May 3, 2017

Cubs.com, Cubs break out the bats, get Lester 1st win http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/227860168/cubs-hit-3-hrs-in-jon-lester-1st-win-of-2017/

Cubs.com, Baez, Schwarber ignite Cubs' offense http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/227874534/javier-baez-kyle-schwarber-key-cubs-offense/

Cubs.com, Bryant OK after exiting with tight calf http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/228008882/kris-bryant-says-tight-calf-not-an-issue/

Cubs.com, Reining in HRs will be key for Arrieta http://atmlb.com/2pXXgJ3

Cubs.com, Cubs Charities announces area grants http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/227874936/cubs-charities-announces-area-grants/

CSNChicago.com, With Home-Run Swing In Win Over Phillies, Kyle Schwarber Shows Why Cubs Will Stick With Leadoff Guy http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/home-run-swing-win-over-phillies-kyle-schwarber-shows-why-cubs-will-stick-leadoff-guy

CSNChicago.com, Miguel Montero On Adam Jones Incident, Passing Citizenship Test And Living The American Dream http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/miguel-montero-adam-jones-incident-passing-citizenship-test-and-living-american-dream

CSNChicago.com, Jason Heyward: Nothing Shocking About Adam Jones Hearing Racist Taunts At Fenway Park http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/jason-heyward-nothing-shocking-about-adam-jones-hearing-racist-taunts-fenway-park

Chicago Tribune, Kyle Schwarber solidifies leadoff status with 3-run homer in 8-3 win over Phillies http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-phillies-spt-0503-20170502-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Jon Lester marvels over Kyle Schwarber's home run milestone http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-jon-lester-kyle-schwarber-20170503-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Javier Baez goes 4-for-4, just short of hitting for cycle in Cubs' win over Phillies http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-javier-baez-cycle-20170502-story.html

Chicago Tribune, After 'handful of flags came off' during benefit concert, Cubs' World Series trophy repaired http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-world-series-trophy-damaged-report-20170502-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs players wonder about proper discipline in wake of Adam Jones incident http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-adam-jones-cubs-reaction-spt-0503-20170502-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Brian Duensing impressed after Kyle Schwarber's brief appearance at catcher http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-kyle-schwarber-catching-20170502-story.html

Chicago Sun-Times, Will big home run be springboard for struggling Kyle Schwarber? http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/will-big-home-run-be-springboard-for-struggling-kyle-schwarber/

Chicago Sun-Times, Jason Heyward: Racist taunts ‘part of life’ for black players http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/jason-heyward-racist-taunts-part-of-life-for-black-players/

Daily Herald, Schwarber home run sparks Chicago Cubs to win http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170502/schwarber-home-run-sparks-chicago-cubs-to-win

Daily Herald, Phillies management definitely has Cubs flavor http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170502/phillies-management-definitely-has-cubs-flavor

Daily Herald, Chicago Cubs react to Adam Jones situation http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170502/chicago-cubs-react-to-adam-jones-situation

-- Cubs.com Cubs break out the bats, get Lester 1st win By John Jackson and Jeff Arnold CHICAGO -- Jon Lester battled through five innings to get his first victory of the season, but it was his single in the fourth inning that may have been his biggest contribution to the Cubs' 8-3 victory on Tuesday night. The light-hitting Lester singled with two out and none on to prolong the inning. Two batters later, Kyle Schwarber crushed a three-run homer to snap a 2-2 tie and begin the Cubs' march to a comfortable win. "I asked [Eric Hinske], our hitting coach, I said, 'Man, I can't swing at the curveball. I don't know why I can't swing at the curveball,'" Lester said. "He said, 'Well, just swing at it.' I said, 'Good point. What's the worst that can happen? I strike out again?' "I saw it and swung at it this time for whatever reason, and was able to put the barrel to the ball and get a base hit. I'm just up there trying not to look too much like an idiot and not get hurt." An inning later, Javier Baez, who went 4-for-4 and finished a double shy of the cycle, put away the game with a two-run, two-out triple. Aaron Altherr went 2-for-3 with a homer for Philadelphia. Lester (1-1) allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits with five walks (one intentional) and five strikeouts in five innings, but it was good enough. "We caught Lester on one of his lesser appearances, and we just couldn't capitalize," Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. "I think we walked five times and had a couple of baserunners, but we couldn't get anything going." Phillies starter Jeremy Hellickson (4-1) entered with a three-start winning streak and hadn't allowed more than two runs in any outing this season, but he was roughed up for six runs on eight hits in four innings. "It wasn't a strike zone tonight; it was a ball zone," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "That's what it was. I don't know what was going on. Both sides. That's why I wasn't arguing. I mean, the calls to me appeared to be the same on both sides. It was frustrating for both teams." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Lester ends strong: After the Cubs' four-run fourth, the Phillies loaded the bases with one out in the fifth and were perhaps one hit away from getting back in the game. But Lester -- after falling behind, 3-1 -- got Michael Saunders to ground out weakly to first base, scoring a run to make it 6-3. Then, with runners on second and third, Lester struck out Tommy Joseph on his 106th (and final) pitch -- a low, outside changeup -- to end the threat. "I made a really, really big pitch to Saunders, the 3-1 cutter for the ground ball," Lester said. "That was a big turning point right there. If he takes that right there, that ball was borderline down, and you're probably not going to get the call, and we're walking in a run with still just one out. That was big right there to get that ground ball. Now you're only one pitch away from getting out of it, and we were able to make some big pitches to Joseph." Baez caps big night: With the Cubs holding a comfortable lead, about the only late drama was whether Baez could hit for the cycle. He took his final at-bat leading off the eighth just needing a double for the feat. He dropped a hit in front of right fielder Saunders, and those remaining in the Wrigley Field crowd wanted him to try to stretch it, but he stopped and settled for a single. "Before the at-bat, I was talking to [Anthony] Rizzo and said, 'OK, if you hit a ball into the gap, an easy triple, do you stop at second?" Maddon said. "He said no. I said I would. He said, 'I'm going for OPS.' So there are two ways of looking at it." QUOTABLE "I feel like last year was almost perfect -- everything. We were kind of spoiled with the whole year. It's going to be hard to kind of turn the page on it and stop comparing it to last year, which is something we would love to do." -- Kris Bryant, on the 2017 season "It's a good lineup, it's a deep lineup. But I didn't command, really, anything tonight. It would have been different if I was [commanding pitches]." – Hellickson UPON FURTHER REVIEW The Cubs challenged an out call against Bryant on a ground ball to shortstop in the third inning, believing he beat the throw from Freddy Galvis. After a replay review, the ruling on the field was upheld (the call stands). In the fourth inning, the Phillies challenged an out call against Joseph at second base on a pickoff throw by catcher Willson Contreras. Joseph appeared to get his hand back to the bag before the tag by second baseman Baez, and after a review, the call was overturned. WHAT'S NEXT Phillies: On Wednesday at 8:05 p.m. ET, Right-hander Jerad Eickhoff will be in search of his first victory since Sept. 21 of last year, when he allowed three runs on six hits against the White Sox. Eickhoff (0-2, 3.56 ERA) surrendered a season-high five earned runs in his most recent outing, against the Dodgers on April 28. Cubs: Right-hander Jake Arrieta (3-1 4.66 ERA) looks to bounce back in the third game of the four-game series on Wednesday after allowing five runs on 10 hits in 4 1/3 innings against the Red Sox last Friday. It was the first time Arrieta hadn't pitched at least five innings in a start since Aug. 28, 2014, at Cincinnati. First pitch is at 7:05 p.m. CT. -- Cubs.com Baez, Schwarber ignite Cubs' offense By John Jackson CHICAGO -- Before Tuesday night's game, an 8-3 win over the Phillies, Cubs manager Joe Maddon approached Kyle Schwarber and delivered a simple message.

