August 11, 2016 ESPNChicago.com Pedro Strop injured, but the Cubs' roll continues By Bradford Doolittle CHICAGO -- It was first on the list of clichés that Crash Davis told Nuke LaLoosh to write down on the fictional Durham Bulls’ bus: “We gotta play 'em one day at a time.” Sadly for fans of great quotes, that cliché is becoming a mantra for the front-running Chicago Cubs. It almost has to be for a club with every reason to look ahead. Everything was milk and honey on the scorecard at Wrigley Field as the Cubs beat the Los Angeles Angels 3-1 on Wednesday for their season-high ninth straight win. (There was a complication, which we'll get to in a bit.) The Cubs are now a season-high 30 games over .500 and, according to research by ESPN Stats & Information, this is the earliest they've hit that benchmark since 1969. The Cubs are now 8-0 in August, the franchise’s best start to a month since August 1927. And they continue to do it with full-bodied vigor: Razor-sharp starting pitching; solid, timely hitting; airtight defense and dazzling bullpen work. You name it, it’s all clicking right now. “Our guys are coming out ready,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. “Nobody is taking anything for granted. We’re going day by day. Loving all that.” Jason Hammel was the latest Cubs starter to throw a gem, shutting out the Angels for seven innings on four hits and six strike outs. According to ESPN Stats & Information research, since Hammel gave up 10 runs on July 1 he ranks second in the National League in ERA (1.50), fourth in opposing batting average (.183) and fourth in WHIP (0.92). “Jason was very good pitching tonight,” Maddon said. “Everything was going on. Throwing strikes. Got deep into the game.” Hammel (12-5) improved to 5-0 with a 1.16 ERA in five starts since the All-Star break and punctuated a remarkable turn through the Cubs’ five-man rotation. During their past five games, Cubs starters have allowed four runs in 37⅓ innings for a miniscule 0.96 ERA. “They’ve been very pitch-efficient,” Maddon said. “They’re going very deep into games without throwing a whole lot of pitches.” A bit of bad news barged in on the Cubs’ fairytale, though, when setup man Pedro Strop had to be helped off the field. He injured his left knee while sliding to make a play on a squib off the bat of Yunel Escobar to begin the eighth inning. The extent of the injury is unknown; he's scheduled to have an MRI on Thursday. “He hurt his knee,” Maddon said. “That’s all I know right now. He’s going to get his test tomorrow. It’s really an unfortunate moment.” While the Cubs await news on Strop, they can at least take solace in the fact their season is going so well that even their misfortune can be spun positively. After Strop left the game, lefty Travis Wood gave up a double to Kole Calhoun, pushing Escobar to third with nobody out. Mike Trout loomed up next, and Albert Pujols was on deck behind him. So Maddon summoned young Carl Edwards from the pen. No problem.

“I was really impressed,” Maddon said. “When I came out to the mound, I said, ‘Don’t worry about the runners. Just focus on the hitter.’” Edwards listen to his skipper’s advice, striking out Trout on a checked swing and then battling Pujols before getting him on a grounder, which scored the Angels’ lone run. Edwards extinguished the threat by getting Andrelton Simmons on a roller to short, a play niftily completed by shortstop Addison Russell. Edwards was not daunted by the caliber of his opposition. “I just pulled my cap a little lower,” Edwards said, joking. “I don’t see their face then. It felt great, actually. Another thing is, I threw [Pujols] a curveball and he fouled it off. He gave me a smirk, and I was like, ‘Ah, that’s cool.’ But then I had to realize that I had to get this guy out.” While Maddon has pledged to be careful with Edwards, if Strop has to miss an extended period it would be tough to ignore the emerging reliever in tight spots. For the season, hitters are 2-for-20 against Edwards with runners in scoring position. Righties are 3-for-39 against him. According to baseball-reference.com, opposing hitters are 0-for-11 against Edwards in high-leverage spots. “Wow,” Maddon said. “We’ve been watching him grow all season.” Russell provided the insurance run with a majestic home run into the left-field bleachers in the bottom of the eighth. When asked whether he preferred his inning-ending play in the top half or the homer in the bottom, Russell didn’t hesitate. “I like the do-or-die play,” he said. “Being out there with all my teammates around me, making that play, it makes it pretty sweet.” Aroldis Chapman finished it off, striking out the side in the ninth and thrilling the crowd with several fastballs that registered 103 mph on the scoreboard. The Cubs have now won 19 of 25 and maintain a 12-game lead in the NL Central, with the second-place St. Louis Cardinals set to arrive at Wrigley for the start of a four-game series on Thursday. While it might be tempting to look at the series as a chance to bury their rival once and for all, that’s not how the Cubs are approaching it. They are clinging to the cliché. “’We’re just trying to go one game at a time,” Hammel said, sheepishly. “I’m going to go with the cliché there. I’ve seen crazy things happen in baseball. We have to play 162 before we can start the next step.” -- CSNChicago.com Cubs Out To Bury Cardinals: 'We're Trying To Clinch As Quickly As Possible' By Patrick Mooney The Cubs don’t have to pick up cases of champagne at Binny’s Beverage Depot yet — and won’t be trashing the new Wrigley Field clubhouse this weekend — but Dexter Fowler can already picture that soaking-wet celebration. “We’re trying to clinch as quickly as possible,” Fowler said. “We’re trying to do it right before September.” Just kidding, Fowler said, sort of. And if that offends The Cardinal Way and The Best Fans in Baseball, then St. Louis should do something about it. Like right now, starting Thursday night at Wrigley Field, with this four-game series that should feel like a last stand. Or else the Cubs will conquer the National League Central and be crowned this year’s division champs. The MRI on Pedro Strop’s left knee might have ramifications in October, but it won’t change the seemingly impossible math after Wednesday night’s 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels. The Cubs have a 12-game lead

