SAN FRANCISCO -- Cubs manager Craig Counsell has heard a similar version of the same question after a few of his team’s wins lately. Given some of the team’s issues over the past several weeks, the inquiries have centered around whether the victories might point to some positive momentum.
“I think if we get past the point of people asking that,” Counsell said, “that’s when I think we’ll be in a good spot.”
On Saturday night, the North Siders pulled off a 6-1 win over the Giants that marked the first three-game winning streak for Chicago since it rattled off 10 straight wins between late April and early May. By taking the first two games in San Francisco, the Cubs also won their first series since a four-game sweep of the Reds from May 4-7, snapping a 10-series drought.
“This is kind of what we expected,” Cubs starter Ben Brown said. “This is what we’ve experienced a ton this year. It’s just awesome putting some good games together. It’s fun to be a Cub right now.”
Here are three takeaways from the Cubs’ victory:
1. Brown keeps rolling
Brown turned and let out a shout after his elevated heater to Rafael Devers resulted in an inning-ending strikeout in the third on Saturday. It was a one-pitch snapshot of the dominance that Brown has continued to feature for Chicago since stepping into the rotation.
With five strong innings, the 26-year-old Brown kept building on his All-Star case. The big righty has turned in a 1.49 ERA in his seven starts, including a tidy 1.16 ERA in his past four turns. That has lowered his overall showing to 1.74 on the year for the Cubs.
“I made big pitches when I had to,” said Brown, who held the Giants to an 0-for-7 showing with runners in scoring position.
Brown walked three and scattered seven hits on Saturday, but sidestepped potential damage throughout his performance. His lone setback arrived in the third, when Drew Gilbert drew a leadoff walk and then scored on a triple by Luis Arraez. Three batters later, Brown blew that 98 mph fastball by Devers.
“He had to make some big pitches,” Counsell said. “In the third and the fourth, he had to make tough pitches to get through those innings. He did, and did an excellent job. Some defensive stuff helped him. But, he made pitches.”
2. PCA sets the tone
Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong has embraced the responsibility at the top of the order since being installed as the primary leadoff hitter late last month.
“For him to go up there and get the first pitches of the game,” Cubs hitting coach Dustin Kelly said, “there’s a threat that he’s going to homer on the first pitch.”
Kelly spoke those words prior to Saturday's game and the remarks proved prescient. Giants starter Trevor McDonald fired a first-pitch slider Crow-Armstrong’s way and the Cubs’ tablesetter launched it the opposite way. The ball just cleared the wall in left for the first game-opening homer of Crow-Armstrong’s career.
The center fielder ended the night with a homer, double and single, scoring a pair of runs to help spark an offense that has burst to life in the past three wins. Ian Happ (No. 16 on the season) and Pedro Ramírez (first career homer) each added a solo shot in the fifth to pad Chicago’s advantage.
“The last few days have been really good overall,” Crow-Armstrong said of the lineup. “When we haven’t been executing with guys on base lately, it’s nice to see the ball fly out of the yard, for sure.”
3. Suzuki exits early
Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki has been on a roll offensively of late and enjoying a strong season defensively. He was at it again on Saturday until a right knee setback forced him to depart the game early.
Suzuki stepped awkwardly and dropped to the grass in the fourth after coming up short on a catch attempt of a Matt Chapman sinking liner. The right fielder exited with what the Cubs announced as right knee discomfort -- the same knee he injured during the World Baseball Classic.
“I’m wishing it’s not a big deal,” Suzuki said of the setback. “I’ll wake up tomorrow, see how everything feels. And if I can go from there, go for it. If not, we’ll see how it goes.”
Prior to leaving, Suzuki contributed an RBI single and two great plays in right field. He threw out Bryce Eldridge at second base in the first when the Giants designated hitter tried to stretch a hit into the right-field corner into a double. Suzuki also made a slick sliding catch to his left in the third to rob Eric Haase of a would-be hit on a play with a 25% catch probability.