Turned ankle sidelines Addison Russell for Cubs-Pirates finale

PITTSBURGH – Just about the time Addison Russell started looking comfortable at the plate again, the Cubs shortstop took an uncomfortable turn rounding second base Saturday night and wound up out of the lineup by Sunday.

Russell turned his right ankle in the second inning rounding the base, but he stayed in the game, hitting a home run in the seventh.

“I don’t anticipate anything awful; it’s just a sore ankle,” said manager Joe Maddon.

Russell, who has struggled all season, is 7-for21 with three homers, two double and seven RBIs in his last seven games.

“The body feels good; the mind feels good,” Russell said before his 2-for-4 performance Saturday. “I feel like I’m heading in the right direction as far as where the season is going, trying to finish up this first half and then take it easy at the All-Star break. I’m just trying to finish off this first half as strong as I can.”