Coghlan makes noise with historic day at the plate
First Cubs player since 1950 with 2 triples and HR in same game
PHILADELPHIA -- Joe Maddon was perfectly positioned in the visitor's dugout to hear Chris Coghlan's at-bats, and they were loud.
"How hard did he hit it? On the field, the sound was different," Maddon said of Coghlan, who went 4-for-5 with two triples, a homer and a single in the Cubs' 7-4 loss to the Phillies on Sunday. "I've never seen him hit the ball that hard before, five consecutive at-bats."
"From an individual standpoint, I did everything I could," Coghlan said.
Coghlan tripled to left in the first, hitting the ball off the top of the wall padding. He tripled to right in the third, although that hit was reviewed because Phillies manager Pete Mackanin felt there might have been fan interference. If that had happened, Coghlan would've been credited with a double -- which meant he would've hit for the cycle considering how the rest of his day went.
Video: CHC@PHI: Coghlan hits second triple in the 3rd
Coghlan belted his 16th home run with one out in the fifth, and then added a single with two outs and one on in the ninth.
He's the first Cubs player with two triples and a home run in a game since Roy Smalley did so on June 20, 1950. Coghlan did set a career high with two triples, and tied his personal best in hits (four) and extra-base hits (three).
"You can't hit the ball if you don't see it well," Coghlan said. "Any time you get on a good run or have a good game, you're seeing the ball well and the game slows down. It wasn't enough today."
The loss stung because every game matters now for the Cubs, who are battling to secure a playoff spot. Both the Cardinals and Pirates won Sunday, which dropped Chicago to four games behind Pittsburgh in the National League Wild Card standings. The Cubs and Pirates square off in a doubleheader on Tuesday at PNC Park to begin a four-game series.
"Every game matters, so that's why when you split here, it feels terrible," Coghlan said. "As good as we've been playing, it's a disappointment. ... We just have to take one game at a time. I think everybody in here is excited [about facing the Pirates], myself included, because these are big games. Any time you play somebody ahead of you it's two games for one you win."
The Cubs have 10 games remaining against the Pirates (seven) and Cardinals (three).
"That's enough games to make up ground," Coghlan said. "Do we have it in us? Yeah, we do. Are we going to? Only time will tell."