Amid a brutal defeat, Ian Happ scored a rousing victory.
Of the three (!) position players the Cubs used to close out their 18-5 loss to the Cardinals, Happ earned a lifetime of bragging rights.
Tommy La Stella gave up a run on three hits (and a homer) over 1 1/3 innings.
Victor Caratini surrendered a two-run bomb to pinch-hitter Yairo Munoz.
Happ allowed only one hit in the ninth, needing just eight pitches in the scoreless frame.
“Yes, I won,” he said dryly. “It feels good to have the highest ‘velo’ of a position player and it feels good to have a zero. I wish the game would have gone differently, but it was pretty cool experience to be on the mound at Wrigley.”
Manager Joe Maddon summoned La Stella and Caratini, whereas Happ had to lobby to get in the game.
“I had to take (Anthony) Rizzo out or else he would have been badgering me the whole game,” Maddon said. “I said: ‘Tommy, you good with this? Victor, you good with this?’ Happ was imploring me to pitch.”
Maddon didn’t want to extend any of them because he said they would be sore Saturday despite barely throwing hard enough to leave a bruise.
“I topped out at 78,” Happ said.
Twitter @TeddyGreenstein
//embed.sendtonews.com/player2/embedcode.php?fk=q6U62QTN&cid=4591
More Top Picks Best Blue Light Glasses For Nurses