"It takes one at at-bat to have a great night," Maddon said. "Whenever anybody's struggling the way he has been, I often tell the player it takes one at-bat to have a great night. "He had a great night." Schwarber, who began the night batting .196, cracked a three-run homer off Jeremy Hellickson to give the Cubs the lead for good. But as good as he was, he may have been upstaged by Javier Baez, who went 4-for-4 (tying a career high for hits), drove in three runs and finished a double shy of the cycle. Both players had been symbols of the Cubs' early-season offensive woes before busting out to key the victory. "I really started slow in April, which is usual for me, although not this slow," said Baez, who raised his average to .269. "I kept trying and made my adjustments. I didn't give up during the games and went back to the cage during the games. "I'm finally seeing the ball really good." Maddon also likes what he sees. "The homer was pulled, but I like some of the hits on the right side," he said. "He needs to start accepting a few walks. If he does that, then he'll really start to hit again." After not playing for six months following major reconstructive surgery on his knee, Schwarber seemingly came out of nowhere to bang out big hit after big hit in the Cubs' World Series run last fall. But so far this season, the hits haven't come as easily -- or as frequently -- for the left-handed slugger. It probably shouldn't be a surprise; after all, he's played less than a full season in the Major Leagues and missed nearly all of last season. "I think we all kind of forget that," Cubs pitcher Jon Lester said. "It's been such a small sample size from him. You know, obviously being hurt last year and not playing a lot. I think that has a lot to do with where he's at right now. You take a full year off from baseball ... "Obviously, we saw what he did in the World Series, and I think that's just more kind of adrenaline and all that stuff. I think now, kind of with the grind of every day, he's seeing how he's pitched to and he has to make adjustments. He'll be fine. Obviously, the talent's there." Leading into the series, though, many were wondering whether Schwarber's new position in the lineup, batting leadoff, has anything to do with the slow start. "It doesn't make any difference," Schwarber said. "I think it's about just going up there and doing the job. Obviously, getting on base to start the game, I want to do that. You only lead off once. You can come up anywhere in the batting order after that. My job's to get the job done any way possible." Despite his low batting average, Schwarber didn't believe he was struggling or in a major funk. "I feel like I'm right there; I really do," he said. "Obviously, I just have to stick with the process. I can't be outcome-based to where you focus on just numbers. That's why it's called 'average.' It's an accumulation of something over the course of time. "It's a game of millimeters. I feel like I'm putting some swings on balls and I'm just fouling them right back. I'm going to make a few adjustments here and there." --

Cubs.com Bryant OK after exiting with tight calf By John Jackson CHICAGO -- Kris Bryant left the Cubs' 8-3 win over the Phillies on Tuesday night after the eighth inning with a tight calf, but said he's fine and expects no lingering issue. When asked if he expects to play on Wednesday night in the third game of the four-game series, he said, "Yeah, 100 percent." Bryant received his National League Most Valuable Player Award in an on-field ceremony before the game. Cubs great Ryne Sandberg presented the trophy. -- Cubs.com Reining in HRs will be key for Arrieta By Jeff Arnold Any time he falls behind in the count, Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant knows the odds aren't exactly in his favor. Especially with a two-strike count. But as the Cubs prepare to face the Phillies on Wednesday, those same odds may not be as stacked against him and his teammates as they may be against other teams. Phillies pitchers -- including Wednesday's starter, Jerad Eickhoff -- have struggled with surrendering home runs. "That's crazy that they [struggle]," Bryant said on Tuesday. "Any time you're 0-2, you hit, like, .100 as a hitter." Bryant's solo shot in the first inning on Tuesday -- the first of three that starter Jeremy Hellickson allowed -- was the 38th the Phillies' pitchers have surrendered this season. In many cases, manager Pete Mackanin said the inability to put hitters away, especially with two strikes, is directly tied to his pitchers not effectively attacking the strike zone. Of the 37 home runs the Phils had allowed prior to Tuesday's game, 15 came with two strikes and four when opposing hitters faced an 0-2 count. "It boils down to making quality pitches when you're ahead in the count," Mackanin said on Tuesday. "The hitter is on the defensive." Wednesday's Cubs starter, Jake Arrieta, has also struggled with surrendering home runs this season, but only one of the six he's given up had a projected distance of 400 feet or farther, while three rank among Arrieta's bottom four homers in the Statcast era in terms of expected slugging percentage, based on exit velocity and launch angle. Given the Phillies' struggles to retire hitters, the Cubs understand that as difficult as their job may be when they're behind in the count, they have to take advantage when they can. "We know pitchers can make mistakes at times, and that's when we want to make it hurt," said Cubs left fielder Kyle Schwarber, who hit one of the homers off Hellickson. Three things to know about this game • With Bryant's homer on Tuesday, the Cubs have gone deep in 12 of their last 13 games -- including in six straight -- dating back to April 20. • Eickhoff will be looking for his first victory in six starts this season. This marks the second straight season he has struggled out of the gates, as he started 1-6 in 2016 before finishing with an 11-14 record.

