Russell Hits Bases-Loaded Single for Cubs Win

BY ESPN

There it was, another big at-bat staring at Addison Russell. And once again, the young star delivered.

Russell hit a two-run single with the bases loaded in the seventh inning, and three relievers combined for five perfect innings to lead the Chicago Cubs to a 5-4 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday night.

"He's growing up," manager Joe Maddon said. "As a major league baseball player, his confidence could not be higher."

The Cubs spoiled a shaky Jeff Samardzija's return to Wrigley Field and started September on a winning note after going 22-6 to match the 1932 team for the best August in franchise history.

The major league leaders also moved a season-high 39 games over .500 and a jaw-dropping 15 1/2 games ahead of St. Louis in the NL Central -- their largest lead in the standings since the 1907 team finished 17 games ahead of Pittsburgh, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Russell's bloop single off Cory Gearrin gave the Cubs a 5-4 lead. Dexter Fowler had two singles and scored two runs.

Kris Bryant added an RBI single to extend his hitting streak to 14 games, matching a career high. And the Cubs rallied behind a dominant bullpen and another big hit by Russell.

"I kind of embrace those situations," he said. "In that situation, I didn't try to do too much. I just wanted to see a pitch, really, and just try to go about my approach the same way."

The 22-year-old Russell's 88 RBI are tops among National League shortstops. He is 8 for 18 and has driven in 23 runs with the bases loaded. On top of that, he is playing a Gold Glove-level defense.

His go-ahead hit wiped out a 4-3 deficit and capped a rally that began when Hunter Strickland (3-2) gave up a leadoff single to Fowler and walked Bryant after two close pitches were called balls.

Will Smith walked Ben Zobrist with one out to load the bases before retiring Jason Heyward on a pop fly. But Russell then drove in Fowler and Bryant with a bloop single to left.

Twins 8, White Sox 5

Byron Buxton's trip back to Minnesota included an early morning wakeup, a flat tire on his rental car on the way to the airport, a three-mile walk and a changed flight, followed by the need to get his car out of security when he got back to the Twin Cities.

The long, tiring trip was worth it Thursday night.

Buxton homered in his return to the majors, and Trevor Plouffe continued his resurgence with a two-run shot as the Twins beat the Chicago White Sox 8-5 to end a 13-game losing streak.

"I'm about to go straight to the pillow," Buxton said. "I'm exhausted."

Buxton started his third stint with Minnesota this season in surprising fashion, connecting for a three-run home run to cap a five-run second inning. The home run reached the second deck in left field and was Buxton's second of the season, his first in 34 games.

The former top prospect has had a rough transition to the majors, hitting .199 entering Thursday in 109 career games the past two seasons. He was sent back to Triple-A Rochester on Aug. 7 after a 1-for-18 stretch saw his 2016 average dip to .193.

Thursday, September 1 Scoreboard

Atlanta 9, San Diego 6

Miami 6, New York Mets 4

Chicago Cubs 5, San Francisco 4

Minnesota 8, Chicago White Sox 5

Friday, September 2 Schedule (All Times Central)

San Francisco at Chicago Cubs, 1:20 p.m.

New York Yankees at Baltimore, 6:05 p.m.

Atlanta at Philadelphia, 6:05 p.m.

Milwaukee at Pittsburgh, 6:05 p.m.

Miami at Cleveland, 6:10 p.m.

St. Louis at Cincinnati, 6:10 p.m.

Washington at New York Mets, 6:10 p.m.

Toronto at Tampa Bay, 6:10 p.m.

Houston at Texas, 7:05 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Minnesota, 7:10 p.m.

Detroit at Kansas City, 7:15 p.m.

Arizona at Colorado, 7:40 p.m.

Boston at Oakland, 9:05 p.m.

Los Angeles Angels at Seattle, 9:10 p.m.

San Diego at Los Angeles Dodgers, 9:10 p.m.

Saturday, September 3 Schedule (All Times Central)

San Francisco at Chicago Cubs, 1:20 p.m.

Houston at Texas, 3:05 p.m.

St. Louis at Cincinnati, 3:10 p.m.

Toronto at Tampa Bay, 5:10 p.m.

New York Yankees at Baltimore, 6:05 p.m.

Atlanta at Philadelphia, 6:05 p.m.

Milwaukee at Pittsburgh, 6:05 p.m.

Miami at Cleveland, 6:10 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Minnesota, 6:10 p.m.

Washington at New York Mets, 6:10 p.m.

Detroit at Kansas City, 6:15 p.m.

Arizona at Colorado, 7:10 p.m.

Boston at Oakland, 8:05 p.m.

Los Angeles Angels at Seattle, 8:10 p.m.

San Diego at Los Angeles Dodgers, 8:10 p.m.

Sunday, September 4 Schedule (All Times Central)

St. Louis at Cincinnati, 12:10 p.m.

Toronto at Tampa Bay, 12:10 p.m.

New York Yankees at Baltimore, 12:35 p.m.

Atlanta at Philadelphia, 12:35 p.m.

Milwaukee at Pittsburgh, 12:35 p.m.

Chicago White Sox at Minnesota, 1:10 p.m.

Detroit at Kansas City, 1:15 p.m.

San Francisco at Chicago Cubs, 1:20 p.m.

Houston at Texas, 2:05 p.m.

Boston at Oakland, 3:05 p.m.

Miami at Cleveland, 3:10 p.m.

Los Angeles Angels at Seattle, 3:10 p.m.

San Diego at Los Angeles Dodgers, 3:10 p.m.

Arizona at Colorado, 3:10 p.m.

Washington at New York Mets, 7 p.m.

Monday, September 5 Schedule (All Times Central)

Chicago Cubs at Milwaukee, noon

Toronto at New York Yankees, 12:05 p.m.

New York Mets at Cincinnati, 12:10 p.m.

Philadelphia at Miami, 12:10 p.m.

Baltimore at Tampa Bay, 12:10 p.m.

Kansas City at Minnesota, 1:10 p.m.

St. Louis at Pittsburgh, 3 p.m.

Los Angeles Angels at Oakland, 3:05 p.m.

Atlanta at Washington, 3:05 p.m.

Detroit at Chicago White Sox, 3:10 p.m.

Texas at Seattle, 3:10 p.m.

San Francisco at Colorado, 3:10 p.m.

Boston at San Diego, 3:40 p.m.

Houston at Cleveland, 6:10 p.m.

Arizona at Los Angeles Dodgers, 7:10 p.m.