Montgomery loves playing catch with his mom

CHICAGO -- Mike Montgomery has plenty of memories of playing catch with his mom from when he was young, but he does not have to think too hard to recall the last time they tossed a baseball back and forth. That's because they still play catch every once in a while during the offseason.

"She's good," said Montgomery, who joined his teammates in donning pink gear for Sunday's Mother's Day game against the Brewers.

Montgomery's mom, Jeannette, was a standout softball and basketball player for Cal Poly Pomona. On the court, she set the school's career record for assists and games played and won a NCAA Division II national championship in 1982. She then went on to be a physical education teacher and made sure her son was working hard not only in athletics, but academics.

"She taught me the discipline and work ethic," Montgomery said. "She was always on me. She was a P.E. teacher and she never let me slack in the classroom and on the sports field. But she always made sure I had the right morals and sportsmanship, because I was kind of a hothead when I was younger. She would always whip me back into shape when I was out of line."

Asked if a specific example came to mind, Montgomery laughed.

"Yeah," said the Cubs pitcher. "I flipped off an umpire when I was like 11 or 12. I was hitting and he called strike three. My mom came on the field, grabbed me by the ear and dragged me off the field. In front of everybody, she came out of the stands, grabbed me by my ear and dragged me out of there. I remember it was embarrassing at the time, but she wasn't afraid to do that. I think I needed that, too."

Montgomery's parents -- his dad played baseball at Temple Tennessee College -- eventually got to see their son record the final out for the Cubs in the 2016 World Series triumph over the Indians. Now retired, his parents are also now grandparents. Montgomery and his wife welcomed their own son, Max, into their family last month.

"That was their first [grandchild]," Montgomery said. "I couldn't even explain it. They're loving it. They're loving life right now."

Worth noting

• Cubs catcher Willson Contreras was in the starting lineup on Sunday, even after catching all 15 innings and hitting a walk-off homer in Saturday's win over the Brewers. Contreras said he wanted to catch Jon Lester and be in the lineup on Mother's Day. Cubs manager Joe Maddon also said it was an easy decision, given that it was a night game and Contreras has been Lester's main catcher dating back to 2017 (375 2/3 innings out of 394 1/3 innings).

"That was not difficult. Jonny's pitching, so Willson's catching. Pretty easy," Maddon said. "He's fine. Obviously, it was a tough day, but it's kind of exhilarating when you hit the walk-off homer in the 15th. If it were a day game, it would've been a little more difficult to wrap your mind around [it], but with a day off [Monday], I think he's going to be fine."

• First baseman Anthony Rizzo was out of the starting lineup on Sunday due to back stiffness, which developed during Saturday's 15-inning game and worsened into Sunday morning. Kris Bryant got the start at first base and Rizzo was scheduled to undergo treatment with the goal of possibly being available off the bench as a pinch-hitter.

"He came in and tried to get loosened up," Maddon said. "It wasn't working as well as we wanted it to, so we're just going to try to keep him in there, get ready for a possible cameo pinch-hit. And then, with the day off tomorrow, see where we're at [on Tuesday in Cincinnati]."

• Backup catcher Victor Caratini (10-day injured list, left hand) had five plate appearances for Triple-A Iowa on Saturday and will stay with the affiliate to continue his Minor League rehab assignment.

• Daniel Descalso returned to the starting lineup as the Cubs' second baseman on Sunday night, following seven days as a pinch-hitter due to a sore left ankle.