• Aaron Altherr's homer off Cubs starter Jon Lester on Tuesday night increased the Phillies' first-inning offensive output this season to 26 runs. That trails only the Brewers, who lead the Majors with 28 first-inning runs. The Phillies have tallied four first-inning runs against the Cubs over the first two games of the four-game series. -- Cubs.com Cubs Charities announces area grants By John Jackson CHICAGO -- Cubs Charities, along with the Robert R. McCormick Foundation and Cubs Care, announced more than $1 million in grants to nonprofit organizations in the Chicago area on Tuesday. This is the 13th consecutive year more than $1 million has been donated to Chicago communities through Cubs Charities and Cubs Care. "Today we celebrate our shared victories with 26 deserving nonprofits across Chicago," Cubs Charities chairman Laura Ricketts said. "Together we are transforming dreams into reality by providing Chicago's kids with the resources and support they need to be their best on and off the field." Such events as the Bricks and Ivy Ball and Race to Wrigley Charity Run -- along with the gameday 50/50 raffle, personal videoboard messages, and contributions from Cubs players, fans and partners -- help raise funds for Cubs Care, which is matched at 50 percent by the McCormick Foundation and then granted to the community. "We know the Chicago Cubs and their fans believe in creating communities that thrive," said David Hiller, president and CEO of the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. "Together we are investing in great front-line programs that provide vital services to children, adults and families." -- CSNChicago.com With Home-Run Swing In Win Over Phillies, Kyle Schwarber Shows Why Cubs Will Stick With Leadoff Guy By Patrick Mooney The Cubs expect the impossible from Kyle Schwarber, envisioning him as their Babe Ruth when he played at Indiana University, watching his towering home runs as a rookie during the 2015 playoffs and witnessing a medical miracle, raking in the World Series some six months after major surgery on his left knee. Never bet against Schwarber is part of The Cubs Way. Manager Joe Maddon wouldn’t overreact to a downturn this early in the season and pull the plug on a leadoff experiment with Schwarber hitting .196 on May 2. “He’s scary, man,” Maddon said, calling the shot during Tuesday’s pregame media session at Wrigley Field. “Listen, every time he comes up, I think something good’s going to happen. Every time. Every time.” That faith paid off during an 8-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies, Schwarber hammering an 82-mph Jeremy Hellickson pitch into the right-field bleachers for the go-ahead, three-run homer in the fourth inning and giving a jolt to a team that views him as an emotional leader. Schwarber hadn’t homered in two weeks, watching his OPS tumble 190 points to .652, leading to what-have-you-done-for-me-lately questions about the lineup. “I feel like I’m right there,” Schwarber promised before the game. “I just got to stick with my process. I’m not going to be outcome-based where you just focus on a number. That’s why it’s called average. It’s an accumulation of something over the course of time. “It’s a game of millimeters. I feel like I’m putting some good swings on some balls and I’m just fouling them right back.

“I’m just not getting the results I want. Once I make that adjustment – get that millimeter where I’m missing the ball – it’s going to be a good feeling.” The Cubs are now 14-12 and still in first place without clicking on all cylinders. The crowd chanted “JAV-Y! JAV-Y” on a night where Javier Baez went 4-for-4 and fell a double short of hitting for the cycle. Kris Bryant tripled and homered after a pregame ceremony where he posed with Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg and the 2016 National League MVP award. Carl Edwards Jr., Hector Rondon and Wade Davis covered the final four innings and combined have now allowed one earned run through 35 appearances. Two months removed from his 24th birthday, Schwarber is a legend who hadn’t played in a big-league game in May until Monday night, and hasn’t come close to completing a full season in The Show yet. “We all kind of forget that,” winning pitcher Jon Lester said. “It’s been such a small sample size from him obviously being hurt last year and not playing a lot. I think that has a lot to do with where he’s at right now. You take a full year off of baseball. Obviously, we saw what he did in the World Series, and I think that’s just more kind of adrenaline. “Now with the grind of every day, he’s seeing how he’s getting pitched to. He has to make adjustments, and that’s the name of this game. You have the BATS (video) system, and every team has that, so they have a scouting report going in, what they’re going to try to do. “He’ll be fine. We know the talent. We all know what he can do. It’s just a matter of getting going. We got a lot of guys like that right now. I feel like we’re kind of on the cusp of getting guys going, both on the pitching side and on the offensive side.” Add this STATS Inc. bullet point to the resume: Schwarber (97 games) is now the fastest Cub to reach 20 career home runs since 1913. “That’s cool,” Schwarber said. “But I still want to focus on this year. I still want to focus on having good at-bats. I want to focus on winning. And I want to focus on getting back to where we want to be – which is being the last team standing at the end of the year.” -- CSNChicago.com Miguel Montero On Adam Jones Incident, Passing Citizenship Test And Living The American Dream By Patrick Mooney On the same night that Miguel Montero tipped his cap and raised his arms in the air after the Wrigley Field video board saluted him for becoming a United States citizen, Adam Jones heard racist taunts from the Fenway Park stands. That’s not at all trying to point out any fundamental differences between the Cubs and Red Sox or the cities of Chicago and Boston. It’s more about Major League Baseball’s powerful nature and ugly side, the game’s strengths and weaknesses and how it can reflect society as a whole. “It’s bad to hear,” Montero said Tuesday, not really focusing on Jones being a star player for the Orioles and an important figure in the Baltimore community. “Because it doesn’t matter if you’re white, you’re black, you’re Latin, you’re Asian. Whatever you are, we’re all human beings. “We’re all humans – we’re here for a purpose in life. Everybody has to appreciate life. It doesn’t matter who you are. It doesn’t matter what you got. It doesn’t matter how old you are. It’s unfortunate that we’re still seeing these things in this era.

