Cubs rediscover winning formula

CHICAGO -- The Cubs were in need of finding their formula again. In the wake of faulty starting pitching and an offense that became one-dimensional in recent days, Chicago got back to what led the club to the top of the National League Central.

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Alec Mills provided five shutout innings and the lineup created just enough cushion, setting things up for the Cubs' playoff-caliber bullpen. The late-inning trio of Ryan Tepera, Andrew Chafin and Craig Kimbrel set down a dozen hitters in order, sealing a 2-0 win over the Marlins at Wrigley Field on Sunday afternoon.

"When you have a good lockdown bullpen like that, it gives the offense a lot of confidence," Cubs manager David Ross said. "We're always in the game when those guys are in there. Especially when we've got the lead, you feel like our chances of winning are really good."

Here were three critical moments that set up Kimbrel's latest save and Chicago's trip to the win column:

1. El Mago's latest trick
Earlier this season, while Javier Báez battled some minor injury issues, the shortstop's defense took a clear hit. Lately, however, Báez has looked more and more like the player who took home the NL Gold Glove Award last year.

"He's been, I would say, spectacular," Ross said.

Look no further than the second inning.

With two outs and Jorge Alfaro on first base, Jon Berti sent a Mills pitch deep into the hole between second and third. Báez used an all-out dive into the left-field grass to snare the baseball after it took a sharp, high hop off the infield dirt.

"It's actually hard, because you never know how far you're going to slide," Báez said of the footwork required after making that kind of grab. "Sometimes you dive into the grass and you keep sliding and you can't get up. But, the way I landed, it was more down than sliding."

So, Báez shifted to his knees, spun to his right and threw while rising up momentarily -- before falling to his back in the outfield. His throw went to second baseman Sergio Alcántara, who picked the ball out of the dirt like a first baseman for a highlight-reel out to end the inning.

"That was a great pick," said Báez, who then cracked a smile. "If not, it was going to be an error on me."

If it were an error, or a single that eluded the shortstop's reach, Mills would have been in a tough situation.

"I don't think we should ever be surprised," Mills said. "At the same time, that was unbelievable. That was a game-changer for me. Got out of an inning. Probably would've been a first-and-third situation. Obviously, having him back there is something special."

2. Wisdom's smart at-bat
When Miami turned things over to lefty Ross Detwiler in the fifth inning, Ross called on Patrick Wisdom to hit in place of Jason Heyward. With the Cubs clinging to a 1-0 lead, it was a better matchup, but still a tough assignment.

"Pinch-hitting is one of the harder things to do in this game," Ross said.

Wisdom then embarked on an exhausting 15-pitch battle with Detwiler, fouling off 10 pitches along the way as the crowd's volume continuously climbed.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel that energy," Wisdom said. "That place was electric. It gives me goosebumps right now just thinking about it. Yeah, it definitely helped me. It kind of almost kept me in the zone, kept me focused."

It was reminiscent of Anthony Rizzo's memorable at-bat on June 11, when he battled through 14 pitches against St. Louis' Daniel Ponce de Leon. Rizzo ended that meeting with a stadium-shaking homer. Wisdom capped his back-and-forth with Detwiler with a grounder that ate up shortstop Miguel Rojas and was ruled a single.

That hit led to singles from Jake Marisnick and Joc Pederson -- the latter driving in a run -- to pad the Cubs' lead. It also marked the first run-scoring hit that was not a homer for Chicago since the third inning on June 13.

"I get to first and the pitcher just kind of looks over at me," Wisdom said. "We kind of made that eye contact like, 'Dang, what a battle.' Obviously, I loved to come out on top, spark that inning and get a run in. It was huge for us."

3. Mills quiets Duvall
In the first two games of this series, the Marlins pounded out 21 runs. That included four home runs and 10 RBIs off the bat of Duvall. Needless to say, when Mills faced the outfielder with two outs and two aboard in the third, it was a potential momentum-swinging moment for Miami.

"What he's done the last few days speaks for itself," Mills said.

For the first six pitches, Mills leaned heavily on his slider low and away, trying to get Duvall into "swing mode," as the pitcher explained. With the count full, catcher Willson Contreras then called for a sinker high and tight.

"Willy put the finger down and I loved the call," Mills said.

Duvall swung through the fastball, and Mills continued on for two more frames, lining things up for the relief corps.

"Obviously, a big strikeout in that moment," Mills said. "I just really needed that to keep the momentum going."