CHICAGO \u2014 Maybe there was some mojo because legendary home run hitter Sammy Sosa was in the house.<\/p>\n
Maybe it was because the wind was blowing out at Wrigley Field.<\/p>\n
Maybe it was because Washington Nationals pitchers have made a habit allowing home runs this season \u2014 180 entering the day.<\/p>\n
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Whatever the reason, the Chicago Cubs added to that total Friday, belting four long balls in an 11-5 win in front of 32,320 \u2014 including Sosa, the franchise\u2019s all-time home run leader who will join Derrek Lee in being inducted into the team\u2019s Hall of Fame on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Dansby Swanson, Reese McGuire, Nico Hoerner and Ian Happ hit home runs for the Cubs (81-60). Hoerner\u2019s blast was his sixth of the season, but it was his first at Wrigley; his last came May 4, 2024, against the Milwaukee Brewers.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s nice to take advantage of a day like today,\u201d Swanson said.<\/p>\n
The Nationals came in with the third-worst record in Major League Baseball. But they also were coming off a three-game sweep of Miami in which they outscored the Marlins 17-7.<\/p>\n
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Nationals starter Jake Irvin (8-11) came into the game with a 9.96 first-inning ERA. That number turned even uglier when the Cubs tagged him for five runs in the opening inning, highlighted by Swanson\u2019s three-run shot into the left-field seats, his 22nd of the season.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe three-run homer was a huge one,\u201d manager Craig Counsell said. \u201cWe were playing with a nice lead all game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Javier Assad (2-1) picked up the win, allowing four runs in 5 1\/3 innings.<\/p>\n
And while he didn\u2019t homer, Pete Crow-Armstrong appears to have benefited from some time off. Mired in a terrible second-half slump, the center fielder went 2-for-3 with two sacrifice flies after not starting Tuesday and Wednesday and an off day Thursday.<\/p>\n
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Since Aug. 1, Crow-Armstrong was hitting .163 with four doubles, one home run and five RBIs. Whether the rest will help down the stretch remains to be seen, but Counsell felt it was important to try it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t have data behind it,\u201d Counsell said. \u201cBut it is one of those things where it\u2019s a gut decision, for sure. There is data in front of it that suggests that it\u2019s time to do it. But you are looking at the person and the player and talking to coaches and people down here and figure out what the player needs. What\u2019s best for the player.<\/p>\n
\u201cOften you are doing it at a lower point for the player and they will likely improve. In my experience, it\u2019s been helpful for players. It\u2019s the mental reset and just the break of being frustrated with the results. That\u2019s a big lift. It\u2019s easier and helpful and it makes you a little sunnier inside, if that makes sense.\u201d<\/p>\n
Crow-Armstrong admitted the time off helped.<\/p>\n
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\u201cIt was a good chance to slow down a little bit,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was big for me mentally. I trust Counsell\u2019s decision. It\u2019s going through the process and staying true to it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Swanson, a 10th-year veteran, has gone through his share of ups and downs at the plate in his career.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe game is meant to be played every day, but there are times when you are going through things and you may not necessarily realize how physically tired you may be or mentally tired you may be,\u201d Swanson said. \u201cThis game can cause a lot of stress and can challenge you in so many different ways.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes we forget the value of being able to sit over there and just watch a Major League Baseball game and it\u2019s a payoff for guys who come back and play ball.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Right fielder Kyle Tucker sat out his third straight game with left calf tightness. He went through a few drills, and Counsell said the injury hasn\u2019t improved.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt wasn\u2019t as positive as we hoped, frankly,\u201d Counsell said. \u201cHe didn\u2019t make any progress with the day off. He\u2019s kind of in the same spot he was on Wednesday. (Saturday) is going to be a big day to see where he is at. It\u2019s unfortunate but that\u2019s where we\u2019re at.\u201d<\/p>\n
Right-hander Jameson Taillon, on the injured list since Aug. 27 with a left groin strain, had a rehab start with Triple-A Iowa on Thursday. He allowed three runs on six hits (two home runs) with a walk and six strikeouts in 3 2\/3 innings.<\/p>\n
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\u201cEverything went well and he felt good,\u201d Counsell said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to get through this weekend and see what that holds. It\u2019s likely he will rejoin us, but let\u2019s just get through this weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n
Right-hander Mike Soroka (shoulder strain) will throw a live bullpen session Saturday and is scheduled to go on a rehab assignment after that.<\/p>\n
_____<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
CHICAGO \u2014 Maybe there was some mojo because legendary home run hitter Sammy Sosa was in the house. Maybe it was because the wind was blowing out at Wrigley Field. Maybe it was because Washington Nationals pitchers have made a habit allowing home runs this season \u2014 180 entering the day. Whatever the reason, the Chicago Cubs added to that total Friday, belting four long balls in an 11-5 win in …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":88755,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[282,823,992,200,3512,960,2613,317,424,1431,2386,2749,290,227,1086,2041,993,296,1168],"class_list":["post-88754","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb","tag-chicago-cubs","tag-craig-counsell","tag-dansby-swanson","tag-ian-happ","tag-jake-irvin","tag-jameson-taillon","tag-javier-assad","tag-kyle-tucker","tag-major-league-baseball","tag-marlins","tag-miami","tag-mike-soroka","tag-milwaukee-brewers","tag-nico-hoerner","tag-pete-crow-armstrong","tag-reese-mcguire","tag-sammy-sosa","tag-washington-nationals","tag-wrigley-field"],"yoast_head":"\n