Maddon impressed with Hendricks’ confidence

PITTSBURGH — After the fourth inning, Cubs manager Joe Maddon walked over to Kyle Hendricks in the dugout at PNC Park. Hendricks thought the manager might be peeved because the pitcher didn’t score on Kris Bryant’s single that inning. Instead, Maddon wanted to know what Dartmouth’s mascot was.

“He says, ‘So, if I was to go to the bookstore at Dartmouth, what would I see as the nickname of the school?'” Hendricks said Monday after picking up his 16th win in the Cubs’ 12-2 romp over the Pirates. “I said, ‘Big Green,’ and he walked away.”

That just shows how relaxed the Cubs are. Hendricks’ win was the Cubs’ 100th of the season, the first time the franchise has reached that figure since 1935. Those aren’t the only impressive numbers linked to the right-hander.

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Hendricks now boasts a 1.99 ERA. You don’t have to look far for the last Cubs pitcher to finish the season with a sub-2.00 ERA. Last year, Jake Arrieta did so (1.77) and won the National League Cy Young Award. The previous low for a Cubs pitcher before Arrieta? Dick Ellsworth, who posted a 2.11 ERA in 1963.

Hendricks’ stiffest competition for the Cy …

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