Struggling right fielder Jason Heyward didn’t start against right-hander Zach Davies, but Maddon reinforced his faith in Heyward and his.225 batting average.
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Bryant became just the first player in Major League Baseball history with three games in which he hit two home runs and recorded four hits before the age of 25.
RED SOX 8, ORIOLES 1: In Baltimore David Price allowed four hits before a rainstorm stopped play for good after six innings, and Boston beat Baltimore. Bryant hit a solo homer off Blaine Boyer in the sixth and added an RBI single in the eighth off Corey Knebel for his second career five-hit game (see full recap). The Brewers are winless in Chicago this year at 0-6, and have dropped five straight to their Central Division rivals.
Bryant made it 4-0 in the third with a first-pitch home run to left – his 29th of the season. Both Braun and manager Craig Counsell said he might be ready to play Thursday in Chicago and definitely expect him to play over the weekend in Seattle. “We really just come in every day and try to do our best to compete that day”. “Absolutely phenomenal. I just go over to him after the fifth hit and like, ‘Dude, flawless day.’ Very awesome to see”. Asked to break down why he had such a good day, Bryant was at a loss for words.
Chicago jumped in front for the fourth straight game, scoring twice in the first against Davies. Opponents have consistently been struck out by the Cubs, who rank third in the NL in strikeouts per game with 8.8. Matt Szczur opened with a single and Bryant homered to left to double the lead to 4-0. Zobrist walked, Russell singled and with two outs Willson Contreras doubled to right to tack on another run to make it 5-0.
Jon Lester earned the victory for the Cubs, retiring 10 straight hitters from the second until the sixth innings.
Bryant tied Colorado’s Nolan Arenado for the NL lead with 30 home runs. In Arrieta’s first start against the Brewers this season, he threw a season-low four curves.
“I was asked about (Bryant) when he was first coming up into the league”, winning pitcher Jake Arrieta said. We’re getting into three-ball counts, 3-2 counts.
Braun limped off in the fourth after he crumpled into the side wall trying to catch a fly ball down the left field line.
Reliever Spencer Patton walked Keon Broxton to load the bases and issued a base on balls to Jonathan Villar to bring home Carter and cut Milwaukee’s deficit to 7-5.
PHILLIES 5, DODGERS 4 Maikel Franco hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the seventh inning and host Philadelphia beat Los Angeles.
But that’s not it. Bryant also became just the second player to have multiple five-hit, five RBI games in a season.
Of Nieuwenhuis’ 11 homers, five have come against the Cubs.
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Marlins ace Jose Fernandez became the second-quickest to 200 strikeouts in a season (139 2/3 innings). Rizzo has driven in 86 runs and Bryant 78.
