CHICAGO -- The video scoreboard in left at Wrigley Field took a hit when the Cubs' Jorge Soler crushed a home run off it in the fourth inning on Friday.
Soler, 24, who hit an RBI single in the first, launched a 1-2 pitch from the Phillies' Adam Morgan in the fourth off the board, a shot which was projected by Statcast™ at 461 feet -- which would rank as the longest home run by a Cubs player this year by 20 feet. The Cubs needed all the homers in a 6-2 win over the Phillies.
"That home run right there would be really pleased on any given par five to hit that particular drive," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "That thing was far -- loud and far. He'll keep doing that. He's getting some confidence. You can see it, the way he's moving. His confidence is just riding right now. All these guys will keep getting better."
According to Statcast™, the exit velocity of Soler's homer was 108.3 mph. It was his fifth homer of the season.
Soler got off to a slow start this season, batting .193 in April. But Maddon hasn't lost faith in the young outfielder.
"I appreciate the way everything is going," Soler said through coach Henry Blanco. "I appreciate the way Joe is treating me."
It was the second game Soler has batted fourth. Maddon gave Anthony Rizzo and Jason Heyward a breather from the starting lineup, and tweaked the batting order against the lefty Morgan.