“It hurts. It hurts because I don’t think anybody’s better than anybody. I think we’re all the same – we’re all going to die.” After flying back from Boston, Montero didn’t fall asleep until about 5:15 a.m. on Monday. He woke up around 8 that morning, put on his 2016 World Series ring and made the short trip from his place in downtown Chicago to take the U.S. citizenship test along with his wife, Vanessa, and get his new passport. “I was so tired that I didn’t have time to get nervous about it,” Montero said. Montero grew up in Venezuela, signed with the Diamondbacks as a teenager in 2001 and vowed that he would learn English as soon as possible, viewing it as a requirement to become a big-league catcher and an insurance policy that would allow him to stay in the game if he got seriously injured or didn’t make The Show. “It was so pretty for me, even though it was Tucson,” Montero said, remembering his first impressions of America. “Don’t get me wrong, Venezuela is a beautiful country, but when you think about the U.S., your mind goes so fast you don’t know what to expect.” Montero made a point to not only hang around the players from Latin America. He wouldn’t be afraid of making mistakes or getting laughed at while he tried to learn a new language. He got good enough to become a translator for teammates during rookie ball in Missoula, Montana. Montero built himself into a quote machine, a brutally honest veteran with old-school perspective who entertains reporters while changing the culture around a championship team. “The guys here, they helped me a lot,” Montero said. “I always practiced the test with them to see if they were capable of passing that test or not. I will tell you, probably half of this team weren’t capable to do it.” After passing the test, Montero saw Ryan Dempster, who grew up in Canada and now works as a special assistant for the Cubs: “I told him, ‘Hey, get out of my country.’” Montero’s children, Angel and Camilla, were born in the U.S. and the family has a spectacular home in Paradise Valley outside Phoenix. The kid from Caracas has earned more than $70 million in his career, according to the salary database at Baseball-Reference.com, and will be remembered forever as part of The Team in Chicago. “This country is full of opportunities,” Montero said. “I think all of us baseball players, we live the American dream. We’re playing a baseball game. We’re playing a sport that we love to play. We grew up always wanting to be in the big leagues. Now, we’re here, and we’re making a lot of money for what we love to do. “We’re all living the American dream.” -- CSNChicago.com Jason Heyward: Nothing Shocking About Adam Jones Hearing Racist Taunts At Fenway Park By Patrick Mooney Jason Heyward understands what it’s like to be Adam Jones, standing alone in the outfield, trying to concentrate on your job and hearing the racist taunts from the Fenway Park stands. “Nothing really shocks me,” Heyward said. “I’m not saying that you expect it to happen, but you’re not surprised, I guess, just growing up African-American, growing up playing baseball.” Heyward didn’t say this in anger or with any hesitation. The media crowded around his locker on Tuesday inside Wrigley Field’s clubhouse wanted a reaction to the Boston Red Sox apologizing to Jones, an All-Star center fielder for the Baltimore Orioles who represents so many of Major League Baseball’s best qualities.

The night before, USA Today quoted Jones saying that “I was called the N-word a handful of times” and a fan threw a bag of peanuts at him in the dugout, dredging up bad memories from Boston’s divisive past. The Cubs had just enjoyed their weekend at Fenway Park, playing in front of sellout crowds and a national TV audience in a potential World Series preview. Heyward – the Gold Glove outfielder respected throughout the game for his sense of professionalism – didn’t have an edge to his low voice and spoke in a matter-of-face tone. “It’s not the only park I’ve been in where I’ve heard it,” Heyward said. “So that’s why I would say I’m not too surprised. And, again, when I say ‘not too surprised,’ I don’t mean it like ‘of course there.’ “It happens. I’ve heard it my whole life, so it is what it is.” Joe Maddon – who made regular trips to Fenway Park with the Tampa Bay Rays – remembered the searing experiences as a minor-league manager in the mid-1980s in places like Little Rock, Arkansas, and Beaumont, Texas. “I’m coaching third base and there was some stuff coming out of the stands that I couldn’t believe,” Maddon said. “I went to the GM and I complained about it loudly and I wanted more security behind our dugout and he told me: ‘That’s just the boys having a little fun.’ “Then one time we had a situation in Beaumont where a fellow went out to the parking lot to get a gun and come back in (for) one of my black players, the right fielder. So you lived it – that’s 30 years ago – it’s even worse before that. “At some point, you’d like to believe it’s going to change, but who knows when?” Jones is a Gold Glove/Silver Slugger performer, a leader for Team USA during its World Baseball Classic championship run, someone willing to speak his mind and engage in social issues. The players’ union recognized Jones as the 2015 Marvin Miller Man of the Year, an award that combines on-field excellence and community service. In targeting Jones, Cubs outfielder Kyle Schwarber said, “It’s a shame that happened on a baseball field. It’s a shame that happens anywhere. It kind of leaves a pit in the stomach that we’re still at that point.” “It’s just awful,” Maddon said. “But then again, what is the percentage? It is a small percentage of idiots that are going to let that come out of their mouths. And then it permeates an entire fan base in a negative way, (even though) you really know that (perception’s) not true, but that’s how we operate.” Red Sox owner John Henry and president Sam Kennedy met with Jones, who received a standing ovation before his first at-bat on Tuesday night at Fenway Park. The Red Sox are considering a lifetime ban for fans caught yelling racial slurs. But this isn’t only a Red Sox issue or a Boston problem. “It’s a part of sports,” Heyward said. “People are going to say whatever they think is going to help their team win and try and get under somebody’s skin. And then they’ll start drawing a line somewhere. “It’s something I feel like a lot of people would just like to not hear anymore ever, but it’s part of life.” -- Chicago Tribune Kyle Schwarber solidifies leadoff status with 3-run homer in 8-3 win over Phillies By Mark Gonzales Changes are looming around the Cubs' starting rotation. But manager Joe Maddon remains firm in his support of Kyle Schwarber batting leadoff.

