Dynamic duo: Steele, Alzolay pair up again in Cubs' comeback

MILWAUKEE -- Justin Steele made his way from the visitors’ clubhouse back to the dugout for the ninth inning on Wednesday night. Something in the Cubs pitcher’s gut told him that there was a comeback coming, and he did not want to miss the show.

“I don’t know,” Steele said after the Cubs’ 4-3 win over the Brewers at American Family Field. “It just kind of seemed like we weren’t done.”

Steele watched as Chicago’s lineup churned out a series of quality at-bats against closer Devin Williams, culminating in a two-strike, two-out, two-run double slashed up the left-field line by Mike Tauchman. He then watched Tauchman score the go-ahead run from second when Milwaukee’s defense could not cleanly handle a Nico Hoerner grounder.

After two important bridge innings from Michael Rucker, Steele watched his good friend Adbert Alzolay emerge from the bullpen door for the bottom of the ninth. The reliever set the Brewers down in order to seal Chicago's second wild win in a row. Alzolay pumped his fist and pounded his chest three times, as the traveling Cubs fans roared in approval.

“That was electric,” Alzolay said of the comeback that created his save opportunity. “That just took my adrenaline from zero to 200 right there.”

Steele and Alzolay have been cherishing these types of moments this season.

This was Steele’s last appearance before heading to Seattle for his first career All-Star Game. He turned in another quality start, going six innings and walking off the hill with a tidy 2.56 ERA in 16 outings. That Alzolay finished the game was fitting, given their connection as two homegrown success stories for the organization.

The Cubs signed Alzolay out of Venezuela in November of 2012. The North Siders selected Steele in the fifth round of the 2014 MLB Draft. When Steele reported to the Cubs’ Rookie-level affiliate that summer, he met Alzolay. It would seem like an odd pairing -- a kid from the small town of Lucedale, Miss., and another from San Felix, Ven. -- but they became fast friends.

“Even though we’re from two different worlds,” Alzolay said with a laugh, “our personality is kind of the same. It’s so weird. He’s from the country here in America. I’m from Venezuela back in the city. It is funny, but I feel like from Day One, we built a really good relationship.”

Alzolay beamed when asked about the moment Steele learned he made the All-Star team on Sunday.

“I‘m pretty sure I was the first one to hug this kid,” Alzolay said. “It’s been 10 years coming up together.”

“There’s something to be said about it,” Steele said. “We always tell one another just how special the journey together has been. And we always remind each other the odds to get to the big leagues aren’t in anybody’s favor. It’s extremely hard.

“And for us to be such good friends for such a long time, and enjoy this journey together, it’s really cool.”

Both Steele and Alzolay came up through the Cubs’ system as starting pitchers, and they each encountered a variety of injury setbacks as they climbed the ladder. For all the highs they have started to experience as big leaguers together, there were also low moments when that friendship proved critical.

Alzolay said the real benefit has been the honesty that they share with one another.

“You know that person is always going to tell you what you need to hear,” Alzolay said. “I know he’s always going to tell me the truth. That’s what we do. If something’s not going in your direction, we talk about it. That’s from just being together since we were 18 years old until now.”

Steele and Alzolay broke into the Majors as relievers -- learning to trust their stuff in big moments while the Cubs controlled their workloads -- before moving into the rotation. Their respective paths then split, with Steele staying on as a starter and Chicago working with Alzolay on becoming a relief weapon.

They knew their roles going into this season and have flourished. Steele has been one of the National League’s top starting pitchers, while Alzolay has earned more late-game moments. In 31 appearances this season, Alzolay now has a 2.41 ERA with 42 strikeouts and six walks in 37 1/3 innings.

“Nobody's path to success at this level is the same,” Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy said.

“Both of those guys have put in a tremendous amount of work,” Cubs manager David Ross added. “And they’ve never stopped trying to find a little bit of an edge.”

Against the Brewers, Steele and Alzolay put all that work on display, with the latter finishing what his long-time friend started.

“It’s really cool when that happens,” Steele said. “It’s happened a few times now, and the hug I get now after those games is always a big one.”