris Bryant, and Avila added a two-run home run in the inning, his first since joining the team. Contreras added a two-run homer in the sixth to give the Cubs a 6-3 lead. Contreras has been all over the diamond this season, playing 13 innings at first base, two at third, 26 in left and six in right. ‘‘It doesn’t matter where I play,’’ Contreras said. ‘‘I’ve been playing all around the nine positions. I’m just missing pitcher. I haven’t pitched in my career. But you never know.’’ Duensing a quiet force It’s hard to imagine a nine-year veteran flying under the radar, but left-hander Brian Duensing quietly has put together a nice streak in the bullpen. He has been lights-out in the last six weeks, allowing no runs since June 21. During that span, he has pitched in 19 games, faced 57 batters, struck out 17, walked two and allowed nine hits. ‘‘He’s a really quiet-on-the-surface-but-ingratiating-under-the-surface fellow,’’ Maddon said. ‘‘He has a great personality. I want to believe that the way we do things has permitted him to be himself, and I think because of that you’re seeing the best side of him pitching-wise.’’ Duensing pitched a scoreless sixth, retiring the side in order with two strikeouts. Maddon said Duensing is ‘‘there to get lefties out’’ before pointing out that he actually has been better against right-handers this season. And that has been the key to Duensing’s success. Right-handers are hitting .190 against Duensing; lefties have fared far better at .284. ‘‘He started out a little bit shaky,’’ Maddon said. ‘‘But we gave him his opportunity, and it’s turning out to be pretty good.’’ Celebrating a cult classic Maddon entered his postgame news conference wearing a black leather vest in honor of the team’s next themed road trip, which will celebrate the cult film ‘‘Easy Rider.’’ The jackets have nicknames on the front — Contreras’ says ‘‘Killer’’ and Kyle Schwarber’s says ‘‘Schwarbs’’ — and the words ‘‘North Siders’’ on the back, with a bald eagle and U.S. flags on the back, too.

-- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs find winning formula in victory against Nationals By David Just Just as worries were mounting on the North Side amid a three-game losing streak, the Cubs looked and played the part of a first-place team Saturday. The offense belted out two home runs, two doubles and nine hits in all. No. 5 starter John Lackey pitched well enough for five innings, and the bullpen allowed an unearned run to finish the job. With a playoff vibe in the air and more than 40,000 fans on their feet, Wade Davis struck out five-time All-Star and 2015 National League MVP Bryce Harper with two runners on to preserve a 7-4 victory against the Nationals at Wrigley Field. ‘‘We’ll always take it any way we can get it,’’ manager Joe Maddon said, ‘‘but I do believe we can play with anybody. I really mean that sincerely.’’ There had been questions after the Cubs dropped a series to the Diamondbacks, then lost the first game of the series Friday to the Nationals. The Cubs have struggled at times to play up to the competition, but the victory put them in position to claim the series Sunday. Edwin Jackson, making his first start at Wrigley since the Cubs released him in 2015, spotted the Cubs four runs in the first inning to help set the tone. Jon Jay and Kris Bryant hit back-to-back doubles to start the first before Willson Contreras and Ben Zobrist singled to set up Alex Avila’s first homer in a Cubs uniform. Maddon had said before the game that the Cubs would need to get to Jackson early because he settles in as the game goes on. True to form, Jackson allowed only one hit in the next four innings before being lifted. ‘‘He started gaining confidence in all his pitches and went to his slider more,’’ Maddon said. ‘‘I’ve always seen that with him. Once you permit him to get into a groove, he’s so athletic, he starts feeling his delivery.” Contreras, who has been one of the hottest players in the league, added some insurance with a two-run homer in the sixth. It was his third homer in the last three games, and he has nine RBI in that span. Asked after the game if he is punishing pitchers when they make mistakes, Contreras answered matter-of-factly. ‘‘That’s what hitting is all about,’’ he said. ‘‘Just be ready for your pitch and, if they give it to you, take it. I’m not giving them anything. So especially against this kind of team that can make a comeback at any time, I’m ready to hit.’’ Lackey allowed two earned runs in five innings before departing after 95 pitches. It was the fourth consecutive start in which he yielded two earned runs or fewer. The Cubs’ bullpen then kept the Nationals in check. Brian Duensing extended his scoreless-innings streak to 15 1/3, and Pedro Strop, Justin Wilson and Davis pitched an inning apiece. Harper, having already homered in the first, came up after Davis walked Jose Lobaton and Brian Goodwin to bring the tying run to the plate. He looked at a first-pitch ball, then fouled off two pitches before swinging and missing at a breaking ball.

