STL 1 – CHC 3
Anthony Rizzo hit leadoff on Friday for the first time this season. He’s the 6th player Joe Maddon has inserted into the leadoff spot in 2019, and the first player other than Kyle Schwarber to lead off for the Cubs in the past 21 games.

Rizzo has made several cameos in the leadoff role over the past two seasons, most notably during a stretch last year where he hit leadoff in 27 of 28 games, part of which included a run of 20 games in-a-row. Only Albert Almora led off more games (46) in 2018 than Rizzo (31).

This season Maddon turned to Schwarber in mid-May as his full-time table setter — a sharp contrast to last season when Schwarber led off in only one game. Schwarber had not seen consecutive games batting leadoff since the 2017 campaign when he opened the year as the everyday leadoff man – an experiment that failed miserably and concluded with the slugger hitting .165 avg. at the beginning of June.

Rizzo entered Friday’s game with a career .317 average and .409 on-base percentage from the top spot in the order; numbers which he would improve upon against the Cardinals.

Rizzo led off the bottom of the first with a walk. He stole second and later scored on Javy Báez’s HR to RF for 2-0 Cubs lead.

In his second at-bat, he grounded out to third.

Rizzo singled in his third trip, then was thrown out at the plate trying to score on Kris Bryant’s double.

In his fourth at-bat, Rizzo was intentionally walked.

RIZZO BOX SCORE: (1-2)
Single
Run
Stolen base
2 BB

2019 CUBS LEADOFF BATTERS
Number of games:
21 – Schwarber
14 – Zobrist
11 – Descalso
09 – Almora
06 – Heyward
01 – Rizzo

NEXT – Sat. vs. STL, 6:15 p.m. CT
Jack Flaherty (4-3, 3.76)
Jon Lester (4-4, 3.32)

COL 3 – CHC 1
Javy Báez’s RBI single to plate Kris Bryant with two outs in the 6th accounted for the Cubs lone run on Thursday.

It marked Báez’s 40th RBI this season and Bryant’s 47th run scored as both players rank at or near the top of the team leaderboard in each category.

Anthony Rizzo is the only Cub who has driven in more runs (44) than Báez (40) or Braynt (36).

KB leads the club in runs scored (47), while Báez ranks 2nd (41) and Rizzo ranks 3rd (39).

…

José Quintana (4-5, 3.77) is averaging 4 runs of support per start this season. But in nearly half of his 12 starts he’s received 2 or fewer runs of support five times, including his 7.1 innings of work Thursday afternoon.

Quintana also remains winless in day games falling to (0-3, 5.04) in 4 starts.

NEXT – Fri. vs. STL, 1:20 p.m. CT
Miles Mikolas (4-5, 4.41)
Cole Hamels (4-2, 3.62)

SAVED
Craig Kimbrel makes the Cubs a bona fide championship roster. Chicago was desperate for a closer. They got one of the best. And they kept him away from the other contenders.

Even with Kimbrel on the roster it’s still not a perfect 25. No roster ever is. But Kimbrel does give the Cubs all the necessary pieces to reach and win a World Series.

If the Cubs can add a couple role players at the trade deadline, all the better. But they certainly don’t have to add or part ways with players they’d preferably keep.

The deal is reportedly for 3-years, $43M. The length doesn’t matter. What’s important is this season — 2019. This year’s roster is fully capable of winning a championship. The only piece missing was a legit closer. Kimbrel is that piece. And it only took money to get him. The current roster stays in tact. Win a ring and the Cubs can worry about next year, next year.

Kintzler to Cishek to Strop to Kimbrel has a postseason ring to it. And there’s a chance, however small, that Brandon Morrow makes a return this season. Then imagine if CJ Edwards found his way again.

Kimbrel is an exciting signing, he’s an important signing, and for the best of reasons we can only hope that come October he becomes a historic signing.

Best case scenario is we see Kimbrel join the big club in mid June. Realistically, it’s probably closer to late June or early July.

So, that means we’re looking at a closer by committee over the next two weeks. At least now we know there’s an end to it.

COL 8 – CHC 9
The Cubs have a new closer and a three-game winning streak.

For a game that combined for 17 runs, it was strange considering the scoring didn’t begin until the bottom of the 5th.

German Marquez retired 12 of the Cubs first 14 batters and Yu Darvish set down 10 of the Rockies first 11 batters.

Then the David Bote Show appeared and the base running was underway.

The Cubs have prioritized contact over power the last three games.

Three straight wins.

23 total runs scored.

Single digit strikeouts all three games.

10-for-23 with RISP.

Hooray contact.

BOTE: (4-4, 7 RBI)
Go ahead 3-R HR.
Bases-clearing 2B.
Career-high 7 Ribbies.
All from the 8-hole.

His 7 RBI are the most by a Cubs second baseman since Sandberg’s 7 RBI in the “Sandberg Game” on June 23, 1984.

Last 12 games:
.451 avg.
3 HR
13 RBI

SCHWARBER: (2-4, 2B)
4-game hitting streak:
6-for-15
2 BB, 3 K

CONTRERAS: (2-3, 2B)
Homestand: 4-for-7
HR, 2B
5 Runs
2 RBI

DARVISH: (2-3, 4.88)
5.1 IP — 2 ER, 3 H — 3 BB, 5 K
95 pitches

Another meh start.
Serviceable sure.
Too many pitches.
His 7th straight no decision.

BRACH: (3-1, 5.11)
0.1 IP — 4 ER, 3 H, 1 BB

2019:
24.2 IP:
24 Hits
22 BB
At least 1 ER in 5 of last 6 outings.

CISHEK: Save
6 of 8 in save chances.
Allowed ER only 3 times in last 20 appearances.

Rockies send top pitching prospect right-hander Peter Lambert, 22, to the hill this afternoon to make his major league debut.

NEXT – Thur. vs. COL, 1:20 p.m. CT
Peter Lambert (MLB Debut)
Jose Quintana (4-4, 3.78)