The Friendly Confines had not been a very welcoming hitter environment for Kyle Tucker lately.
Although the Chicago Cubs’ right fielder looked better at the plate during their nine-game road trip, Tucker had not homered at Wrigley Field since July 19. That finally changed Tuesday against the Atlanta Braves when Tucker slugged a go-ahead three-run homer off left-hander Joey Wentz in the third inning. However, Tucker departed the game after the sixth inning due to left calf tightness.
The Cubs’ four runs in the third held in a 4-3 victory. The Braves chipped away at the lead, tallying two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth, but that was all starter Shota Imanaga allowed in six innings. Daniel Palencia forced Eli White to fly out with runners on the corners to end the game.
“(Imanaga) held tough, and the sixth inning was a big inning, did a really nice job,” manager Craig Counsell said. “And our bullpen did a heck of a job. We had some guys down tonight and were staying away from some guys, and our two lefties (Drew Pomeranz and Caleb Thielbar) came in and did a heck of a job through their spots.”
Willi Castro took over in right field for Tucker to start the seventh. Tucker won’t play in Wednesday’s finale, Counsell said after the win. Coupled with Thursday’s off day, the Cubs are being cautious and the hope is two days of rest will have him ready to go Friday when he’s reevaluated.
“I felt good at the plate, and we’ve been playing pretty solid ball and had another really good win tonight,” Tucker said. “But I feel fine. I mean, yeah, it kind of sucks I wasn’t able to finish the game. But the team really did a good job.”
Tucker said he had been experiencing a little soreness in his left calf the last couple of days and felt it “a decent amount” coming into Tuesday’s game.
“I tried to do some treatment stuff, get ahead of it earlier before the game, I did as much as I could,” Tucker said. “Going into the game it felt all right, and then as the game went it just a little more sore, tight, and eventually I was just like I’d rather not try and test this much further and make it any more than it really is.”
Photos: Chicago Cubs beat the Atlanta Braves again at Wrigley Field
Despite being banged up for stretches this season, Tucker came into Tuesday having appeared in all but six games this season. He jammed a finger on his right hand on a slide June 1 and missed one game, though it was later revealed the 28-year-old impending free agent had also sustained a hairline fracture on that sequence, yet kept playing through it. The impact from those injuries, possibly from making slight adjustments to avoid aggravating his finger and hand, cropped up in July and August when he saw a significant decrease in his power numbers.
Tucker’s three-run home run produced just his fourth multi-RBI game since the beginning of July, a stretch of 50 games.
The Cubs, who hold a 3 1/2 game lead over the San Diego Padres for the top National League wild-card spot and sit 5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers, go for the sweep over Atlanta on Wednesday.
“Right now we’re in the playoff hunt, and we would like to stay there and get there, and obviously trying to get there well rested and everyone healthy,” Tucker said. “So that’s a big part of it and just got to finish out the year strong and get there. And then anything can happen.”
Originally Published:
