The Cubs were hoping to throw a wild celebration at Busch Stadium today, when a sweep of the three-game series would clinch the National League Central title.
But Kyle Hendricks threatened to move the party up a couple of days, taking a no-hitter into the ninth inning Monday night in a 4-1 win over the Cardinals.
A solo home run by Jeremy Hazelbaker leading off the ninth ended the no-no. And that preceded some fireworks between Cubs manager Joe Maddon and plate umpire Joe West that got Maddon ejected.
Hendricks said thoughts of the no-hitter were creeping in inning by inning and admitted his heart sank when Hazelbaker connected on an 0-2 changeup.
“Yeah, but if you’re going to give it up, at least it’s that way and not a cheap hit or something,” he said. “Just left the ball up and he got it. What are you gonna do?”
Hendricks missed out on history, but he made his case for the Cy Young Award with another gem. Maddon said Monday’s performance should “catapult” Hendricks to the top in the minds of voters.
“There’s been talk for a while now about that,” Hendricks said. “Those are all just based on results. The only way results are going to come is if you focus on the little things. That’s my preparation, consistent work between my starts, simple thoughts taking the mound, and just trying to make good pitches.”
Facing the league’s most power-happy lineup, Hendricks breezed through the Cardinals as if he was on his way to a picnic. He walked two men and faced only one batter over the minimum into the ninth, changing speeds and keeping the Cardinals lineup off balance all night.
Hendricks lowered his league-leading earned-run average to 2.03 and has allowed three runs or fewer in his last 20 starts. Before the game, Jon Lester marvelled over how well Hendricks executes a game plan, going over each hitter with catching coach Mike Borzello and the night’s starting catcher.
“It’s like you can sit in the background and write it down and go through each at-bat with him as he’s doing it,” Lester said. “His recall is unbelievable, what he does and how he goes about it. It’s fun to watch just because he’s so different than anyone else. You don’t worry about the radar gun or what he’s throwing or anything else. He really has a good idea of how to set guys up and finish them. It’s been impressive to watch him this year, how he executes.”
It’s that preparation that has made Hendricks, a Dartmouth grad, one of the game’s brightest young starters.
“He prepares himself better than anyone I’ve caught in my career,” catcher Miguel Montero said afterward. “He’s fun to catch, and it’s been fun because he’s a guy that wants to learn every day, wants to get better. “He’s open-minded for whatever advice you can give him. It’s an honour to catch him.”
Hendricks’ no-hit bid was kept intact by some stellar defensive plays, including two in the sixth when Addison Russell backhanded a ball and threw out Jhonny Peralta, and Jason Heyward went into the first row of the right-field box seats to catch a foul pop.
In the seventh, Kris Bryant went into the hole at third to snag a grounder by Stephen Piscotty, got up on one knee and easily got his man.
The Cubs reduced their magic number to three, and can still clinch at Busch Stadium with victories Tuesday night and Wednesday afternoon. But clinching in St. Louis is no big deal to Maddon or Cubs players.
“I know it would be kind of a little thorn in their side for us to do it here,” Lester said. “But we know these guys are fighting for a playoff spot, so we know what they’re going to bring in intensity and all that stuff. ... If we have a chance, great. If we don’t, we go home and it’ll be even better at home.”
But if the Cubs do manage to clinch here, Maddon confirmed he doesn’t believe a team can “over-celebrate” anything.
“I just think that applies to people who don’t like to celebrate,” he said. “If you’re an anti-celebratory person, then over-celebrating becomes a concept. But for me, I think celebrations are celebrations.”
Hendricks’ night was just the appetizer. The real party is on deck.