Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good and Javier Baez has been both this year. That was the story once again Friday night, when a bouncer down the line in the 10th hit the third-base bag, allowing Baez to reach on an infield single.
The great thing was Baez may have duped the Padres into thinking he wasn’t going to try and steal second base, as he slowly headed back to first after his infield single. He was shaking his leg, with a grimace on his face.
Then, on the very next pitch Baez took off to second. That was the good and then the lucky came as the Padres committed two errors on the play.
Obviously Baez keeping an eye on the play and turning on the jets as he approached third base helped out too, as he scored the game-winning run all the way from first.
Javy makes it happen. #EverybodyIn pic.twitter.com/VUwOMThUL1
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 14, 2018
Also, you can’t walk away from this game without giving Anthony Rizzo some love.
He had a 0-for-21 streak after his second at-bat tonight, but then he lined a single to right-center, drove a double down the left-field line and in the ninth inning with two outs, Rizzo tied the game off closer Brad Hand with an RBI-double to left-center field.
Rizzo also made some great plays over at first base. So, hopefully this is a step in the right direction for him.
Yet, even with Rizzo having a down season the Cubs are now in a virtual tie with the Milwaukee Brewers with two days left before the All-Star break.
