Clutch hits from Zobrist and Bryant help Cubs beat Giants

CHICAGO — While acknowledging the frustration of fans seeking instant gratification, Cubs President Theo Epstein expresses patience and faith in his players that he believes they will evolve into a consistent winner.

“Look at the track record of this group,” Epstein said. “We’re going through the same process as we (always) do. It’s just taking more frustrating twists and turns than we hoped. It’s natural.”

The Cubs’ performance Friday mirrored the script Epstein discussed as they broke through for four runs with clutch execution to pull away to a 6-2 victory over the Giants at warm Wrigley Field.

The triumph snapped a two-game losing streak and ended an offensive rut in which they scored just one run in two losses to the Indians earlier in the week.

Ben Zobrist, who turns 37 Saturday, reversed the team trend when he pulled a hanging curve from left-hander Will Smith down the left-field line for a two-run double that snapped a 11 tie in the seventh.

Zobrist credited an encouraging hitters meeting in which “guys had good plans and were working the process.”

“As long as we keep doing that, we know the streaks will start coming, and we’ll start scoring a lot more runs

and getting a lot more wins,” he said.

Zobrist’s double and Kris Bryant’s tworun, two-out single capped a four-run rally that provided some rare clutch hitting for the Cubs. They were batting .222 with runners in scoring position and .194 with runners in scoring position with two outs.

Before Zobrist’s double, only 28 of their 98 hits with runners in scoring position had gone for extra bases.

“We’re not getting the bang for our buck with our offensive production because a lot of our extra-base hits and home runs are with nobody on base,” Epstein said. “And we’re not performing at the same level with runners in scoring position, so it could even out.

“But you have to make sure it’s not something baked into our approach. I don’t think it is.”

Zobrist senses that opposing pitchers attack Cubs hitters differently in those situations.

“You have to grow as a team as far as how we approach those situations,” Zobrist said.

Addison Russell took a few steps as he continued his long-awaited ascent at the plate. Russell’s bunt set up Zobrist’s game-winning hit in the seventh, and Russell singled in the eighth to score Ian Happ, who drew his second walk after striking out in his first two at-bats.

“(Russell) slowly is getting to the point where he’s comfortable at the plate and looking to do some damage,” Epstein said. “He has been better the last few weeks than he had been when he slumped 10 days into the season. It lasted a while, and he’s just working his way out of it.”

Kyle Hendricks (4-3) was the beneficiary of the late run support, as he retired 17 of the first 18 batters he faced with sharpness on virtually every pitch. He finished his efficient seven innings with 88 pitches, allowing just two hits and two walks with seven strikeouts to lower his ERA to 3.16.

“It was Kyle’s day,” manager Joe Maddon said. “He gave us a chance to win that game. He kept it in check for us as long as he did.”