NEWSLETTER
Through the first four games of the NLCS, the Chicago Cubs have scored a total of just seven runs. And, if you can believe it, every single one of those runs came off a homer.
Albert Almora hit a two-run shot in Game One, Addison Russell hit a solo shot in Game Two, Kyle Schwarber sent one out by himself in Game Three, and Willson Contreras/Javy Baez teamed up for three total dingers last night.
The difference between last night and the first three games, of course, is that yesterday’s homers actually led to a Cubs win. And you know what that means: it’s time to party, homer-style.
Starting with Contreras’ MONSTER shot in the bottom of the second inning (with the bonus Spanish call):
#PorSiTeLoPerdiste:😎🚨 ¡@WContreras40 pegó un bombazo de 491 pies que casi destruye la pizarra! 😎🚨 Escúchalo en español! #Cachorros pic.twitter.com/S4a5WdGQrz
— Cachorros de Chicago (@cachorros) October 19, 2017
Dude. that was absolutely destroyed, and, as I mentioned yesterday, the furthest postseason homer tracked in the Statcast era (491 feet). Which, like, wow. Way to go, dude. Also, go back and watch Alex Wood’s immediate reaction … I have a feeling he knew that one might break some records.
Two batters later, Javy Baez sent one of his own out to left, and it was no cheapy either (437 feet), it just looked a lot shallower, because Contreras literally hit the video board in left. And Baez launched another one in his next at bat in the fifth.
Bye, Bye, Báez. #FlyTheW pic.twitter.com/oPDlhsxFNH
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) October 19, 2017
Although the second one didn’t get nearly as far out as his first (heck it was over 100 feet shorter than Contreras’), Baez made up for it by taking a pitcher’s pitch, which was nearly on the ground, out over the fence in left.
Seriously look at the location of this one:
380 feet. pic.twitter.com/0OQFizlefn
— Mike Petriello (@mike_petriello) October 19, 2017
Deservedly, Javy came for the curtain call because the fans asked for it:
The crowd requested this. pic.twitter.com/84wFw54gtf
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) October 19, 2017
After the game, Baez’s manager gave him some love, given the tough October he’s had.
“Just give him [Javy] credit for sticking with it,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said via Cubs.com. “Very difficult start to the postseason for him, and that’s what he can do.”
Later, Kyle Schwarber lobbed some even greater praise, saying Baez is, more so than others, a baseball player. “You guys can label him as flashy. You guys can label him as whatever. But that guy to me is a baseball player. He cares. He makes the stellar plays, he makes the routine plays and he finds a way to come up with big hits.”
He certainly did last night.
And finally, because of their big night’s at the plate, each of Contreras and Baez got a little media-attention postgame … and I had a little fun with it:
Contreras looks a *tiny* bit guilty … pic.twitter.com/RXjCuGynWo
— Michael Cerami (@Michael_Cerami) October 19, 2017
Way to go, guys. Now get back out there and do it again tonight.