over the Cardinals in the division, a nine-game winning streak and a best-in-baseball, 30-games-over-.500 record in the middle of August. “I’ve never been on a team this good before,” said winning pitcher Jason Hammel, who’s also gone to the playoffs with the Tampa Bay Rays, Colorado Rockies, Baltimore Orioles and Oakland A’s. “It’s kind of silly to go out and watch the guys do their work and how consistent they are. You know something’s good going to happen. We expect to win.” Hammel (12-5, 2.90 ERA) accounted for seven scoreless innings, continuing the sense of momentum for a rotation that will create save opportunities for Aroldis Chapman and make it hard to envision the Cubs blowing a double-digit lead down the stretch. Fowler (2-for-4, RBI double) again did his you-go, we-go thing at the top of the lineup, while Addison Russell continued his steady two-way play, contributing Gold Glove-level defense and an insurance home run in the eighth inning. The Cubs keep maximizing their young talent, as Carl Edwards Jr. stepped into the eighth-inning role after Strop limped off the field. With runners on second and third and no outs, Edwards struck out Mike Trout on a check swing at a 96-mph fastball. Edwards then won an eight-pitch at-bat against Albert Pujols, with a run-scoring groundball deflecting off the mound toward second baseman Ben Zobrist, who made a sliding stop. Edwards then forced another groundball against Andrelton Simmons, with Russell making a tough play look easy. “Don’t get ahead of yourself ever,” manager Joe Maddon said. “Don’t ever take anything for granted. Don’t believe any of that stuff — just go play the game. “We’ve been playing the game right. The process has been outstanding. Pitching and defense have really set the tone. We’ve gotten enough hits. Our guys are walking out on the field right now (and) feel really good about themselves. “It doesn’t matter what the other uniform says on the front. It’s just a matter of executing the game.” The Cardinals (60-54) might have already missed their chance to surge back into the division race, when the Cubs looked so worn out heading into the All-Star break and Theo Epstein’s front office hadn’t made the trade-deadline moves yet. Now the Cubs might be able to bury their rivals with these four games at Clark and Addison. “We knew we had to kick it into high gear,” Fowler said. “You’re trying to clinch as quickly as possible and sit down and take a deep breath and go at it from there. “Our end goal is to make the playoffs and win the last game of the season.” -- CSNChicago.com Cubs Bullpen In Flux With Pedro Strop Down And Hector Rondon Sidelined By Patrick Mooney The Cubs already had a dominant closer when they made a blockbuster trade with the New York Yankees in late July. But given Hector Rondon’s Tommy John history — and the unknown severity of Pedro Strop’s injury — Aroldis Chapman might become more of a necessity than a luxury item. Chapman unleashed his 100-mph heat on Wednesday night at Wrigley Field, blowing away the Los Angeles Angels in the ninth inning with three straight strikeouts to end a 3-1 victory that might have come at a price. Strop is now scheduled to get an MRI on his left knee on Thursday morning, and it didn’t look good in the eighth inning as he hobbled off the field, supported by a teammate and an athletic trainer. Strop slid awkwardly and felt something while trying to field the soft groundball Yunel Escobar bounced up the third-base line.

That visual creates even more uncertainty as Rondon deals with what the Cubs are calling a sore triceps. Rondon — who hasn’t pitched in a game since Aug. 2 — played catch as part of his pregame routine but manager Joe Maddon still doesn’t know exactly when his right-handed reliever will be available. “There’s nothing negative,” Maddon said. “He’s trending in the right direction, not the wrong direction, so that’s where my focus is right now.” Carl Edwards Jr. bailed the Cubs out of that eighth-inning jam, striking out Mike Trout and getting groundballs against Albert Pujols and Andrelton Simmons, again showing he’s ready for prime time, especially if Rondon (18 saves, 1.70 ERA) and Strop (21 holds, 2.89 ERA) become question marks in front of Chapman. “It would change the entire complexion of the group,” Maddon said. “It would make ‘Smitty’ (Joe Smith) more pertinent. I’m not going to beat up C.J., for sure, I know that much. Whatever’s wrong with Stropy, he’s probably not pitching tomorrow, I know that also. So, yeah, we’re going to have to look at different folks.” -- CSNChicago.com Defense Wins Championships: Joe Maddon Sees Gold Glove Potential All Over Wrigley Field By Patrick Mooney When Joe Maddon looks out from his spot in the home dugout, the Cubs manager sees five potential Gold Glove winners all around Wrigley Field, a defensive makeover that has become part of the identity for a team with World Series ambitions. “That’s legit,” Maddon said before Wednesday night’s crisp 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels, “without trying to oversell our guys.” All-Star first baseman Anthony Rizzo is already playing at that level and has the eye-popping offensive numbers to help win that popularity contest: “For sure,” Maddon said. “There’s no doubt in my mind.” Jason Heyward has already won three Gold Gloves and is living up to his defensive reputation — while underperforming offensively — in the first season of a $184 million contract: “Right field is spectacular,” Maddon said. All-Star shortstop Addison Russell “should be,” Maddon said, given his range, explosiveness and steady up-the-middle presence during his second year in the big leagues. “I think if (Willson) Contreras played enough, he’d have that opportunity to be considered, too,” Maddon said, praising the rookie catcher with a rocket arm who has gone 5-for-14 in throwing out runners (while veteran Miguel Montero is only 2-for-50 in those situations). Javier Baez makes highlight-reel plays all over the infield: “If Javy played every day, he would,” Maddon said, agreeing with the idea that there should be Gold Glove recognition for super-utility players. “I’d love that,” Maddon said. “I love the Super-U everything. That should be a position on the All-Star team. There should actually be somebody voted as that guy. I’ve thought that since 2009 with (Ben) Zobrist. The fact that we have so many guys that have played varied positions well — that’s got to start happening in other places (with) other organizations. “It’s so beneficial game in progress, the things that you can do, whether it’s the pinch-hit, accelerate your defense, make it stronger for the last play of the game. We’re able to do all these different things because of the athleticism and the adaptability. Of course, Javy really sets that up.”

Meaning an All-Star third baseman (Kris Bryant) or an All-Star second baseman (Zobrist) can move to the outfield and the Cubs don’t feel like they are sacrificing anything defensively or playing anyone out of position. “We’re almost spoiled everywhere,” winning pitcher Jason Hammel said after shutting down the Angels for seven innings. “The guys go out there, and they play nine hard innings for us and they take hits away. As long as we’re in the zone, throwing strikes, putting the ball in play, guys are going to make plays.” The Cubs lead the majors in defensive efficiency, according to Baseball Prospectus. FanGraphs also measures this group as the leaders in Ultimate Zone Rating and Defensive Runs Above Average. “Addison is just playing with so much confidence now that you’re actually seeing how good he can be,” Maddon said. “‘KB’ no longer pats the ball. Dexter (Fowler’s) just playing deeper and now is considered a better center fielder. “I think just through natural progression maturity-wise, some guys have just gotten better because they’re good. We’re making the routine play routinely, and we’ve made some pretty spectacular plays almost all around the field.” Along with current coaches Chris Bosio and Mike Borzello, ex-manager Dale Sveum helped design the game-planning system that once relied heavily on defensive shifts. Maddon had also been an early proponent of shifting as Mike Scioscia’s data-friendly bench coach with the Angels and the small-market manager for a Tampa Bay Rays franchise trying to compete with the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. “We don’t shift, obviously, nearly as much,” Maddon said. “But, again, I think that’s a product of the league and the teams in the division that we’re playing against, not necessarily that we don’t want to.” The Cubs don’t need to get by with gadget plays and smoke and mirrors. “They’re young, athletic,” Maddon said. “They work. They care. Our coaches do a great job in the prep. We keep everything simple. You’ve heard me say that a thousand times. I really think a big part of our success is the simplicity with which we do things out there. There’s nothing complicated, I promise you. “So if everybody likes us in the metrics, whatever, that’s great. I just think from an old-school perspective — technically — I really like the way we mechanically are moving. The feet have gotten better. The arm strokes have gotten shorter. Addison’s arm has gotten stronger. I’m seeing all these different things this year.” -- CSNChicago.com Cubs Adding Josh Collmenter To Their Pitching Inventory By Patrick Mooney The Cubs have agreed to a minor-league deal with Josh Collmenter, a team source confirmed Wednesday, adding an experienced right-hander to their Triple-A inventory. The Arizona Diamondbacks recently released Collmenter, a change-of-pace pitcher with a unique delivery and an 85-mph fastball who dealt with a shoulder injury and struggled to find a role as a swingman this season (4.84 ERA in 22-plus innings). The plan is to stretch out Collmenter as a starter at Iowa, in case of an emergency with the big-league rotation. The agreement - first reported by SB Nation - is pending a physical and would technically allow the Cubs to control Collmenter in 2017 given his major-league service time. For a 15th-round pick out of Central Michigan University, Collmenter, 30, carved out a nice career with the Diamondbacks, going 36-33 with a 3.54 ERA across six seasons, making 200 appearances and 75 starts, including Opening Day 2015.

