Heyward making things happen on the bases
Outfielder scores nine of Cardinals' 27 runs in series win over Cubs
ST. LOUIS -- Despite what he considers a still work-in-progress swing, outfielder Jason Heyward made the most of his time on base in the Cardinals' series win over the Cubs.
Heyward singled and scored three times in Thursday's 5-1 win over Chicago, giving him his first back-to-back games with three runs scored since 2010. He scored nine of the team's 27 runs in the four-game series.
"I'm still not feeling my best, but that doesn't matter," Heyward said. "I'm still going to go out and try to find a way to get it done every day until it comes around. It's good to be on base and help the team."
Heyward's inconsistency with getting on base led manager Mike Matheny to bump the right fielder out of the two-hole last week and down into the sixth spot. Heyward has gone 11-for-32 since with 11 runs scored, the second-highest total in the Majors during that span.
Video: CHC@STL: Heyward crosses the plate on a wild pitch
"We've talked about him a couple times in here, about those little things that made something happen -- whether he's taking that extra base or making that great extra play," Matheny said. "That's just the kind of baseball player he is. The power is there. We're going to see it. But it's just taking good at-bats right now and taking the walk when he can get it and making good things happen on the bases."
Heyward, who has scored a run seven of the last nine times he has come to the plate, also believes the run production will soon follow.
"Being on base is a start. I'd like to start driving the ball some more," Heyward said. "But the biggest thing is getting good pitches to hit, taking the walks when they're there. Once you're able to start laying off pitchers' pitches and swinging at more pitches in the strike zone, I think that's a great sign."