Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Catcher Ross leaves game before Lester
There were two outs in the top of the seventh inning Sunday night at Wrigley Field when Chicago Cubs Manager Joe Maddon walked out to the mound to check on left-hander John Lester.
The Cubs were leading their arch rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals, 2-0, but Lester was nearing the 100-pitch count and catcher David Ross was prepared to argue with Maddon to keep Lester in the game for at least one more batter.
Maddon and Lester had other ideas.
“Joe looked at him and said, ‘Have you ever been a part of where the catcher gets taken out of the game before the pitcher?’” Lester said, describing the scene with a big grin. “You can just see him, it’s like the kid at the candy store when you tell him he can pick out whatever he wants.
“It was just like the disbelief in his face and slams his mask back over his face and all he can say is, ‘I love you guys. I love you guys. I love you guys.’ ”
Ross walked off to another standing ovation from a raucous crowd of 40,859 at Wrigley Field, part of a heartwarming Sunday night for the backup catcher in his last season.
“What a treat for a backup catcher,” Ross said. “I’m overwhelmed with emotion and thoughts.”
Ross, Lester’s regular catcher, was greeted with a long standing ovation when he came to the plate in the second inning. St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina walked halfway to the mound, forcing the unassuming Ross to take in the moment, and he took off his batting helmet to acknowledge the cheering crowd.
Ross then struck out, but he got another chance in the fifth and drove Carlos Martinez’s second pitch over the wall in left for a 1-0 lead. Ross clapped his hands as he rounded first on his 10th home run and the cheers continued after he reached the dugout, prompting a curtain call.
“It was just fitting that David would hit a home run, isn’t it?” Maddon said. “I mean, it had to have happened tonight.”