-- Chicago Tribune Tommy La Stella needs to suck it up and report to Iowa — or call it quits By Paul Sullivan It was only a strange coincidence Carlos Zambrano showed up at Wrigley Field on Tuesday, the same day the Cubs announced Tommy La Stella would go on the temporary inactive list after refusing to report to Triple-A Iowa. The two apparently are a lot more alike than you would think. Five years ago this week, Zambrano gave up five home runs in Atlanta, cleared out his locker during the game and told some clubhouse workers to inform manager Mike Quade he had retired. Reached by phone later that night, Cubs general manager Jim Hendry responded: "We will respect his wishes and honor them and move forward." The Cubs called Zambrano's bluff. And sure enough, "Big Z" wound up crawling back with one of his patented apology tours. The team then placed him on the disqualified list, Zambrano filed a grievance and never pitched for the Cubs again. Zambrano, of course, was a walking time bomb, so his antics shocked no one. But the last thing you expected to see from the Cubs this year was a genuine Tommy La Stella controversy. La Stella, 27, is a relatively quiet, young player who is valuable coming off the Cubs bench. No, he didn't really deserve to be demoted to Iowa with the year he was having, but that's baseball. The Cubs explained that he had options, and everyone knew La Stella would return by the time rosters expanded and would be eligible for the postseason. La Stella may have blown that chance now, and would have no one to blame but himself. When your boss tells you to do something, generally speaking, you do it or find another job. Instead of calling La Stella's bluff, however, the Cubs are giving him "space" to "clear his head" at home, while also paying him a minor-league salary. Don't you wish you had a job that paid you to sit? It's hard to fathom why the Cubs are giving "space" to La Stella, even going so far as to get the team psychologist involved. La Stella, amazingly, told ESPN.com his decision wasn't a response to being demoted. "There wasn't much more that went into it than 'This is where I want to be,'" he said. "It was as simple as that. It didn't feel right to me to go be somewhere else just to continue playing. That's not what my thoughts center around, being a ballplayer and making it happen any way possible. We all have a right to dictate what we do to some extent." If being a ballplayer isn't what La Stella wants to do with his life, he owes it to the Cubs — and to his teammates — to let President Theo Epstein know now so he can find a replacement for the playoff roster. If he decides it is what he wants to do, then report to Iowa, suck it up for three weeks and let your play do your talking. Life's not always fair. And if you are near the bottom of the totem pole, as La Stella assuredly is, you're not in any position to call your own shots. Albert Almora shouldn't have been demoted either, but he knows his time will come and acted like a professional when sent to Iowa. Remember it was only three years ago that Jake Arrieta was traded from the Orioles to the Cubs, who immediately optioned him to Iowa with no timetable for a call-up, buying an extra year in control of his service by sending him down for a short time.

Arrieta, 27 at the time with four years of major-league experience under his belt, didn't complain or whine or refuse to report. He immediately went to work at getting better, and ultimately made himself into one of the best pitchers in the game. When Zambrano stalked off and "retired" that day in Atlanta, I asked Alfonso Soriano why none of his teammates told him to stop acting so foolishly. "People are afraid to say it," Soriano replied. "He's a strong man, but mentally, he's not strong. … Nobody said anything to him, but I did because I think someone had to say something." La Stella is well-liked in the clubhouse, by Cubs fans and particularly by manager Joe Maddon. Hopefully someone close to him says something because a dose of tough love is warranted. The Cubs have proven they can win without La Stella. But all things considered, they would rather win with him. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs tune up for Cardinals with 3-1 victory; Pedro Strop hurts left leg By Mark Gonzales For long-suffering Cubs fans, there's one current goal that might be more satisfying than witnessing a season-high nine-game winning streak or pushing their record to 30 games above .500. It's the chance to essentially shove the rival Cardinals from National League Central title contention when the two teams meet this weekend for a four-game series at Wrigley Field. But the Cubs (71-41), who were without the services of leadoff batter Dexter Fowler when the Cardinals swept them in a three-game series at Wrigley on June 20-22, likely will be without the services of valuable reliever Pedro Strop. Strop will undergo an MRI Thursday after injuring his left knee Wednesday night in the eighth inning of the Cubs' 3-1 victory over the Angels that extended their winning streak to nine as they maintained their 12-game lead over the second-place Cardinals in the National League Central. Strop, who has a 2.89 ERA in 50 appearances, was injured while trying to field a Yunel Escobar grounder and couldn't put pressure on his leg as he was helped off the field. "It changes the entire complexion of the group," manager Joe Maddon said. "It makes Smitty (Joe Smith) more pertinent. I'm not going to beat up Carl (Edwards Jr.), for sure. I know that much. "Whatever is wrong with Strop, he's not going to pitch (Thursday). I know that. We'll have to look at different folks." Wednesday night, Edwards continued his progression as a successful late-inning specialist when he entered in the eighth with runners at second and third with no outs and formidable sluggers Mike Trout and Albert Pujols coming up. Edwards struck out Trout, induced Pujols to ground to second and then stranded the tying run at third when shortstop Addison Russell charged quickly to retire Andrelton Simmons on a groundout. Russell then contributed offensively with an insurance home run in the Cubs' half of the inning. Edwards' performance is heartening as the club awaits test results on Strop's knee. The rookie wasn't intimidated facing Trout and Pujols.

"I put my hat down more so I don't see their faces," he quipped. As for retiring Pujols, whom he watched growing up, "it felt great. I threw him a curve on 0-2 that he fouled off, and he gave me a smirk. I thought, 'Ah, that's cool.' But I had to realize I just had to get this guy out. Watching him as a kid, just facing him in this situation, it felt pretty good." Edwards, who has a 1.42 ERA in 18 appearances, believes he can handle more late-inning duties if Strop is sidelined for an extended period. The Cubs collectively showed they can win without leaning on one or two players. Jason Hammel (12-5), pitching for the first time since Aug. 2, threw seven shutout innings. "I've never been on a team this good before," Hammel said. Third baseman Javier Baez rolled to his right to field a hard Pujols grounder and threw from his knees to retire him in the second. "That ball was behind him," Hammel said. "I don't think Pujols could have hit that any harder, "We're almost spoiled on the left side. We're almost spoiled everywhere. The guys play nine hard innings, and they take hits away." -- Chicago Tribune Cubs' depth, youth rises to the occasion By Mark Gonzales For at least the next few days, the Cubs will find out how dependable their bullpen depth is. But with 50 games left, they must like their chances Wednesday night with a 12-game lead and a current nine-game winning streak after beating the Los Angeles Angels 3-1. The Cubs bounced back after losing valuable late-inning reliever Pedro Strop to a left knee injury. Strop’s injury came one day after it was revealed that fellow reliever Hector Rondon was suffering from a sore right triceps. But those ailments haven’t slowed down the Cubs yet as they have a chance to put more distance between themselves and the St. Louis Cardinals as they open a four-game series Thursday night at Wrigley Field. “From a baseball purist’s perspective, we’re playing well,” manager Joe Maddon said. “Our guys are coming out ready.” The Cubs have coped without slugger Kyle Schwarber since he suffered a season-ending knee injury on April 7, and leadoff batter Dexter Fowler missed about five weeks with a hamstring injury. But their teammates have stepped up, from Jason Hammel returning from the seven-day bereavement list to pitch seven shutout innings to shortstop Addison Russell making a game-saving play in the eighth and hitting an insurance home run to rookie Carl Edwards not being fazed by facing the likes of Mike Trout and Albert Pujols. “C.J. is going to be a lights-out pitcher for us,” Russell said after Edwards retired Trout and Pujols in succession. But Hammel, with help from rookie catcher Willson Contreras, set the tone from the start. “It took me a while to find the slider, but Willie kept calling it,” said Hammel, who retired the final eight batters with the return of his slider.

