Cubs fastest to 40 wins since '01 Mariners

lundi 6 juin 2016

Freddy Galvis saved the Phillies from their third shutout of the season when he ripped a three-run homer to right field in the ninth inning off Justin Grimm. It snapped a 0-for-22 streak for Galvis. Tommy Joseph followed with a solo homer to center against Hector Rondon to make it a two-run game, before the Cubs closer retired three straight Phils to seal the win.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Lester does it himself: As if eight innings of shutout ball weren't enough, Jon Lester added a fourth-inning double, too. The ball rocketed off his bat at 103 mph, per Statcast™, into left-center field for his second hit of the season. Although he didn't get a chance to finish off his shutout, Lester was dominant up until his last pitch. The lefty finished his performance by facing the minimum over his final six innings. The only Phillies hitter to reach base after the second inning was Joseph, who was doubled up the next play. Lester allowed only four Phillies to reach base -- all on singles -- and struck out nine. He became the first Cubs pitcher since Rich Harden in 2008 to record consecutive nine-strikeout, no-walk starts.

Morgan hangs: Phillies manager Pete Mackanin indicated before the game that left-hander Adam Morgan needed to start pitching better to keep his job in the rotation. Morgan allowed three runs in six innings, which might have helped his cause. Two of the runs Morgan allowed came on Heyward's fourth-inning homer.

Leading off: Fowler has embodied everything a manager wants from a leadoff man so far this season. He extended his strong play in Monday's game. Fowler reached base in four of his five trips to the plate. In each of the two innings he led off, Fowler reached and came around to score. The only player in baseball with a higher on-base percentage is teammate Ben Zobrist, with a .438 mark. Monday's effort raised Fowler's OBP eight points to .429, jumping three places into second.

Joseph hits again: Phillies first baseman Tommy Joseph started his sixth consecutive game at first base and he singled to left field in the seventh inning against Lester before he hit a solo homer to center in the ninth against Hector Rondon. Joseph is hitting .375 (9-for-24) with one double, two home runs and three RBIs since Mackanin said he planned to give Joseph the opportunity to earn the everyday job over Ryan Howard.

SOLER INJURED
Cubs left fielder Jorge Soler left the game in the third inning after pulling up short on a hit to left field. Soler was diagnosed with a left hamstring injury. He walked off the field under his own power, with no apparent limp. Matt Szczur pinch-ran for Soler and took over for him in left field.

UPON FURTHER REVIEW
Fowler led off the first with a double, and Bryant followed it up with a blast to right. The ball bounced back into the field of play and Bryant turned for third. He made it, but was sent back to second base after a crew chief review determined a fan in the right field seats touched the ball. Despite losing a base, Bryant still earned an RBI, as Fowler was awarded home on the ground-rule double. The review was a lengthy one, lasting 4 minutes, 48 seconds.

Fowler was involved -- more directly -- in a second replay review in the eighth inning. Andrew Bailey went up and in with an 0-1 fastball that tailed into the handle of Fowler's bat. Umpires ruled that Fowler was hit by the pitch, but the Phillies challenged to no avail. Mackanin is now 11-for-21 on challenges this season.

SHE'S OK
A fan sitting near the Cubs' dugout got hit in the side by a bat that slipped out of Freddy Galvis' hands in the third inning. She left the field under her own power and is said to be OK.

WHAT'S NEXT
Cubs: Kyle Hendricks (4-4, 2.84) starts for the Cubs in the second game of the three-game set in Philly at 6:05 p.m. CT. Hendricks owns a sparkling 1.99 ERA at home but a 4.37 mark away from the Friendly Confines.

Phillies: Howard is expected to start Tuesday night against the Cubs at Citizens Bank Park at 7:05 p.m. ET. It will be his first start since May 31 as Phillies manager Pete Mackanin benched Howard last week in favor of Joseph. Mackanin said he could make a decision about how he will use Howard and Joseph going forward in the next few days. Jerad Eickhoff will take the ball for the Phillies.

Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV.

Todd Zolecki has covered the Phillies since 2003, and for MLB.com since 2009. Read his Phillies blog The Zo Zone, follow him on Twitter and listen to his podcast.

Evan Webeck is a reporter for MLB.com based in Philadelphia.

This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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Cubs fastest to 40 wins since '01 Mariners

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