CHICAGO -- How long will Anthony Rizzo lead off for the Cubs? Manager Joe Maddon isn't sure but as long as it works, he's going to stay with it.
"Going into it, I did not have a set number of days," Maddon said Wednesday. "He obviously started well in New York. I've got a very open mind about all of this. I think a lot of it depends on other guys surfacing. I'm just going to leave it alone."
On Wednesday, Rizzo flew out to right field in the first inning to end his streak of successfully reaching base in his first at-bat.
Rizzo wasn't the only one shut down on Wednesday: Six Padres pitchers combined to hold the Cubs to two hits in a 3-2 win.
"Their bullpen matched up well," Maddon said. "We hit a couple balls fairly good at people but otherwise could not mount an attack. ... We have to do more than two runs, especially when you get into the 'pen that early."
Rizzo did reach safely to start the game in his first seven contests as leadoff man, and according to Elias Sports Bureau he's the only player in the last 60 seasons to do so in each of his first seven career games batting leadoff.
"I think it's just a mindset," Maddon said. "It's somebody who has the tools, meaning they see some pitches, they get on base, they're willing to accept their walks. It's nice if they have some power. Anthony likes to do it. We did it in Spring Training, messing around, and he was always excited about that day. It's wonderful to have one of those things."
In his first seven games as the leadoff man, Rizzo had three home runs, a double, two singles and a walk.