“(Contreras) got beat up. “There were a lot of sliders in the dirt. He took a 96 mph fastball off his foot from CJ. He’s continuing to grow before our eyes. He trusts me, I trust him.” Maddon marveled over Russell’s play on Andrelton Simmons in the eighth that prevented the tying run from scoring from third. “That was not an easy play,” Maddon said. “For the teachable moment I listen to my dad (except) when it comes to slow ground balls. Don’t go down with two hands. Go with one like (Russell) did. The only time (to use two hands) would be a slow grounder where he’d have to throw. “(Russell) never lays back. He’s done everything right.” Russell said he took more satisfaction out of the defensive play than his insurance homer in the bottom of the eighth. “I like the do-or-die play,” Russell said. “To be out there with all my teammates out there at that point and making that play, it makes it very sweet.” And those plays further fuel the Cubs’ confidence with the support of a nine-game win streak. “I know we’re confident,” Russell said. “We believe in what we’re doing and having some fun and winning while we’re doing it.” -- Chicago Tribune Joe Maddon's goal of 1,000 innings from rotation on target By Mark Gonzales The Cubs rotation's success has increased the chances of manager Joe Maddon reaching one of his goals. Entering Wednesday night's game against the Angels, Cubs starters were on pace to pitch 1,005 innings — five more than Maddon's target. "It's within our abilities, and it's pretty solid," Maddon said. "The really good teams have starters throw around 1,000 innings. You have to do that. It's pretty significant." Thanks in part to two days off within the last week, the Cubs haven't had to extend their starters. "As we get along, we will monitor it," Maddon said. "There are no red flags." As of now, Jon Lester and Jake Arrieta are on pace to exceed the 200-inning mark, with John Lackey and Kyle Hendricks falling just short. Just in case: Left-hander Mike Montgomery has pitched in four games since joining the Cubs on July 20, and he hasn't pitched since July 31. "With the starters going well right now, I'm just staying sharp, staying ready," Montgomery said. "I understand the situation." Maddon would love to get some work for Montgomery, but the two off days enabled the bullpen to get rest with primary left-handers Travis Wood and Aroldis Chapman ready. "I'm definitely looking for that moment, but he has been squeezed," Maddon said. "There's nothing other than that."

One possibility for Montgomery would be to follow Trevor Cahill, who is likely to start one of the games of a doubleheader Tuesday against the Brewers. Cahill threw two innings and 36 pitches in his final minor-league rehab start Wednesday for Triple-A Iowa. Rondon report: Reliever Hector Rondon tested his right triceps playing catch before batting practice. "There's nothing negative," Maddon said. "He's trending in the right direction. That's where my focus is right now." Maddon said Rondon could return in a few days. Collmenter signed: The Cubs signed pitcher Josh Collmenter to a minor-league contract. Collmenter, 30, has a career 3.54 ERA in 200 games with the Diamondbacks and can start or relieve. -- Chicago Tribune Winnetka gold medalist Conor Dwyer has plan for Wrigley pitch By Stacy St. Clair Less than 24 hours after winning Olympic gold, Winnetka's Conor Dwyer said he's ready for Wrigley. The Cubs have invited Dwyer to toss the first pitch before a game after he returns from Rio — and the U.S. swimmer already has a plan for looking sharp on the mound. When he did it after winning Olympic gold four years ago, Dwyer attempted to practice in his parents' backyard with a friend before the game. His first toss sailed over his buddy's glove and struck him in the mouth, forcing a quick trip to the hospital for stitches before heading to Wrigley. "I threw a ball that first time," he said. "I decided not to practice the second time (in 2015), threw a strike. So I think I won't practice again and do it." Dwyer, who won gold in the 800-meter freestyle relay Tuesday and bronze in the 200-meter freestyle earlier this week, comes by his Cubs fandom naturally. His grandfather Jim Dowdle helped run the club when he was an executive vice president at Tribune Co., which owned the team before selling it to the Ricketts family. Dowdle, who died in 2014, is largely credited with bringing announcer Harry Caray to the North Side. Dwyer, 27, said he has been following his hometown team during his stay in Rio. "It's amazing how hot the Cubs are right now," Dwyer said Wednesday. "They've won eight in a row right now and they're leading the division. They're a good group of young guys who I think could bring a title, hopefully. Since it hasn't been since 1908, we're due up any time now." And the Cubs are rooting him on from afar, too. "I met him a few years ago," Anthony Rizzo said this week. "He's a really nice guy, and to see him in the Olympics was awesome." -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs win ninth straight but not before another reliever goes down By Gordon Wittenmyer So much for Dexter Fowler’s August clinching party.

A few hours after the Cubs center fielder talked about wrapping up a playoff berth before September, the Cubs beat the Angels 3-1 for their season-high ninth straight victory – but not before watching another late-inning reliever succumb to injury. Two weeks after they traded for Aroldis Chapman to give their bullpen one of the most formidable looks in the National League, the Cubs in a matter of days have lost their top two setup men to injuries – this time Pedro Strop suffering a left knee injury fielding a grounder leading off the eighth. Strop, who was unable to put weight on the leg as he was helped from the field, is scheduled for an MRI Thursday as the second-place Cardinals arrive for a four-game series. Hector Rondon, who hasn’t pitched in a week because of triceps tightness, also is expected to be sidelined for at least two more days after reporting improvement Wednesday when he played catch before the game. “It changes the entire complexion of the group,” Maddon said. “It makes [Joe Smith] more pertinent. I’m not going to beat up C.J. [Edwards] for sure. I know that much. “We’re going to have to look at different folks.” Whether the suddenly depleted condition of the bullpen changes the complexion of the Cubs’ race to clinch a second straight playoff berth, it didn’t keep them from preserving their 12-game lead over the Cardinals with a 12th victory in 13 games. “We’re trying to clinch as soon as possible. We want to do it right before September,” Fowler said before the game, smiling. “Just kidding. But as soon as possible and get some guys some rest.” Not so fast? Maybe. If Strop goes on the disabled list, recently optioned Justin Grimm is expected to be recalled from AAA Iowa to replace him. On this night, rookie Carl Edwards Jr. showed again the reason Maddon said over the weekend he has the 96-mph stuff to close. With runners at second and third and nobody out in the eighth in a 2-0 game, Edwards struck out 2014 MVP Mike Trout on a checked swing, then got three-time MVP Albert Pujols on a 3-2 grounder toward the middle that second baseman Ben Zobrist turned into an out as one run scored. He finished the inning inducing a grounder by Andrelton Simmons that shortstop Addison Russell turned into an out on a charging play. “Wow,” Maddon said of Edwards’ performance. “C.J.’s going to be a lights-out pitcher for us,” said Russell, who added a solo homer in the bottom of the eighth. Maddon has stressed a reluctance to push Edwards’ workload to preserve as a late-season and postseason weapon, and he says that won’t change with the new bullpen issues – even if Edwards is willing. “I feel like I can do that,” Edwards said of picking up a bigger load in Strop’s absence. “I feel I can step in and just do my job.” Until the late-inning drama, Jason Hammel (12-5) made one of his strongest starts of the season in his return from bereavement leave, allowing just four singles in seven scoreless.