‘‘The last curveball was an unbelievable pitch,’’ Avila said. ‘‘Pretty nasty. Looked like a fastball in and fell off the table. Perfect location, down and away. Looking for that swing-and-miss, couldn’t have asked for a better pitch.’’ -- Chicago Sun-Times MORRISSEY: One victory over the Nationals is worth a lot more By Rick Morrissey Based on strength of schedule and number of quality wins, the Cubs are a bubble team. In positive news, I do like their chances of winning the conference tournament. Oh, wait. You’re right. This isn’t the buildup to the NCAA tournament. The only Big Dance is whatever those zany Cubs relievers are doing in the bullpen. This is baseball, where one victory weighs as much as another. But, come on. The Cubs and their fans have to feel a lot better about the 7-4 victory Saturday against the No.  3-ranked Nationals than they did about any of the victories against the White Sox of the Big Sky Conference or the Braves of the Ohio Valley Conference. I’m willing to concede that beating Nationals pitcher Edwin Jackson, a former Cubs bust, affects the luster of the victory a bit, if not the North Siders’ RPI, which I’ve heard is a second cousin metrically of BABiP. But a quality win against a quality opponent is important, even if there’s no real way to measure its cosmic value. ‘‘This is the big leagues, man,’’ Cubs pitcher John Lackey said. ‘‘There’s no bad teams out there.’’ Sorry, cowboy, not buying it. If the Cubs are serious about this whole back-to-back World Series thing, they have to start beating good teams with some regularity. The victory against the Nats ended a three-game skid, and each of those losses at Wrigley Field had come against winning teams — two against the Diamondbacks and one against the Nats. I don’t know if this was the start of something, if a line was crossed, if a mountain was scaled. I do know that many of the victories they’ve filled up on since the All-Star break don’t feel nearly as meaningful as what they did to the Nationals, who are 20 games above .500. Last season, the Cubs beat everybody. Good, mediocre, bad — they didn’t care who it was. At the All-Star break this season, the Cubs were 13-21 against teams with winning records. Since then, they’re 4-4 against winning teams. There is such a thing as muscle memory when the playoffs start. Having beaten the best in the regular season lets you know you can do the same in the postseason. Cubs manager Joe Maddon doesn’t seem to believe in quality victories or degree of difficulty in the regular season. ‘‘No, as long as you get to the playoffs,’’ he said. ‘‘I want to believe that we will beat some of the better teams during the season in order to get there. Right now, there’s so much parity throughout each league. You can look at the records. There’s a lot of guys around .500. There’s a couple of outliers, but for the most part we’re all languishing right around .500.’’ To summarize the skipper, making the playoffs, no matter how you do it, is the only thing of consequence; also, the 58-51 Cubs will start beating good teams. I believe that’s called ‘‘covering your bases.’’ ‘‘Listen, we’ll always take it any way we can get it,’’ he said. ‘‘But I do believe we can play with anybody. I really mean that sincerely. We have to get more consistent offensively. We have to get more consistent offensively against better pitching. We have to continue what we’re doing on the pitching side. The starters have gotten better.

