Cubs survive injury scare to Rizzo and Russell

SHARE Cubs survive injury scare to Rizzo and Russell
Cubs_collision_999x628.jpg

Addison Russell and Anthony Rizzo are shaken up after trying to catch Carlos Gomez’s second-inning single. | Associated Press

For a few moments of Saturday’s 6-1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, the Cubs and their fans had a hard time breathing.

With two outs in the top of the second inning, Milwaukee’s Carlos Gomez hit a blooper into short-right field between first and second base. Anthony Rizzo and Addison Russell both charged after the ball and collided as they lunged to make a play, with both staying down as Martin Maldonado scored.

At that second, Maldonado scoring to give the Brewers a 3-0 lead was of little concern to the Cubs. Joe Maddon and a trainer rushed out to check on the two franchise cornerstones, both of whom stayed down before getting up after the longest few seconds of the season.

Maddon described what he was thinking after the play.

“You’re running out there looking for blood. There’s no blood,” Maddon said. “Nobody was howling in pain or anything like that but your first thing is that they’re going to be fine and then you’re looking for some kind of a bleeder and then that was also good.”

Maddon talked to Rizzo and Russell and both said they were fine. The pair stayed in the game, and Rizzo’s sixth-inning home run gave the Cubs their only run.

“It’s just one of those plays where, two outs you’ve got to try and make that play at all costs,” Rizzo said.

Jake Arrieta appreciated the effort.

“It’s a scary moment. They were both giving a lot of effort on that play,” Arrieta said. “It was a little out of their reach. One of those unfortunate things where two guys are going kind of (all) out to make a play. We’re thankful that they’re both OK.”

EASY TO TAKE

After the Brewers stole three bases in four attempts, the Cubs have allowed opponents to steal on 20 of 22 tries. Maddon said preventing steals begins with how fast the pitcher gets the ball home and then it goes to the catcher.

“We do have to do a better job with that overall,” Maddon said. “It’s something we talked about a lot in spring training and we just have to get better with it.”

The Latest
The man was found unresponsive in an alley in the 10700 block of South Lowe Avenue, police said.
The man suffered head trauma and was pronounced dead at University of Chicago Medical Center, police said.
Another federal judge in Chicago who also has dismissed gun cases based on the same Supreme Court ruling says the high court’s decision in what’s known as the Bruen case will “inevitably lead to more gun violence, more dead citizens and more devastated communities.”
Women make up just 10% of those in careers such as green infrastructure and clean and renewable energy, a leader from Openlands writes. Apprenticeships and other training opportunities are some of the ways to get more women into this growing job sector.
Chatterbox doesn’t seem aware that it’s courteous to ask questions, seek others’ opinions.