The Cubs swept the four-game season series from the Angels, in part by holding Trout and Pujols to a combined 1-for-30 with eight strikeouts – the lone hit Trout’s infield single to short in Wednesday’s fourth. They improved to 13-4 in interleague play, matching their 2013 team mark for most interleague wins in a season. With Hammel’s fifth victory in as many starts since the All-Star break (1.16 ERA in that span), the Cubs improved to 19-6 since July 10 – the starters going 15-4 with a 2.50 ERA in that stretch. The last full turn through the rotation, the starters have allowed just four runs in five games (37 1/3 innings). “They’ve been very pitch efficient on top of that,” Maddon said. “They’re throwing strikes.” -- Chicago Sun-Times Why Miguel Montero remains a key for Cubs in reduced role By Gordon Wittenmyer While bench player Tommy La Stella made headlines for all the wrong reasons this week after refusing to report to the minors, the two-time All-Star catcher on the Cubs roster quietly has taken a much different approach to losing his own job. And it might even make a difference in the long run for this team and its October goals. “He’s been awesome,” manager Joe Maddon said of veteran Miguel Montero, who doesn’t like losing his regular playing time to rookie Willson Contreras any more than La Stella liked what was certain to be brief demotion to accommodate a roster crunch. It’s the second year in a row a rookie catcher has taken playing time from Montero – who across four seasons before his trade from the Diamondbacks to the Cubs before last season caught more games than anyone in the league. Instead of bitching, moaning or pressing, Montero has been one of the bigger influences on Contreras’ rapid improvement behind the plate that his pitchers have raved about the last two turns through the rotation. “I said it a long time ago to a general manager that we had in Arizona back in 2008,” Montero said. “I wanted to catch every day at that time, and I felt like I was ready. And I told him, `But if I don’t, I promise you I’m not going to be a cancer on the team.’ “That’s my thing,” he said. “I’m not going to be a cancer on this team. Do I want to play? Yes. Do I feel like I can still play? Of course, I do. Right now, I’m not playing, so what can I do? Just be the best teammate I can be. Try to help the team some way or another.” Part of that has been to adjust his pregame routine to keep himself better prepared for the new part-time role. And a big part of it has been taking Contreras under his wing, working with him on the nuances of calling big-league games with the veteran pitchers on the staff – much like he did with Kyle Schwarber a year ago. “He’s given a lot of himself to a lot of our young players, not just the catchers,” Maddon said. “He does a lot of stuff behind the scenes that he does in his own way that nobody really notices. I’ve heard about it. I’m aware of it. “Right now he’s been fabulous because he knows Willson’s got to play. We’ve had conversations about that. He’s been a very good mentor to him.” Contreras has made an immediate impact with his bat and his arm since his June 17 debut, and with outfielder Jorge Soler back from the disabled list Contreras is expected to get as much as 60 percent of the playing time behind the plate down the stretch.

By next season, that could be closer to 80 percent for the catcher that Maddon already considers a Gold Glove candidate. Montero will be in the final year of his contract in 2017. “I’ve got this young guy coming up that I think has got really good potential. Why not help him be the best that he can be?” Montero said. “I’m not going to help him because he took my job? No, that’s not his fault. If it’s somebody’s fault, it’s got to be my fault because I didn’t perform the way I should have. “And he came up and stepped up, and he’s doing a great job for us.” This is the big picture Montero stays focused on. “There’s something bigger than just playing time,” he said. “We’re looking for the biggest thing here, to win the World Series. I’m not playing right now. But you know what? I might be the MVP of the World Series.” Montero smiles when he says that. But don’t laugh. Playoff heroes have come from stranger places. “I don’t discount that,” Maddon said. “His time’s going to come back again. He’s going to b e very valuable to us before this whole thing is over.” -- Daily Herald Red-hot Chicago Cubs now welcome rival Cardinals By Bruce Miles Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon often talks about adding "jug" runs at the end of close games. "Jug" is short for "jugular," as in going for the other team's jugular. If you look at the National League Central in the same way, the Cubs have a chance beginning Thursday night to step on the throats of the St. Louis Cardinals and all but put away the division title. The Cardinals come in for a four-game series. They trail the Cubs by 12 games. The Cubs dispatched the Los Angeles Angels 3-1 on Wednesday night, completing a two-game sweep of the interleague series. They did emerge from the game with one big worry. Relief pitcher Pedro Strop limped off the field in the top of the eighth with a left-knee injury after giving up an infield single to Yunel Escobar to begin the inning. Strop looked awkward in fielding the ball, and he will have an MRI on the knee Thursday morning. "Really an unfortunate moment," said manager Joe Maddon, whose team improved to a season-high 30 games over .500 at 71-41. They are riding a nine-game winning streak. The Cubs led 2-0 at the time. Travis Wood came on and gave up a double to Kole Calhoun, putting runners on second and third with nobody out. Maddon then turned to hard-throwing rookie Carl Edwards Jr., who struck out Mike Trout before getting Albert Pujols on an RBI groundout and Andrelton Simmons on a grounder on which shortstop Addison Russell made a sparkling play. "I just kind of went in and tried to keep it as simple as possible and not try to overdo anything and not try to force too much," said Edwards, who may see more high-leverage situations if Strop is out for any length of time. "Just go right at them and let my defense work behind me." On facing stars such as Trout and Pujols, Edwards said: "I just pulled my hat down more so I don't see their faces."

