NEW YORK – The Cubs are carrying good vibes into the All-Star break after beating the Yankees 7-4 Sunday to win the three-game series in New York.
“To win a series on the road, finish out a road trip with a series win, especially going into the break, and being able to recharge your batteries and get off to a good start in the second half is huge,” catcher Tucker Barnhart said.
It’s been an up-and-down first half for the Cubs. They put together a strong April, a bad May, a turnaround in June, and a mixed bag in recent weeks. But the Cubs made history Friday by claiming their first win against the Yankees in New York and then beat them again on Sunday.
Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks was in control of the game until the last two batters he faced. For the first time this season, he gave up multiple home runs. And they came in back-to-back at-bats in the sixth inning. The Cubs punched back right away, tying up the game in the seventh inning, taking the lead in the eighth and tacking on insurance in the ninth.
Seiya Suzuki provided both the Cubs’ first run of the day with a fifth-inning solo shot, his first homer since May 23, and drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly in the eighth.
The team’s showing stood in stark contrast to last year, when the Cubs dropped three games in New York by scores of 2-1, 8-0 and 18-4.
“We’re growing,” manager David Ross said. “We’re getting to where we want to be. Record-wise, we’re not there yet. But a lot of the underlying things that you can point to, and the culture, and the way we’re seeing guys show up, and the work we put in to figure out some things in the bullpen, the offense scratching, clawing. Some things go our way, and we pounce on it.”
Ross ejected
Ross didn’t even make it through the first inning on the bench. Giancarlo Stanton, the Yankee’s second hitter, took a borderline ball two. And after making the call, home plate umpire Alex MacKay turned and motioned to the Cubs dugout, ejecting Ross.
“He didn’t like me yelling anymore,” Ross said after the game.
During the game, Ross’ language was more colorful. Before exiting down the tunnel, he strode onto the field, and much of the tirade was caught on a hot mic. The gist, in family-friendly terms: Ross had already taken issue with several of MacKay’s calls – in the last game before the All-Star break, no less.
It was Ross’ fourth ejection of the season and second in the past week.
MLB Draft kicks off
With the Cubs’ first pick of the 2023 MLB Draft, they selected infielder Matt Shaw at No. 13 overall. The Maryland University shortstop won the 2023 Brooks Wallace Award, which is given to the top collegiate shortstop in the country. He was also named the Big Ten Player of the Year.
“I’m going through the different teams, and I’m like, ‘You know, Chicago would be a great fit,” he said. “So, it worked out great. And I’m just really happy.”
When he addressed local media on Zoom about an hour after his selection, he said Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson had already congratulated him with a long text message.