They execute even small things at a high level.
Advertisement
“It just wasn’t a great job by me”, Jackson said. “They’ve made a drastic turn-around since 2013”.
PHOENIX – Matt Kemp hit an eighth-inning, bases-loaded double to drive in two runs, and a third run scored on an outfield error on the play, lifting Atlanta to a victory over Arizona at Chase Field. Chicago had better hitting, pitching and defense than the Padres, who are battling to stay out of the basement in the National League West while in full rebuilding mode.
Cubs: RHP Kyle Hendricks (11-7, 21.6) has 16 straight starts in which he’s allowed three runs or fewer, the longest streak in the majors this season.
Bryant, who won the Golden Spikes Award at the University of San Diego, hit his second home run in two games in the third.
The Padres have dropped nine of their past 12.
“We want to be as strong and dominant as we can be but still in the back of our mind that is that late September, early October, mid-October, is really the most important thing for the ball club”.
“We came out nicely in the first inning and that gave us the edge”, he said. I feel like he makes the right moves in the right situations.
Joey Votto singled home a run off reliever Jesse Chavez (1-0), one of his four RBIs.
“I was mad at Joe for taking me out”, Arrieta said. “I was on a roll from there”.
Padres: Paul Clemens (2-2, 4.82), who was claimed off waivers last month, worked five innings in his last outing on Thursday but didn’t figure in the decision. Dexter Fowler led off the game with a double to the right field corner, followed by an odd Kris Bryant double that only was able to advance Fowler to third base out of the fear his of being doubled off at second if it were caught. Then Ben Zobrist jumped on a 92 miles per hour fastball to split the right-center alley for a two-run triple that got the Cubs started on their eighth win in 10 games.
Carpenter set the tone, hitting a leadoff home run in the first inning.
“Clemens was as good as he’s been after three hitters”, said Green.
“That was the one that really hurt, that two-run homer”, Jackson said.
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jake Arrieta works against the San Diego Padres during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2016, in San Diego.
Rodon (4-8) picked up his second win in three starts while throwing 109 pitches, including 71 strikes. Hendricks struck out six while retiring 12 of the last 14 hitters he faced. Lester’s official line was one run allowed on five hits and two walks with eight strikeouts over six-plus innings.
PITTSBURGH – Ivan Nova pitched a six-hit complete game, and Gregory Polanco homered twice and drove in three runs to help Pittsburgh defeat Houston.
The Padres would add one more run in the bottom of the eighth, as Schimpf hit a one out double to score Alex Dickerson.
NOTES: The sweep of the Padres improved the Cubs August record to 18-4. Mike Montgomery is scheduled to make the Friday start for the Cubs.
The Cubs started fast when Dexter Fowler led off the game with a double and Kris Bryant almost launched his third homer of the series.
Advertisement
“That is a hard lineup to navigate”, Padres manager Andy Green said. Nineteen-year-old Padres’ 2B prospect Luis Urias was named both the MVP and the Rookie of the Year in the Advanced Single-A California League.
