Rizzo again looking as good as Gold
When Cubs manager Joe Maddon saw his MVP candidate first baseman jump onto the narrow ledge of the wall in foul territory trying to make a catch, he had only one thought.
‘‘ Just that he would stick the landing,’’ Maddon said. ‘‘ I was hoping for at least a 9.5 from the Luxembourg judge.’’
After making the catch that electrified the crowd — maybe his best catch yet — Anthony Rizzo used the rolled- up tarp on his dismount Tuesday during the second game of the Cubs’ doubleheader sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers.
That he’s starting to make a habit of using brick walls, tarps and folding seats as props for some of his fielding tricks only underscores why Maddon calls him a ‘‘ nodoubt’’ Gold Glove candidate on a team that’s already the best fielding team in the majors, according to some defensive metrics.
This might be Rizzo’s best shot yet at his first career Gold Glove.
‘‘ I was surprised myself that I caught that, to be honest,’’ Rizzo said after a banner day for Cubs pitching and defense in 4- 0 and 4- 1 victories.
Playing in his 14th inning on a long day, with one out in the fifth inning in a one- run game, Rizzo tracked the ball to the wall, looked up, jumped on the ledge near the tarp, leaned over two rows of seats to make the catch, then tiptoed along the wall to keep his balance.
‘‘ It was unbelievable,’’ said starter Jason Hammel ( 13- 5), who also was the starting pitcher when Rizzo made a similar play a few feet away one year ago this week.
Rizzo stole an at- bat from the Brewers’ Ryan Braun on that play, standing on the tarp, stepping on a seat and making the catch before losing his balance.
‘‘ I remember the last one like it was yesterday, and [ this] one was even better,’’ Hammel said.
Rizzo also had the defensive play of Tuesday’s opener, knocking down a shot near the line by Kirk Nieuwenhuis, crawling after it as it rolled into foul territory, grabbing it and throwing from the ground to pitcher Trevor Cahill. Cahill stretched to drag his foot across the bag just as he caught the ball on the run.
Maddon has managed or coached Gold Glove first basemen J. T. Snow, Darin Erstad and Carlos Pena and says of Rizzo, “He’s right up at the top of the list.”
Rizzo said he thinks about the Gold Glove: “It’s something that all of us infielders are [ striving for], and none of us have cracked it yet. We’re hopefully on our way.”
Finishing touch for Hammel?
Hammel suddenly looks like the best second- half pitcher in baseball. With seven shutdown innings in Tuesday’s nightcap, he ran his career- best winning streak to six consecutive starts — making him 6- 0 with a 0.95 ERA since the All- Star break ( 38 innings).
Hammel ( 13- 5) hasn’t allowed a run in August, running his scoreless innings streak to 22, and on Tuesday had as many hits in three trips to the plate ( two) as he allowed the Brewers in 24 trips.
“He was really, really good again, and it’s been fun to watch,” Maddon said.
In 14 games this month, Cubs starters are 10- 0 with a 1.12 ERA.
This and that
Maddon said he hasn’t heard anything about the Cubs trying to sign former closer Jonathan Papelbon for their bullpen, and a source confirmed the Cubs are not in on the six- time All- Star.
† Braun left the nightcap in the fourth inning with a left knee injury after sliding into the wall chasing a foul fly ball.