CUBS 9, ROCKIES 6

Nothing free

Kyle Hendricks pitched another 4⅔ innings without a walk, giving him 13⅔ innings without a free pass. He has 14 strikeouts. “That’s a big focus for me,” he said. “That means my fastball command [ is there]. My fastball command was much better [ than the last start].”

Surging Szczur

Out of contract options and battling for what might be the final roster spot, outfielder Matt Szczur had a huge game. He went 3- for- 4 with a homer to left in the eighth and had a long running catch at the wall to end the fourth and strand two runners. He also reached on a bunt single leading off the fourth. He took second on a throwing error on the play, advanced to third on a fly ball to center and scored on another fly to center. Overall, he’s 12- for31 (. 387) with the homer, two triples and a double.

La Stella battling

Infielder Tommy La Stella— Szczur’s competition for the last spot if the Cubs keep 13 pitchers, as expected— started at third base. He made a pair of sharp plays, including a diving stop to his left and the throw for the out, but he also waived at a hot grounder a foot to his left that was ruled a single and drove in a run. Batting behind Szczur, La Stella followed Szczur’s homer with a double off the wall in the opposite- field gap. He went 1- for- 4 and is 5- for- 22 overall.

Schwarber in left

Leadoff slugger Kyle Schwarber singled home a run in the third. The work- in- progress left fielder also made a running basket catch of a fly ball to the gap in the fourth.

On deck

Day off Tuesday. Wednesday: Cubs at Reds, Goodyear, 8: 05 p. m., CSN, 670- AM, Ryan Williams vs. Scott Feldman.