Now it's on to the Cubs' Gateway Arch rivals. A series sweep by the Cubs puts things away. A sweep by the Cards makes things interesting. Maddon says even though the standings are hard to ignore, he's not thinking that far ahead. "I've not thought of it like that," he said. "But, of course, the next team that comes in happens to be the Cardinals. If they're behind you, you want to do well against them. "The best way to go about a two-game series, a three- or a four-game series, is just to play one at a time. Don't get ahead of yourself ever. Don't believe any of that stuff. Just go play the game. Play it right." The Cubs sent Jason Hammel (12-5) to the mound Wednesday against the Angels, and he worked 7 shutout innings, giving up 4 hits. He lowered his ERA from 3.07 to 2.90. He is 5-0 with a 1.15 ERA in 5 starts since the all-star break. The offense got Hammel a run in the third with two outs. Kris Bryant doubled to the gap in left-center, and Anthony Rizzo singled to shallow right to score Bryant. Hammel scored the Cubs' second run, in the fifth. He singled with one out and went to second on a wild pitch by Ricky Nolasco. Fowler then doubled, scoring Hammel. Russell gave the Cubs an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth with a two-out solo homer. Aroldis Chapman earned his fourth Cubs save by striking out the side in the ninth. -- Daily Herald Chicago Cubs no strangers to cupping craze By Bruce Miles Olympic athletes aren't the only ones into the cupping craze. The practice has been prevalent in the Chicago Cubs' clubhouse this season, well before the games in Rio began. Left-hander Clayton Richard, now with the San Diego Padres after being let go by the Cubs, was into the practice, as evidenced by the red circles on his body after cupping treatments. Cubs reliever Travis Wood also has tried cupping. "This was the first year that I've tried it, and I've had it done two or three times," Wood said Wednesday. "It doesn't hurt anything, and I feel it makes me feel a little bit better." Cupping, an ancient Chinese treatment, involves applying cups to the skin to create suction to stimulate blood flow. Baseball players, on the Cubs and other teams, have been using to it help in recovering from game-related stresses and strains. "It just pulls blood to the area you think needs it, gets fresh blood in there and makes it feel better," Wood said. Wood said he tried it after seeing Richard getting treatment. "I just saw it in (the training room) one day," Wood said. "I saw some other guys do it and thought I would give it a try. I don't do much in there, so I was like, 'Let's see if it does anything.' I saw Clayton doing it. He said that he liked it, so I thought I'd give it a try. "It just sucks up the skin a little bit, draws blood in there and they move it around a little bit. I don't think you feel instant relief from anything, but just give it time, play catch, do your thing and eventually it feels better."

The St. Louis Post-Distpatch reports that Cardinals pitchers Jaime Garcia and Seung Hwan Oh have used cupping, Oh for treatment on his hamstring and Garcia on his left shoulder. The Post-Distpatch says the team has its chiropractor, Brett Winchester, perform the treatment, and that Garcia said he has felt benefits. Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak told the paper the practice is "another tool in the toolbox" if players choose to use it. Rondon recovering: Relief pitcher Hector Rondon, the Cubs' closer until Aroldis Chapman came via trade in late July, is making progress from a sore triceps, manager Joe Maddon said Wednesday. Rondon entered Wednesday having not pitched since Aug. 2. After Tuesday night's game, Maddon revealed Rondon has been batting the triceps ailment, something the pitcher said is not an "issue." Maddon said Rondon has played catch and has felt better. "There's nothing negative," the manager said. "He's trending in the right direction, not the wrong direction." -- Daily Herald Imrem: It really does take all kinds By Mike Imrem So, Tim Tebow wants to play baseball and Tommy La Stella doesn't. Wait, stop, that's not exactly true. La Stella reportedly wants to play only for the Cubs, not for another major-league team or in the minor leagues. As for Tebow, he might want to begin a baseball career or he might just want to pretend that he wants to. Who knows for sure what either is up to? Regardless, how dare La Stella and Tebow not live by our rules and on our timeline? How dare La Stella indicate that he could be better off doing something other than what most people would like to do -- be paid to play baseball? How dare Tebow delude himself into thinking he could begin a baseball career in his late 20s, or simply want to embarrass himself in front of TV cameras, or foist a con job on a gullible public? Get over it, people, because athletes are people too. Our logic is their illogic and vice versa. Our sanity is their insanity and vice versa. Many sports fans don't understand what either La Stella or Tebow is thinking. Why, they wonder, doesn't La Stella just report to Triple-A and get on with his baseball career? Why doesn't Tebow just run away from home, join a real circus and get on with his life? Why, why, why don't they just do what we would do and when we think they should do it?

Because they aren't us, that's why, and happiness is in the heart of the beholder. Athletes have minds of their own, motives of their own and priorities of their own. Just as we do. Not everyone is married to a profession the way many Cubs fans want La Stella to be. Nor is everyone married to celebrity the way Tebow is. What makes no sense to the masses makes perfect sense to La Stella and Tebow. La Stella apparently wants to continue playing baseball only on his own terms. Tebow apparently wants to live life on his own terms. To each his own. At La Stella's relatively modest size, it takes considerable pride, stubbornness and defiance to reach the major leagues. When a player like that knows he should be on the Cubs' 25-man roster, he doesn't easily accept being sent down to Des Moines because he has a minor-league option left and Chris Coghlan doesn't. All La Stella knows is that he has produced more than Coghlan as an extra left-handed batter. Sports is supposed to be the ultimate meritocracy, isn't it? La Stella will hang up, sit at home and wait for your answer. Then there's Tim Tebow. Hey, big guy, you already failed at being an NFL player and now you're headed toward failing to becoming an MLB player … or a cable reality series, if that's what's behind all this. As much as La Stella doesn't want to be defined as an athlete, Tebow seems to want to be defined as a guy who needs celebrity. Maybe Tebow soon will come to his senses -- our senses, that is -- and forget about whatever reason he is considering this baseball thing. Also, odds are that La Stella will come to what the masses believe should be his senses and report to the minor leagues. Even then, we won't be able to understand Tim Tebow or Tommy La Stella because we aren't like them and they aren't like us. Just keep reminding yourself that it takes all kinds to populate the world generally and sports specifically. -- Cubs.com 9 times: Cubs top Halos for season-high win streak By Carrie Muskat and Brian Hedger CHICAGO -- The Cubs continued their hot streak and remained unbeaten in August, winning their ninth straight game Wednesday night with a 3-1 Interleague victory over the Angels at Wrigley Field, thanks to Jason Hammel. It's the first time the Cubs have opened a calendar month 8-0 since August 1927.

