| Breaking News | _Cubs.jpg) | Friday, September 8th, 2017: Rickel Superb Against Pittsburgh
Nicolas Rickel bent a little, but he didn't break against the Pirates. The Chicago (N) pitcher hurled a 3-hit 4-0 shutout in a fine performance, surrendering 7 walks and putting up 10 strikeouts.
"Nicolas is good at getting out of jams," his manager told reporters after the game. "He's almost more effective when he gets guys on base or gets behind in the count, because he uses your aggressiveness against you."
To date Rickel is 9-15 in 30 starts with a 3.37 ERA and has 196 strikeouts in 200.1 innings.
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 | Saturday, September 2nd, 2017: Epp Baffles Chicago (N)
"I had everything working for me out there. I used every one of my pitches, hit both sides of the plate really well and felt like I could do whatever I wanted."
With stuff like that, it was easy for Benjamin Epp of the Reds to handcuff the Cubs 6-0 and come away with a complete game 3-hit shutout. He recorded 7 strikeouts and 1 walk in an impressive performance.
This season-to-date Epp has 9 wins and 3 losses and a 1.61 ERA.
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| Friday, September 1st, 2017: Hit Parade, Vazquez Gets Cycle
The big buzz in the baseball world is about Angel Vazquez's performance today at West Side Park II against Cincinnati. Vazquez had 4 hits en route to hitting for the cycle, leading the charge for the Chicago (N) 8-7 triumph over the Reds.
A cycle requires a game of no fewer than four hits and a home run and a triple. A batter has to have power, speed and a little luck to do it.
"It was one of those games you dream about," Vazquez told the press. "I never expected to do something like this when I showed up at the park today. All you really want to do is hit it hard and put it into play. The hits will come."
And the hits did come today. The 20-year-old center fielder rounded out his superb batting display with 4 hits in 6 at-bats, 3 RBI and 3 runs scored.
A. Vazquez tripled in the 3rd, hit a three-run home run off J. Corrales in the 4th, flied out in the 6th, doubled in the 9th, walked in the 10th, grounded out in the 12th and singled in the 14th.
Vazquez on the season is hitting .274 with 6 home runs. His stats include 37 RBIs and 42 runs scored.
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| Team Information | | Record overall | 48-106, .312 PCT | | Position in Division | 8th, 54.0 GB | | Record at home | 30-47, .390 PCT | | Record on the road | 18-59, .234 PCT | | Record in X-inning games | 8-6, .571 PCT | | Record in one-run games | 22-20, .524 PCT | | Record versus LHP | 6-14, .300 PCT | | Record versus RHP | 42-92, .313 PCT | | Record last 10 games | 5-5, .500 PCT | | Record in April | 5-18, .217 PCT | | Record in May | 11-17, .393 PCT | | Record in June | 6-20, .231 PCT | | Record in July | 6-18, .250 PCT | | Record in August | 12-16, .429 PCT | | Record in September | 8-17, .320 PCT |
| Team Batting Stats & Rankings | | Batting Average | .239 - 8th in NL | | On-Base Percentage | .290 - 7th in NL | | Slugging Percentage | .330 - 8th in NL | | On-Base + Slugging | .620 - 8th in NL | | Runs Scored | 476 - 8th in NL | | Hits | 1255 - 8th in NL | | Extra-Base Hits | 336 - 8th in NL | | Home Runs | 62 - 8th in NL | | Bases-On-Balls | 357 - 7th in NL | | Strikeouts | 1136 - 6th in NL | | Stolen Bases | 73 - 4th in NL |
| Team Pitching Stats & Rankings | | Earned Run Average | 4.70 - 7th in NL | | Starters' ERA | 4.67 - 7th in NL | | Bullpen ERA | 4.77 - 8th in NL | | Runs allowed | 797 - 7th in NL | | Hits allowed | 1388 - 6th in NL | | Opponents AVG | .265 - 6th in NL | | BABIP | .303 - 7th in NL | | Home Runs allowed | 128 - 5th in NL | | Bases-On-Balls | 640 - 8th in NL | | Strikeouts | 955 - 7th in NL |
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