‘‘We’ve had a little bit of a shaky road bullpen-wise in the beginning of the second half, but I have a lot of faith in these guys.’’ Lackey was good enough. By the time the first inning was over, the Cubs were up 4-1, thanks in part to Alex Avila’s first home run as a Cub and in part to Jackson’s Wrigley flashbacks. But a three-run lead against the Nationals’ powerful lineup is as safe as an unattended wallet in the big city. So the Cubs were happy to have a 4-3 lead by the time Lackey was done after five innings. He has pitched well since the break, and this is what you hope to get from him when his cranky foot doesn’t complain and his 38 years on the planet don’t seem to be an issue. Then it was a matter of the Cubs’ bats staying warm, no sure thing. But Willson Contreras, a revelation this season, hit his 19th home run, a two-run shot in the sixth. Breathing room is always a good thing. The Cubs should win the National League Central. Should, not will. They have more talent than the Brewers. But it has been an odd season. They didn’t have to face Stephen Strasburg or Max Scherzer in this three-game series. They got Jackson, who is on his 12th team, tied for the second-most in major-league history. There’s a reason for his wanderings. But he plays for a good team, and the Cubs beat that good team. Another victory against the Nationals on Sunday sure would help. You know, come tournament time. -- Daily Herald Cubs' Contreras hitting hot in win over Nationals By Jerry Fitzpatrick Cubs manager Joe Maddon's hunch that catcher Willson Contreras was too hot to sit proved to be accurate in Saturday's 7-4 victory over Washington at Wrigley Field. Maddon was faced with the need to play newly acquired backup catcher Alex Avila in the middle game of the weekend series against the Nationals. That's because Contreras will likely catch the next few games with Jon Lester pitching Sunday and San Francisco left-handers Matt Moore and Ty Blach in line to face them Monday and Tuesday, respectively. Thus, Maddon penciled both catchers into his lineup to great effect. Contreras -- who entered the game 6-for-14 on the homestand with 2 home runs and 8 RBI -- started in left field for the third time this season and the 28th time in two years. He went 2-for-4 with a 2-home run and 3 RBI. Contreras' first-inning dribbler up the third-base line drove in Kris Bryant and gave the NL Central leaders a 2-1 lead. His sixth-inning, 424-foot blast to the left-center field bleachers gave the Cubs a 6-3 lead. "I've been locked in throughout my career in the minor leagues, but not this league," said Contreras, who is hitting .279 with 19 doubles, 19 home runs and 68 RBI. "Just simplifying things, doing just simple things, I think that's the key." As for Avila? The left-handed batter went 1-for-4 with a 2-run homer that capped the Cubs' 4-run first inning and staked them to a 4-1 lead over the NL East leaders. "It felt good to get it out of the way for sure," Avila said of his first Cubs home run. "I've had some pretty decent at-bats the last couple of games that I've played and I've hit a couple of balls hard, but it was nice to get through that one and get that out of the way. We had a nice day offensively, I thought." Maddon said Contreras, who crept within 2 RBI of Anthony Rizzo's team-leading 70, gave him no choice but to keep him in the lineup based on his recent production at the plate.

"Had to, I mean he's swinging the bat so well," Maddon said. "And how about Alex? Alex did a nice job. That home run really got us going. "I like Alex behind the plate, too. Again, he's a very calm presence. He followed the game plan really well. He's just been on board a couple of days but he's very bright and he follows it well." Avila helped Cubs starting pitcher John Lackey navigate a dangerous Nationals lineup and even his record at 9-9. Though Lackey allowed a first-inning home run off the right-field video board to Bryce Harper, he limited them to 3 runs (2 earned) on 6 hits. He struck out 3 and walked 1 in 5 innings. "I feel pretty good about it," said Lackey, who allowed less than 3 earned runs for a fifth straight start. "I felt like I was locating the ball pretty good." The Cubs added a seventh-inning insurance run on a single by Jon Jay, who went 2-for-4 with a double. Closer Wade Davis closed put two men on in the ninth, but he struck out Harper for the final out to record his 23rd save. -- Daily Herald Maddon not concerned with Cubs' struggles against good teams By Jerry Fitzpatrick The defending World Series champion Chicago Cubs have struggled this season against the rest of the National League's elite. With Saturday's 7-4 victory over NL East-leading Washington, the Cubs evened the season series 3-3. However, they have losing records against the other three probable National League playoff teams: Los Angeles (2-4), Colorado (2-5) and Arizona (1-2). Cubs manager Joe Maddon was asked before Saturday's game if beating the better teams during the regular season mattered. "No," he said after a thoughtful pause, "as long as you get to the playoffs. I mean, you want to get to the playoffs. I want to believe that we will beat some of the better teams during the season to get there." The Cubs have only one series remaining against those likely playoff teams, a three-game set in Arizona next weekend. Maddon pointed to a specific reason the Cubs own a 5-11 record against the three NL West contenders this season. "I think primarily because we've had a hard time with the pitching with the West more than anything else," he said. "And that's what we have to get better at. We've got to be able to beat better pitching, you've got to pitch better than better pitching, you've got to beat better pitching to get to the playoffs and then win in the playoffs. It comes down to that simply." Unscathed yet again: Cubs relief pitcher Brian Duensing continued to impress Saturday. The 34-year-old left-hander protected a 1-run, sixth-inning lead by striking out two Nationals and retiring the side in order, thereby extending his scoreless streak to 15⅓ innings since June 22. Duensing has issued 10 walks this season and struck out 53 in 46⅓ innings for a 1.08 WHIP. That's far lower than his 1.36 career WHIP. Saturday's outing lowered his ERA since April 24 to 1.32 in 41 innings. Oh, and he's a pretty nice guy, too, Cubs manager Joe Maddon said.