"He's going to get off soon, and it's going to look good," Maddon vowed before Tuesday night's game. Maddon's declaration was validated somewhat when Schwarber snapped an 0-for-9 slump with a three-run homer in the fourth inning off Jeremy Hellickson. That blow as well as solo blasts from Kris Bryant and Javier Baez helped the Cubs to a 8-3 victory over the Phillies. With his homer, Schwarber became the fastest Cub to reach the 20-homer mark, doing so in his 97th major-league game. "It takes one great at-bat to have a great night," Maddon said. "He had a great night." There has been increasing talk outside Wrigley Field regarding Schwarber, primarily because he entered Tuesday night's game with a .196 batting average with 35 strikeouts in 97 at-bats. Despite getting a game-winning hit Saturday off Robby Scott of the Red Sox, Schwarber was batting only 5-for-26 (.192) with 11 strikeouts against left-handers. Maddon admitted that average should be higher but he is going to give Schwarber every chance to succeed against left-handers unless it becomes apparent he can't. Moreover, Maddon has no intention of moving Schwarber out of the leadoff spot because he anticipates his .322 on-base percentage eventually will soar. Schwarber hardly seemed concerned about his sinking numbers before the game. "It's not going to make a difference," Schwarber said. "I feel like I'm right there. I really do. I just have to stick with the process. I can't be outcome-based to where you focus on just a number. That's why it's called average. It's an accumulation of something over the course of time. "I'm just going to stick with the course. It's a game of millimeters." Baez, who finished April with a .203 average, also provided a spark with his second home run in as many games. Baez needed a double to hit for the cycle but settled for a single in the eighth. Bryant had a homer in the first and a triple in the fourth before leaving in the eighth because of a tight calf that isn't expected to sideline him. The offense provided enough support for Jon Lester, who walked five in five innings and threw 106 pitches with what Maddon described as a "ball zone" for both teams. Lester's short outing heightened the anticipation the Cubs will alter their rotation sooner than they did last year in early July, when Adam Warren was inserted as a sixth starter in their 84th game. Maddon confirmed doing so again remains an option. The Cubs play a stretch of 16 games without a scheduled day off to end May, and Maddon acknowledged that he discussed "different things" Monday night with President Theo Epstein, general manager Jed Hoyer and assistant GM Shiraz Rehman. "We have to have these on-going discussions and be proactive, in advance of moments," Maddon said. "We're getting to the point we actually might have to do something about it. It's part of the discussion." -- Chicago Tribune Jon Lester marvels over Kyle Schwarber's home run milestone By Mark Gonzales

After showing remarkable restraint over the curious strike zone of home plate umpire Toby Basner on Tuesday night against the Phillies, Cubs ace Jon Lester stressed the same patience with observers stressing over the slow start of Kyle Schwarber. “I think we all kind of forget that,” Lester said after being asked about Schwarber becoming the fastest Cubs player to hit 20 home runs in only 97 games. “It’s been such a small sample size from him, being hurt last year and not playing a lot. “I think that has a lot to do with where he’s at right now. You take a full year off baseball, and we saw what he did in the World Series. That’s more adrenaline.” Schwarber hit his fourth home run of the season — a three-run shot that snapped a 2-2 tie and quelled some of the angst over his .196 batting average entering Tuesday night’s game. “I think now with the grind of (playing) every day, he’s seeing how he’s getting pitched and needs to make adjustments,” Lester said. “He’ll be fine. We know the talent. We saw it. We all know what he can do. It’s a matter of getting him going.” Schwarber took his achievement in stride. “That’s cool,” Schwarber said. “I guess it’s an accomplishment, but I still want to focus on this year. I still want to focus on having good at-bats, winning and to where we want to be – the last team standing at the end of the year. We’ll keep playing our baseball and take the end result.” Lester earned his first win despite pitching only five innings thanks to five walks and 106 pitches. Cubs manager Joe Maddon described the strike zone as a “ball zone,” and said he would have argued had the strike zone not been consistent for both teams. “That’s why we’re here at 11 o’clock,” Lester said after checking the time on a reporter’s cell phone. -- Chicago Tribune Javier Baez goes 4-for-4, just short of hitting for cycle in Cubs' win over Phillies By Mark Gonzales Javier Baez took a big turn around first base before smiling and retreating to the bag after hitting a bloop single to right field in the eighth inning of the Cubs’ 8-3 victory over the Phillies. Baez and the rest of his teammates found some amusement after he fell short of hitting for the cycle, yet settling for the second four-hit game of his career. “As soon as I hit it, I saw the ball was going to be dropped,” Baez said after also hitting a home run in the third, a single in the fourth and a triple in the fifth. “I’d give everything I’d had to go, but I knew I wasn’t going to have the chance, so I stopped at first.” Everyone in the Cubs dugout seemed aware of what was at stake for Baez in his final at-bat. Manager Joe Maddon asked Anthony Rizzo before Baez’s final at-bat if Rizzo would stop at second if he hit a ball into the gap for an easy triple. Maddon said he would stop at second, while Rizzo told Maddon he would keep running to third.

