‘Linchpin’ Lackey steady, Cubs erupt late in 6-0 win over D’Backs

Joe Maddon refers to John Lackey as his linchpin.

The 37-year-old starting pitcher accepts the characterization as high praise considering the wealth of talent that surrounds him in a rotation that has been central to the Cubs’ success.

On a staff headlined by Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester, Lackey has been one of the most stabilizing pieces to a group that boasts an ERA under 3.00.

Friday proved to be his latest contribution.

Lackey worked 6⅔ scoreless innings, struck out nine and scattered five hits as the Cubs won for the ninth time in 10 games with a 6-0 victory over the Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field.

“I take a lot of pride in being somebody you can count on, being somebody who takes the ball, somebody who goes deep in games, somebody you know what you’re going to get,” Lackey said.

“You saw the edge he provides,” Maddon said.

On a day when the Cubs couldn’t muster much against Diamondbacks starter Archie Bradley, Lackey (6-2) minded his own business. Rather than get wrapped up in matching Bradley — who struck out 10 — Lackey steadily moved from inning to inning, becoming the latest Cubs starter to work deep into the game.

Lackey threw 100 pitches and left with a 1-0 lead after yielding a walk and a single that put runners on first and second. Adam Warren got out of the jam by inducing a groundout.

Yet as tight as the game was when Lackey departed, he sensed bigger things were coming. His hunch came from being on a team that is 23 games over .500 and is off to the franchise’s second-best start since 1900. Only the 1907 Cubs — who started 40-12 — started better, giving Lackey all the evidence he needed that somehow the offense would come to life.

“Once you’ve won this much, kind of regardless of what the score is, you expect something good to happen,” Lackey said. “You expect something positive and to find a way to win.”

The Cubs, who had taken the lead on Anthony Rizzo’s RBI double in the sixth, tacked on five runs in the eighth.

With Kris Bryant on third and two outs, the Diamondbacks intentionally walked Ben Zobrist to pitch to Addison Russell, who had entered in the seventh as a defensive replacement. Russell made them pay when he laced a two-run double down the third-base line.

Then the Diamondbacks walked Miguel Montero to pitch to Javy Baez, who had struck out three times. He made them pay with another two-run double. Baez scored when shortstop Chris Owings — who had misplayed Rizzo’s double playing center field — threw the ball into the stands.

The Cubs had finished what Lackey had started.

“It’s unbelievable,” Rizzo said of the starting pitching. “They give us a chance to win all the time.”

Lackey just happened to provide the latest chance. Again he delivered. Linchpin indeed.

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