Kyle moves in for the kill
As Cubs hit 100 wins, Hendricks’ ERA title seems all locked up
PITTSBURGH — Don’t tell Kyle Hendricks and the rest of the Cubs that this final week of regular- season games doesn’t mean anything.
In the opener of a four- game series at PNC Park on Monday night, they looked as relentless as the Pittsburgh Pirates looked feckless in a 12- 2 victory that gave them 100 wins in a season for the first time in 71 years — and put Hendricks on the brink of his own place in franchise history.
With Javy Baez leading the way on the big scoring night with six RBI, including a grand slam, Hendricks did the rest with six scoreless innings to lower his major- league- leading ERA to 1.99 with one start left.
Even Hendricks, the poster boy for one- start- at- a- time focus this season, admits he can allow a thought or two about becoming the first Cub to win an ERA title since Ray Prim in 1945.
“It’s really only me or Jon,” he said of teammate Jon Lester, whose 2.28 ERA ranks second in the majors to Hendricks’. “That’s the cool part about it. It’s going to go to one of us, and that’s awesome. If it’s him orme, either way, I’m just going into my last start with the same mindset, not thinking about that, just trying to make good pitches.”
Hendricks, who said he started to lose command of his sinker as his start progressed Monday, nonetheless didn’t issue a walk and pitched out of jams in the third and sixth.
He has been as big a reason for the Cubs’ sixth 100- win season as anybody on the roster.
“Kyle doing what he’s doing, obviously, we did not anticipate all of this,” manager Joe Maddon said of the right- hander, who opened the season as the Cubs’ fifth starter and will finish as their Game 2 playoff starter. “It’s been a big difference for us that he’s been able to do what he’s done this year, no question.”
And to put his lead over Lester in perspective: If Lester’s ERA stays the same, Hendricks could give up five runs, fail to record an out, then get pulled from his final start — and still win the ERA title.
“He’s been unbelievable,” said veteran Travis Wood, an All- Star starter three years ago and a key member of the Cubs’ bullpen. “He knows how to manipulate the balls in ways a lot of pitchers don’t, keeps people off balance.”
Said MVP candidate Kris Bryant, who hit his 39th homer and passed the 100- RBI mark Monday: “He just finds a way to get them to make weak contact. It’s unbelievable what he can do.”
Hendricks’ run dates back to a pair of scoreless performances in his final two starts of last season and accelerated this year when he added an improved curve ball and more liberal use of a four- seam fastball to the best changeup on the staff.
“By no means is this a fluke,” Maddon said. “This is something that can carry on for years. It’s not an anomaly. This is how good he’s capable of being.”