“I’m going for OPS (on base-plus-slugging),” Rizzo told Maddon. “So there are two different ways to look at it,” Maddon said. “Terrific response.” Baez credited lowering his leg kick that has helped his swing, as his batting average has swelled from .203 to .269 in two games. “I really started slow in April, which is usual to me,” Baez said. “Now as slow as I started, I kept trying to make my adjustments and didn’t give up going to the cage during games. I have a feel for my swing and seeing the ball well.” Baez’s recent surge tempered his urge to try for a double with a swim-move slide. “I was just thinking the ball was going to beat me, and if I tried a swim move at that point, the game was over and with a bad slide, I didn’t want to have the chance to get injured,” Baez said. -- Chicago Tribune After 'handful of flags came off' during benefit concert, Cubs' World Series trophy repaired By Paul Skrbina After 108 years, the Cubs broke through and won a World Series last season. Now their World Series trophy is broken. Or was broken. The team's commissioner's trophy was damaged during Cubs' President Theo Epstein's "Hot Stove Cool Music" benefit concert in Boston over the weekend, the Cubs confirmed. The Cubs played the Red Sox in a three-game series at Fenway Park on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Cubs' trophy, along with the one Epstein helped the Red Sox win as their general manager in 2004 to break an 86-year drought, both were being passed around the crowd. In a video, Epstein is shown on stage playing guitar while Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder sings and the trophies are being passed around the room. "A handful of (the 30) flags came off the trophy during the event Saturday night," Cubs vice president of communications and community affairs Julian Green told the Tribune. "(It) was repaired and was on display Sunday (at Fenway along with the Red Sox trophy)." -- Chicago Tribune Cubs players wonder about proper discipline in wake of Adam Jones incident By Mark Gonzales Jason Heyward briefly looked at a television show discussing the racial slurs directed at Orioles center fielder Adam Jones at Fenway Park and shook his head before heading to the batting cage. "You hear stuff, you hear stuff," Heyward said Tuesday when asked if similar slurs were directed at him during the Cubs' visit to Boston last weekend. Heyward added later, "Nothing shocks me. … It's not the only park. I'm not too surprised."

Heyward said he received taunts after making a spectacular catch in San Francisco while lying on the ground for several minutes. He suffered injuries to his right torso and abdomen. From fellow African-American Carl Edwards Jr. to slugger Kyle Schwarber to manager Joe Maddon, the the Jones incident disappointed the Cubs and they wonder what would be the most effective type of punishment for such behavior. "I haven't faced that yet in this profession, but I find it very disturbing as athletes," Edwards said. "Black, white, purple, green, yellow, it don't matter who you are. I feel like those days are over with. Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, and I'm with Adam Jones 100 percent because it's disrespectful as a fan, and it's something you don't see in this game." Said Schwarber: "It's a shame it happened on a baseball field. It's a shame it happens anywhere. It kind of leaves a pit in the stomach that we're still at that point. But whoever makes that decision (on discipline), I'm sure he'll make the right one." Edwards said he has had teammates look out for him from the time he played sandlot ball in his native South Carolina. Maddon remembered some of his African-American players were subject to heckling and threats in games at Little Rock, Ark., and Beaumont, Texas, in the mid-1980s. "(At Little Rock,) there was stuff coming out of the stands I couldn't believe," Maddon recalled. "I wanted more security. Maddon said the Little Rock general manager told him, "that's just the boys having some fun." "At some point, you have to do something about it," Maddon said. "You can't just listen to it." -- Chicago Tribune Brian Duensing impressed after Kyle Schwarber's brief appearance at catcher By Mark Gonzales Cubs reliever Brian Duensing wasn’t aware that Kyle Schwarber was going to catch him for the final two innings of Monday’s loss to the Phillies until he noticed Willson Contreras moved to third base and Miguel Montero took over at first. Nevertheless, Duensing was impressed with Schwarber’s work in his first major league appearance behind the plate since Oct. 1, 2015, during a game at Cincinnati. “I liked the way he set up,” Duensing said of Schwarber, who is relegated to emergency catcher duty when he’s not playing left field due to his recovery from knee surgery 13 months ago. “We were both on the same page right away with pitch calling. He’s taking his time back there, and you can tell he’s thinking about the at-bat, which is good. I thought he played very well.” Schwarber concurred with Duensing’s thoughts, adding “it was good to get back there, see some pitches and refresh the eyes.” The plan remains the same for Schwarber, who will move behind the plate merely to stay sharp on occasion or if a late-inning move necessitates a switch from left. “In one of those cases, the game wasn’t in our favor, and they wanted to give some of the big dogs some rest. That’s why I went back there.”

-- Chicago Sun-Times Will big home run be springboard for struggling Kyle Schwarber? By Gordon Wittenmyer Kyle Schwarber called his problems at the plate a matter of ‘‘millimeters.’’ But his answer — at least for one night — looked closer to 400 feet. Maybe that’s what Cubs manager Joe Maddon meant when he talked the last two days about sticking with his struggling slugger in the leadoff spot. ‘‘He’s scary, man,’’ Maddon said. ‘‘Every time he comes up, I think something good’s going to happen. Every time.’’ Schwarber’s tiebreaking three-run home run against right-hander Jeremy Hellickson with two outs in a four-run fourth inning was the big blow in the Cubs’ 8-3 victory Tuesday against the Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley Field. ‘‘When anybody’s struggling like that, I often tell him, ‘It takes one at-bat to have a great night,’ ’’ Maddon said. ‘‘He had a great night.’’ Before then, Schwarber was 2-for-27 with two singles in the last week of games. His batting average had dropped below .200, and the decibel levels from amateur lineup advisers were rising. ‘‘To have that at-bat there and put the team up, it definitely feels good,’’ said Schwarber, a two-time postseason hitting hero who didn’t have a career at-bat in May until Monday. ‘‘I think my last at-bats were a little bit better. Obviously, I want to keep improving on that.’’ The homer was the 20th of Schwarber’s career. That it came in his 97th game made him the quickest to the 20-homer mark in Cubs history and underscored just how little experience he has after missing most of last season with a knee injury. ‘‘I think we all kind of forget that,’’ said starter Jon Lester (1-1), who survived five innings to earn the victory. ‘‘I think that has a lot to do with where he’s at right now. It’s just a matter of making adjustments [to pitchers and scouting reports]. ‘‘Obviously, we all know what he can do, so it’s just a matter of getting going.’’ That’s part of why Maddon has no intention of dropping him from the leadoff spot anytime soon. ‘‘His struggles are not about where he’s hitting in the batting order,’’ Maddon said, referring to Schwarber’s recent trend of just getting under his pitch. ‘‘I know he’s going to hit. And as he hits, [his average is] going to climb. And everybody’s going to be happy.’’ Maddon said he talked Monday with Schwarber ‘‘about a couple of things I think he needs to get back to. Let’s just see how it plays out.’’ ‘‘It’s a game of millimeters,’’ Schwarber said. ‘‘I feel like I’m putting some good swings on some balls, and I’m just fouling them right back.’’ Schwarber also said his issues had nothing to do with the responsibilities or mentality of batting in the leadoff spot. And he dismissed the outside noise from those calling for him to be moved down in the order. ‘‘I can’t let outside things affect the way I feel when I’m playing the game because that’s when even more negative things start happening,’’ Schwarber said. ‘‘I’ve got to worry about my process and worry about my team and everything like that and let the manager make his decisions.’’

