Have a day, Javy: Baez a bother for Brewers

Cubs' infielder tallies NL-leading 26th RBI, saves a run, baits catcher for steal of third

April 28th, 2018
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      CHICAGO -- continued to add to his personal highlight reel on Saturday.
      Baez, starting at shortstop, collected his National League-leading 26th RBI with a bloop double and thwarted the Brewers' best scoring opportunity with a stellar defensive play to end the fourth in the Cubs' 3-0 win.
      "He's a good shortstop. He's a good baseball player," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "He's been playing really good baseball. He picked up another RBI in a very unique manner, but he got one. He was very upset at himself with that last strikeout [in the seventh], which I'm happy he was upset with himself because he knows [he can do better]. All of that stuff is good."

      In the third inning, Albert Almora Jr. and Baez each extended their hitting streaks with back-to-back hits.
      With two out against the Brewers' , Almora singled to left to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 11 games. Baez matched that with a "Wrigley Field double" to score Almora. The wind and bright skies were not kind to Brewers center fielder , who signaled that he lost Baez's ball, which then deflected off shortstop 's glove. Baez now has a career-high 11-game hitting streak, too.
      "At the last second I saw [Cain signal]," Brewers right fielder said. "At the same time, I still thought he would have had it. As soon as I saw him [motion] and I saw the ball, I saw Arcia coming straight ahead of me. It was just too late."
      Brewers manager Craig Counsell thought Cain had it.
      "It was tough out there," Counsell said. "It felt like a day to not hit the ball in the air, but it might have actually been a day to hit the ball in the air and make guys have to catch it. It was difficult if you got it up in the air pretty good. Orlando made a pretty good attempt at it, but it just came out of his glove."

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      Baez -- who even craftily stole third base after his double when Brewers catcher tried to pick him off at second -- saved a run for starter in the fourth inning. Cain was on third after hitting a double and advancing on a wild pitch. Quintana struck out and got to pop up to first baseman . Santana hit a grounder to Baez, who slid on the grass and snared the ball, then spun around and threw in time to first.
      "It didn't surprise me because he's a very good shortstop and second baseman," Santana said. "He's very quick. I thought it was going to be a base hit, but [no]."

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      Baez is now batting .400 (20-for-50) during his 11-game hitting streak, and he is the second Cubs player since 1908 with 26 RBIs before the end of April, joining Derrek Lee, who drove in 28 in 2005.

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      Carrie Muskat has covered the Cubs since 1987, and for MLB.com since 2001. You can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat.