As did Hendricks and Lackey in the final two games in Denver. Arrieta, on the other hand, has stepped back, throwing another really mediocre outing in the first game of the series. Mediocre has generally described the Cubs performance of late. Perhaps Friday's game is a harbinger of good things to come.
Friday's game belonged to two players, Butler and Contreras. Butler looked very good. I hadn't realized he threw that hard. Early in the game, he was consistently up around 95 or 96 mph. Very sharp. One game does not make him a fixture in the rotation, but he has been very strong through spring training and in his starts at Iowa, so there is reason to hope. Just subtracting Anderson from the mix is progress.
The Cubs were again without some of their best players in Friday's lineup, this time not be design. Russell was still suffering from a sore shoulder that impeded his throwing, Heyward remained on the DL, Bryant was a late scratch with a stomach ache, and Jay played only one or two innings before leaving with back problems. With all this going on, LaStella stepped up with a double and a home run after replacing Jay.
Contreras, though, was the big star, knocking out two home runs and picking Fowler off first base to end a seventh inning Cardinals rally. Granted he almost threw away the game after a dropped third strike in the ninth, but he was still the man responsible, in the main, for the win.
Lets hope this is the beginning of a winning streak.
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