If anything, it’s the lefty-hitting Schwarber’s lack of production against left-handers (5-for-26 with 11 strikeouts) that would seem to raise a bigger concern about where he hits in the order. ‘‘He should be able to hit the lefties better than he has to this point,’’ Maddon said. ‘‘That’s where the overall number comes down — because of that side. ‘‘If it ever gets to the point where over a course of time it oppressively looked so different that you’ve got to do something against a lefty, then I probably would. But this time of year, it’s the right time to experiment with all that kind of stuff. . . . But I think he’s real close.’’ -- Chicago Sun-Times Jason Heyward: Racist taunts ‘part of life’ for black players By Gordon Wittenmyer The day after Orioles center fielder Adam Jones responded publicly to racial taunts from fans at Fenway Park — sparking widespread outrage over the incident — Cubs right fielder Jason Heyward was asked whether he heard anything similar at Fenway during the weekend. “You hear stuff, you hear stuff,” Heyward said before the game Tuesday against the Phillies. So that’s a yes? “You hear stuff, you hear stuff,” he repeated. Fenway long has had a reputation among players for racist taunting from fans. Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia told reporters that MLB’s 62 African Americans “all know” to expect it at Fenway and said it’s the only place in his big-league career he has been called the N-word. “It’s not the only park I’ve been in where I’ve heard it,” said Heyward, who got it from Cardinals fans through social media after signing with the Cubs before last season, then again in the Cubs’ first series in St. Louis. “Nothing shocks you,” he said. “Nothing really shocks me. To that extent, when stuff like that happens, I’m not saying you expect it to happen, but you’re not surprised, growing up African-American, growing up playing baseball.” Said Kyle Schwarber: “It kind of leaves a pit in the stomach that we’re still at that point.” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said he had incidents as a minor-league manager in Arkansas and Texas in the 1980s, a decade later as an Angels coach in Milwaukee and more recently as a major-league manager with the Rays. “At some point, you’d like to believe it’s going to change, but who knows when?” Maddon said. “But at some point, you’ve got to do something about it. You can’t just keep hearing it, then you talk about it briefly, then you table it and eventually hope it goes away, knowing it never will. “If there’s something you don’t like, and you consider it a legitimate problem, don’t just table it. Keep working at it until you find a solution that’s workable.” Until then, many African-American players are left to deal with it as an occasional, recurring occupational hazard. “It is what it is, man,” Heyward said. “If somebody feels that’s what they’re going to use to their advantage, more power to them. It’s not going to affect me. It sucks. It’s something I feel like a lot of people would just like to not hear anymore, ever. But it’s part of life, unfortunately part of life.” This and that

Maddon said the Cubs are having ongoing discussions about when to drop a temporary sixth starter into a rotation that has not come close to matching last year’s success in the early going. Last season, the Cubs used a sixth starter once just before the All-Star break and once afterward but planned before the season to do it earlier this year.

◆ Kris Bryant left the game for a pinch hitter in the eighth inning because of a “little knot” in his calf. “Nothing

a massage can’t fix,” said Bryant, who added he’s “100 percent” sure he’ll be in the lineup Wednesday.

“No, 120 percent — 300 percent.”

◆ The Cubs’ World Series trophy reportedly was damaged during team president Theo Epstein’s charity concert Saturday night in Boston but quickly repaired in time for display for the game Sunday night. -- Daily Herald Schwarber home run sparks Chicago Cubs to win By Bruce Miles It's the issue that won't go away: Kyle Schwarber batting leadoff for the Chicago Cubs. Maybe Schwarber began to put that to bed Tuesday night in the most emphatic way. He came up with two runners on and crushed a 3-run homer into the right-field bleachers to highlight a 4-run fourth inning and break a 2-2 tie with the Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley Field. The Cubs went on to win 8-3. "It takes 1 at-bat to have a great night," Maddon said afterward. "That's what I tell him." The subject of Schwarber batting first comes up almost every day with manager Joe Maddon. He doesn't seem to mind. Schwarber entered the game with a line of .196/.322/.330 with 3 homers and 9 RBI. "Years ago, I used to go to a function down in Tampa Bay, Chamber of Commerce," Maddon said. "And I had them make the lineup. I sat up in front and said, 'Who do you guys want tonight?' They were actually, I think, 4-2 or 3-3 with the lineup, whatever we did back then. When it comes to the Kyle Schwarbers of the world, it's easy, understandable as to why people would think what they think. "This guy, to me, (his slow start) has nothing to do with him hitting leadoff. He could be hitting seventh, eighth, ninth, whatever. His struggles are not about where he's hitting in the batting order." I don't expect Maddon to seek lineup advice from the Chicago Union League Club in the morning, but he is going to stick with Schwarber in the No 1 spot. Although Schwarber's on-base -- not to mention the less-important stat of batting average -- is down at the moment, he sees pitches and accepts walks. If he begins to hit, as expected, the OBP will rise. He has not seemed worried about the start. The home run was the 20th of his career. He has reached 20 homers in the fewest career games (97) of any Cubs player (since 1913). "I feel like I'm right there, I really do," he said. "Obviously I've just got to stick with the process. I can't get outcome bases to where you focus on just a number. That's why it's called average. It's an accumulation of something over the course of time." Jon Lester (1-1) started for the Cubs and pitched 5 innings, giving up 4 hits and 3 runs (2 earned). He gave up a first-inning homer to Aaron Altherr before Kris Bryant tied the game in the bottom of the first with his fifth homer of the season. Bryant came out of the game for a pinch hitter in the eighth. The Cubs said he experienced "tightness" in his calf, but Bryant said after the game he would be ready to go Wednesday night.