"I've never been on a team this good before," Hammel said. "It's kind of silly to go out and watch the guys do their work and how consistent they are. You know something good is going to happen, you really do. We expect to win, and if you don't, you turn the page." Hammel held the Angels to four hits over seven innings, and also singled and scored on Dexter Fowler's double in the fifth. Cubs starting pitchers have fueled the winning streak, and have posted eight straight quality starts, going 7-0 with a 1.06 ERA. Hammel is unbeaten in his last five starts, giving up four earned runs over 31 innings for a 1.16 ERA. Ricky Nolasco, making his second start with the Angels since he was acquired from the Twins at the non-waiver Trade Deadline, took the loss, striking out six and scattering six hits over six innings. "That's the way he can pitch," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "I think we're excited to see that. He had command of his sinker. He really spun the ball well with a couple different breaking balls, and that's when he's at his best. That was a very encouraging start." Addison Russell added a solo homer in the eighth as Chicago -- now 30 games over .500 at 71-41 -- swept the four games against the Angels this season, and improved to 13-4 in Interleague action. Aroldis Chapman struck out the side in the ninth to lock down his fourth save since joining the Cubs. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Bryzzo: Nolasco had to run the bases in the Angels' third, but it didn't seem to affect the pitcher when he took the mound for the Chicago third, striking out the first two batters he faced. Kris Bryant then doubled and scored on Anthony Rizzo's single that second baseman Gregorio Petit knocked down in shallow right. It was Rizzo's 81st RBI. Back on track: Nolasco, a former Cubs prospect, showed why the Angels acquired him. After allowing five runs in six innings against the A's last week in his Angels debut, he rebounded with a solid outing to keep the Angels in the game for his six innings of work. Nolasco left the game trailing by two runs, and threw 64 of his 102 pitches for strikes, walking just one. Despite taking his first loss against the Cubs in five career starts, Nolasco felt good about his night, giving him a confidence boost heading into his next start. "I was able to limit the few mistakes that I made last game [against the A's]," he said. "Not an easy lineup to face at all, so I basically had to make pitches the whole night. I thought we did a good job just concentrating on that, and I was able to make some pretty big pitches when I needed to." Looking for relief: Pedro Strop took over for Hammel in the eighth, and he slid on his left leg to field an infield grounder by Yunel Escobar leading off the inning. Strop got to his feet, but was in pain. Cubs manager Joe Maddon and athletic trainer Ed Halbur came out to check on the pitcher, and then helped him off the field. Strop was not putting any weight on his left leg as he exited, and will undergo an MRI on his left knee on Thursday. The Cubs are shorthanded with Hector Rondon sidelined because of tightness in his triceps. "It would change the entire complexion of the group," Maddon said of his bullpen if Strop is not available. "We'll have to look at different folks." Busy guy: As usual, Mike Trout was in the middle of the action at the plate and in center field. Offensively, he went 1-for-4, was the lead runner on a perfectly executed double steal in the fourth, and struck out on a check swing in the eighth with no outs and the tying runs in scoring position. Defensively, he made six putouts, including all three in the fifth. "The atmosphere's great," Trout said of playing at Wrigley Field. "The fans are awesome. They were obviously rooting against us, but they were having fun doing it. It was a good time these last two nights. Obviously, we lost, but the atmosphere was great."

QUOTABLE "From a baseball purist's perspective, we're playing baseball well. You're getting great starting pitching and timely hitting and extraordinary defense. That's a nice formula to win at any level. Our guys are coming out ready, nobody's taking anything for granted. We're going day by day -- I'm loving all that." – Maddon "I've been to a few ballparks where the visiting player throws a ball in the stands, they might throw it back. So, you've got to select who you give that ball to." -- Trout, on not giving a ball to Cubs fans in the bleachers after a running catch in the fifth. WHAT'S NEXT Angels: Right-hander Jhoulys Chacin, who's been pitching out of the bullpen since July 1, will get the first opportunity to fill the fifth-starter's role left vacant by Tim Lincecum's demotion to the Minors. Chacin, who posted a 2.55 ERA in eight relief appearances for the Angels, will make his third career start against the Indians on Thursday to open a four-game series at Progressive Field. First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. PT. Cubs: The Cubs open a four-game series against their division rivals, the Cardinals, on Thursday. Jon Lester will get it started, making his first start against St. Louis this season. The lefty has won his last three decisions, including a win over the Athletics in his last start, in which he gave up two runs over seven innings. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CT at Wrigley Field. -- Cubs.com Hammel remains unbeaten since All-Star break By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Jason Hammel says he's not superstitious, but his potato chip diet is working, so the Cubs right-hander is going to continue munching. Hammel picked up his 12th win with a 3-1 victory on Wednesday night, holding the Angels to four hits over seven scoreless innings. He's now 5-0 with a 1.16 ERA in five starts since the All-Star break, which is when he started eating potato chips, per doctor's orders. The Cubs' team doctor suggested the chips in an effort to avoid cramping. "I don't know if it's working but it tastes really good," Hammel said. "I had a few in the [24-pitch] fourth inning. It's still a silly idea to me but I'm doing it. I never said I'd be a superstitious guy, but now that I'm eating potato chips every game, I'm going to roll with it." Manager Joe Maddon gives credit to Hammel's fastball command over the salty chips. "If he knows where his fastball is going, he will pitch deeply in the game," Maddon said. "It's not complicated with him, or most starting pitchers. When they know where their fastball is going, they can pitch deeply in the game." Hammel has given up two or fewer runs in six straight starts for the first time since April 8-May 5, 2012. He has not given up a run over his last 15 innings, and he's really thriving at Wrigley Field, where he's 7-1 with a 1.99 ERA in 11 home starts. The right-hander has struggled in the past in the second half but spent the offseason working on getting stronger physically and mentally so he could perform better after the All-Star break. That's working, too. Hammel said the difference is that he's using his legs more to throw the ball, not his arm. "That doesn't make sense when you read it, but it's really true -- it starts from the ground up," Hammel said. "To be able to use my legs, it will allow me to pitch in games later in the season."

It also helps to have solid defense behind him. In the Angels' second, Albert Pujols lined a ball toward third and Javier Baez made a sliding stop to his left and was able to recover in time to throw him out. "How about the play that Javy made at third? That ball was behind him," Hammel said. "I don't think Pujols could hit that ball any harder. We're almost spoiled on the left side -- we're almost spoiled everywhere. As long as we're in the zone, throwing strikes and putting the ball in play, guys will make plays, and if we score a few runs, it'll turn into a win. It's a pretty simple formula." It's a cliche, but pitching and defense win games, and the Cubs are proving that. Wednesday's win pushed them to a season-high 30 games over .500, and was their ninth straight win. "I've never been on a team this good before," Hammel said. "It's kind of silly to go out and watch the guys do their work and how consistent they are. You know something good is going to happen, you really do. We expect to win. and if you don't, you turn the page." -- Cubs.com Cubs righty Strop set for MRI on left knee By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Cubs reliever Pedro Strop had to leave Wednesday's 3-1 win over the Angels in the eighth inning after injuring his left knee and will undergo an MRI on Thursday. The Cubs will know his status after they get the test results. "He hurt his knee, and that's all I know right now," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "It's really an unfortunate moment." Strop had taken over for starter Jason Hammel, and slid on his left leg to field an infield grounder by Yunel Escobar leading off the inning. Strop got to his feet, but was in pain. Maddon and athletic trainer Ed Halbur came out to check on the pitcher, who had to be helped off the field. Strop hopped as he exited to avoid putting any weight on his left leg. The Cubs are shorthanded in the bullpen with Hector Rondon sidelined because of tightness in his triceps. -- Cubs.com Edwards Jr. gets key outs, continues to impress By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Some young pitchers would be intimidated having to face Mike Trout, Albert Pujols and Andrelton Simmons in the eighth inning with two runners on and nobody out with a two-run lead. Not the Cubs' Carl Edwards Jr. "I just pulled my hat down more, so I don't see their faces," Edwards said. Edwards struck out Trout and got Pujols to ground out, which allowed a run to score, but Simmons then grounded out to shortstop Addison Russell to end the inning. Aroldis Chapman took over in the ninth to preserve a 3-1 Cubs victory over the Angels. Chicago now has won nine straight games. "When [Edwards] came out to the mound, I said, 'Don't worry about the runners, just go after the hitter, just focus on the hitter,'" Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "Giving up one run there is fine, but [you don't want] to give up two." And the slender right-hander did just what Maddon asked.

