Start of something? Jon Lester gives Cubs rotation another lift in win

By Gordon Wittenmyer

ATLANTA — The finish on Monday night was anything but spectacular.

But the start from Jon Lester in the opener of a three-game series against the Braves was the latest sign of a turnaround since the All-Star break.

“We can’t put a run together if we don’t pitch like that,” manager Joe Maddon said after Lester’s impressive seven innings in a 4-3 victory that ran the Cubs’ streak to four games and shaved another game off the first-place Brewers’ lead in the National League Central.

This one turned into a nail-biter when the Braves rallied for two in the ninth and loaded the bases with two outs off closer Wade Davis, who finally got Johan Camargo to fly to left to end it.

The Cubs can tie their longest winning streak of 2017 if they win Tuesday, when John Lackey (plantar fasciitis) returns from the disabled list trying to rebound from a rough first half.

The Cubs have scored 31 runs and hit 11 home runs during the four-game surge. But the starting pitching the last three games has been the most significant development.

Jake Arrieta, newly acquired Jose Quintana and Lester combined to go 3-0 with an ERA of 0.87 in 20‰ innings, allowing only 10 hits and striking out 21.

“Nobody wants to be the guy that breaks that up,” said Lester, whose only run allowed came in the third inning on a two-out single after a throwing error by shortstop Javy Baez on a potential double-play ball put the speedy Ender Inciarte on second. “Nobody wants to be the weak link in the chain.”

Lester, by the way, also became the first Cubs pitcher since Charlie Root in 1930 to hit a double, draw a walk and steal a base in a game — only the third in the last 40 years in the majors (Darren Dreifort in 1999, Edwin Jackson last year).

“Just a five-tool player,” he deadpanned.

It’s hard to overstate the importance of the starting pitching for this team. The rotation led the majors with a 2.96 ERA last year, returned its top four starters this year and stumbled to a 4.66 ERA by the break.

Quintana’s addition had a sudden impact, both emotionally in the clubhouse and on the mound, with his 12-strikeout debut for the Cubs on Sunday.

And the Cubs add another arm in the next week, when right-hander Kyle Hendricks is expected back from the disabled list (hand tendinitis). He retired all 15 batters he faced in a final minor-league rehab start for Class AA Tennessee on Monday.

“Getting Kyle back will definitely be like getting another Quintana,” Lester said. “Like another trade. That’ll be big for us.

“It’s just the stability. It’s just like Quintana; you get a stable arm. You get a guy that you know what to expect from.”

How the Cubs finish this series — with Lackey (5-9, 5.20 ERA) and Mike Montgomery (1-6, 4.01 ERA) starting the next two — then how they fare when the Cardinals come to town this weekend might indicate what they can expect down the stretch.

“It always comes down to pitching and defense, and last year we were really good at both of those,” said Lester, who suggested that the four-day breather during the break might have been key in regaining some of that form.

“We’re right there. I mean, it’s not like we’re 15 games out trying to make a push. We’re right there [3½ games back]. Anything can happen.

‘‘The Brewers have been playing really, really good baseball. And it’s hard to do that for the entire season. So maybe, hopefully, they’ll get into a little rut, and we’ll be able to take advantage of that with us playing good baseball right now.”

Follow me on Twitter @GDubCub.

Email: gwittenmyer@suntimes.com