Javier Baez was 4-for-4. He was a double short of the cycle, and he took a big turn around first base in the eighth on a basehit, but he settled for a single. "I gave everything I had to go two, but I wasn't going to have the chance, so I just stopped at first," Baez said. -- Daily Herald Phillies management definitely has Cubs flavor By Bruce Miles When Dallas Green came to Chicago from Philadelphia to run the Cubs more than three decades ago, he wound up bringing to Chicago several players from the Phillies. Included at various points were Larry Bowa, Keith Moreland, Gary Matthews and a kid named Ryne Sandberg. The Phillies are in town playing the Cubs, and their management and coaching staffs have a Cubs flavor. Team President Andy MacPhail held that job with the Cubs from late 1994 through 2006. Bowa is a member of the coaching staff as are former Cubs people Rick Kranitz, Mickey Morandini and Matt Stairs. Kranitz coached with the Cubs while Morandini and Stairs, like Bowa, played for them. "I loved my time here," said Morandini, the Phillies' first-base coach. "I loved the two years I was here. I loved the park, loved the fans. I loved playing day games. I lived an hour from here (in Indiana). You could play the day game, go home and have a nice night with the family." Morandini played second base in 1998 and '99. The '98 club won the National League wild card. "Ninety-eight was special for us," he said Tuesday. "Sammy (Sosa) doing what he did. Having Gracie (Mark Grace) out there and Kerry Wood and Shooter (Rod Beck). We had a good, veteran team. We had a few young players that played very well." Morandi has managed in the minor leagues, and he said managing in the big leagues is a goal. Stairs played for the 2001 Cubs, who led the NL Central for four months before fading. He hit 17 home runs and was part of a fun group that included current Cubs radio analyst Ron Coomer, Eric Young, Ricky Gutierrez and Kevin Tapani, among others. He is now hitting coach for the Phillies. "We really enjoyed taking the field here in Chicago and playing hard in front of the fans," Stairs said. "I think what made us such a close group and a fun group was that everyone got along so great on and off the field. If you look at the team we had, we were just average Joes going out playing the ballgame that we loved and playing the way we played it. I think that's why the fans enjoyed watching us play that year." A proud citizen: Cubs catcher Miguel Montero has been beaming for two full days after becoming an American citizen Monday. "I've been a resident for six years," said Montero, a native of Venezuela. "It was time for us to get the citizenship, to get the full privilege of the United States." Montero and his wife, Vanessa, became citizens. Their children were born in the U.S. He said he had fun with former Cubs pitcher Ryan Dempster, a Canadian who is a member of the front office. "I saw Dempster over here, and I said, 'Hey, get out of my country,'" he said.

But seriously, Montero said he is proud and excited. He also said he appreciated the fans, who cheered the announcement on the Wrigley Field videoboard. "I know they're happy for me and my family," he said. "Yes, I'm so blessed in my career and life. Those are times that later on you can look back and appreciate how blessed you were." -- Daily Herald Chicago Cubs react to Adam Jones situation By Bruce Miles The Chicago Cubs just returned from Boston, where the atmosphere for three exciting games was fun, festive and friendly at Fenway Park. Things took an ugly turn Monday, when Baltimore Orioles player Adam Jones, who is black, said he heard racist taunts at Fenway. Jones also had a bag of peanuts thrown at him. Chicago Cubs players as well as manager Joe Maddon reacted to the situation Tuesday before their game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley Field. "You hear stuff, and you hear stuff at times," outfielder Jason Heyward said. "You're going to hear stuff. Everybody hears different stuff. Nothing shocks you. Nothing really shocks me to the extent that kind of stuff happens. It's not the only park I've been in where I've heard it. I've hear it my whole life. It is what it is." Relief pitcher Carl Edwards Jr. said he was saddened that such things continue to happen in 2017. "I feel like those days are over with; Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier," Edwards said. "I'm with Adam Jones 100 percent myself. That's disrespectful as a fan and something you don't see in this game. He didn't say anything to them (the fans). If I was him, I wouldn't walk away, either." Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant said he would like to see tougher penalties for fans who hurl such abuse. "You're there just to enjoy entertainment," Bryant said. "Anytime you disrupt that, I think there should be harsher punishment. We're out there having fun. We're trying to perform, hit home runs, be entertainers. Anytime that kind of thing happens, it puts a damper on things. I would love to see harsher punishment." Maddon says it's important to keep up the movement toward positive change. "My comments are pretty much widely shared," he said. "But at some point you've got to do something about it. You just can't keep listening and hearing it. Then you talk about it briefly and you table it and hope it goes away, knowing it never will. "Whatever it takes, I'd definitely be on board with trying to support it or help it (punishment), but it has to come from organizations and groups within cities. "I still believe that if there is something you don't like and you consider it a legitimate problem, don't just table it. Just keep working at it until you find somewhat of a solution that's workable." --