"I went in and tried to keep it as simple as possible and not try to overdo it or force too much," Edwards said. "I just went right at them and let the defense work behind me." It isn't the first time Maddon has called on Edwards to face the heart of the order, but there was some extra incentive. Edwards loved watching Pujols play. He really liked getting him out. "I threw him a curveball 0-2, and he fouled it off, and he gave me a smirk," Edwards said. "I was like, 'Oh, that's cool.' I had to realize, 'Oh, I've got to get this guy out.' Watching him as a kid and having to face him in this situation, it felt pretty good." Maddon has been careful with Edwards, who was converted from a starter to a reliever after some shoulder problems in the Minor Leagues. So far, he's thrived, but the Cubs want to be careful not to overuse him. However, Hector Rondon has a sore right triceps and Pedro Strop injured his left knee on Wednesday. "It would change the entire complexion of the group," Maddon said of his bullpen if Strop is out for an extended period. "We'll have to look at different folks." "[Edwards is] going to be a lights-out pitcher for us," Russell said. "He comes in and faces the heart of the lineup every single time, and he goes out there and gives his best. "Seeing his personality and the way he goes about his business, he works hard. It's good to see him out there doing his thing." Said Maddon: "We've been watching him grow all season." Is Edwards ready for a bigger role? "I feel I can do that," he said. "I feel I can step in and just do my job." -- Cubs.com Cubs' Rondon resting sore right triceps By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Cubs reliever Hector Rondon played catch on Wednesday to test his sore right triceps, but he will need at least another day before he can pitch in a game. "There's nothing negative," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "He's trending in the right direction, not the wrong direction." Cubs athletic trainer PJ Mainville and pitching coach Chris Bosio watched Rondon's early workout. The right-hander, who was the Cubs' closer before the arrival of Aroldis Chapman, last pitched Aug. 2. • Trevor Cahill gave up three earned runs on two hits -- both home runs -- and struck out four over two innings for Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday in what was likely his final tuneup before starting one of the Cubs' doubleheader games against the Brewers on Tuesday. Chicago will play host to Milwaukee in a day-night doubleheader at Wrigley Field, with the first game starting at 12:20 p.m. CT, and the second game at 7:05 p.m. Cahill threw 36 pitches, 23 for strikes, in the outing against Oklahoma City. The right-hander has been rehabbing at Iowa from patellar tendinitis in his right knee, and was making his sixth start. Cahill would be the eighth different pitcher to start a game for the Cubs. In addition to the regular starting five of Jake Arrieta, Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks, John Lackey and Jason Hammel, Adam Warren and Brian Matusz each made one start.

• Since 2009, when Ben Zobrist played everywhere with the Rays, Maddon has lobbied for more recognition for super-utility players. On Wednesday, he repeated that versatile players need to be included on All-Star teams and predicted more teams would follow what the Cubs have done. "The fact that we have so many guys who play a variety of positions well, that's got to start happening with other places, other organizations," Maddon said. "It's so beneficial to the game in progress, the things you can do, whether it's pinch-hit, accelerate your defense. We're able to do all these different things because of the athleticism and ability." Javier Baez has become the Cubs' version of Zobrist, and Maddon said if the young infielder ever settled in one spot and played every day, he'd be a leading Gold Glove Award candidate. • The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball announced that Cubs Minor League right-handed pitcher Luiz Escanio has received a 144-game suspension without pay after testing positive for a metabolite of Boldenone, a performance-enhancing substance in violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. The suspension of Escanio, who was currently on the roster of the Dominican Summer League Cubs, was effective immediately. -- Cubs.com Cubs seek 10th straight win as rival Cards visit By Carrie Muskat Since Spring Training, manager Joe Maddon has preached that he wants the Cubs players to play the same on March 11 as they would on June 11 and Sept. 11. On Thursday, the Cubs open a four-game series against their division rival, the Cardinals, and Maddon said the message hasn't changed for his club, which is seeking a season-high 10th straight win. "I don't want our guys looking at any more than the one-game thing," he said. "I think that's the best way to go about a two-game series, a three- or a four-game series, is to play it one at a time, don't get ahead of yourself ever, don't ever take anything for granted. Just go play the game, play it right. The process has been outstanding." The Cubs do have the luxury of a double-digit lead in the National League Central Division going into the series. However, the Cardinals have the edge in head-to-head matchups, winning five of the nine games played so far, including three in a row at Wrigley Field June 20-22. Those games were part of the 24 straight that the Cubs had to play prior to the All-Star break. Chicago went 9-15 in that stretch. The Cardinals seem to be going through their tough stretch themselves, and have begun August 4-5. "Just a lot of inconsistencies," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "And the inconsistencies are frustrating for our fan base and our clubhouse. Whether it's inconsistencies with home and road, the inconsistencies with the overall product, it's something that we're not necessarily happy with, because consistency is the name of the game. That's why you see guys that are able to have long careers are able to prolong them by doing it well time and time again. That just hasn't been the team we've been so far." Expect the crowd to be rowdy at Wrigley even if Maddon downplays the series. "It doesn't matter what the other uniform says on the front, it's just a matter of executing the game," Maddon said. "We've been executing the game of baseball." Things to know about this game

• Matt Carpenter returned to the Cardinals' lineup on Friday, but he probably isn't looking forward to facing the Cubs. Carpenter is 2-for-11 at Wrigley Field this season, and 4-for-27 (.148) against Chicago this season. He's also 0-for-18 against his TCU teammate, Jake Arrieta. • Jon Lester will make his first start against the Cardinals this season on Thursday. The lefty went 1-3 with a 2.59 ERA in five games last year against St. Louis, and also lost to them in Game 1 of the NL Division Series. • Carlos Martinez opens the series for the Cardinals. He is 1-1 with a 5.25 ERA against the Cubs this season. In his most recent start against Chicago on May 25, he gave up six runs on six hits and three walks over five innings, striking out seven, in a 9-8 loss. Martinez leads all St. Louis starters in wins (10) and ERA (3.29), but he's coming off one of his roughest performances of the season, in which he gave up seven runs (six earned) in a five-inning start against the Braves on Saturday. He has not pitched into the sixth in three of his last five outings. In seven career appearances at Wrigley, Martinez is 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA. Over 13 innings there, he has struck out 12. This season, he's 1-1 with a 5.25 ERA in two home starts against the Cubs. • Outfielder Stephen Piscotty is expected back in the Cardinals' starting lineup on Thursday after sitting out of Wednesday's series finale against the Reds. Piscotty entered Wednesday 5-for-23 during the Cardinals' homestand and is hitting .157 since July 26. First baseman Matt Adams was scratched from Wednesday's lineup due to left shoulder soreness. He will be re-evaluated on Thursday to determine his availability. • Cubs reliever Hector Rondon (sore right triceps) was day to day, and the injury is not serious. Rondon threw on the side Wednesday but most likely won't be available until Friday at the earliest. --