"He's a really quiet-on-the-surface but ingratiating-under-the-surface fellow," Maddon said. "He has a great personality. I want to believe that the way we do things has permitted him to be himself and I think because of that you're seeing the best side of him pitching-wise." Duensing's success against right-handers has been a pleasant surprise. Entering Saturday's game, left-handers were hitting .279 against him. Right-handers were hitting just .191 "He's there to get lefties out, but look at him against righties," Maddon said. "It's outstanding. I just think he's very skillful." Why has he been so effective? "To be honest I really don't know," Duensing said. "It's like a lucky stretch but we've been executing really well. I've kind of been on the same page with both (catchers) Willson (Contreras) and now Alex (Avila). Things are just going really well right now, to be honest. I can't really put a finger on it. Duensing credited Cubs pitching coach Chris Bosio and catching/strategy coach Mike Borzello for helping develop a daily plan of attack. "I do feel very prepared with each hitter I'm facing," he said. "That's compliments of Boersy and Boz. I think that has a lot to do with it." -- Daily Herald Ostrowski: Cubs' schedule only looking better from here on out By Joe Ostrowski A lucky break for the Cubs with a few more to come. The Washington Nationals are in town, a team that ran away from the rest of the National League East early in the season and has the third best record in baseball. But lucky to play them? Well, the Cubs managed to avoid the Nationals' top three starting pitchers -- the only hurlers on Washington's roster that strike any sort of fear into their opponents. Two-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer pitches on Monday. Surprise, surprise. Three-time All-Star Stephen Strasburg is on the DL. Gio Gonzalez's 2.66 ERA is 3rd best in MLB, behind Clayton Kershaw's 2.04 and Scherzer's 2.21. Gonzalez is on paternity leave. Instead, the Cubs faced Edwin Jackson on Saturday and get Erick Fedde on Sunday. Since Theo Epstein and company released Jackson two years ago, he's been with five different teams. Fedde is Washington's top pitching prospect, but was lit up for 7 runs on 10 hits in his major league debut last Sunday. Starting on Monday, 40 of the Cubs' final 52 games will be against teams currently below .500. Nearly one-third of their remaining schedule is filled with the three worst teams in the National League, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Cincinnati. The Cubs' strength of schedule is the second easiest in MLB. They are 41-26 against teams at or below .500 compared to 17-25 against teams at or above .500. There is only one series left for the Cubs against a team with a better record. It will be out of the way after they go to Arizona next weekend. Meanwhile, the Brewers have 17 more games with the top five NL teams.

Yeah, the Cubs only had a half-game lead on Milwaukee heading into the weekend. But with the much easier schedule and better roster, it makes perfect sense for Fangraphs to give the north siders an 88-percent chance of winning the NL Central and project them to take it by seven games. Addison Russell was placed on the disabled list on Friday, but he's all alone. This is as healthy as the team has been for much of the year. It's also the most talented they've been all year with the recent additions of Jose Quintana, Justin Wilson, and Alex Avila. Alice in Chains is playing "No Excuses" in the background. --