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R&R: Rizzo, Russell crank up Cub bats
- Updated: October 20, 2016
LOS ANGELES — The collective exhale came with a bunt, a bloop and a fourth-inning blast, the combination of which snapped a 21-inning scoreless streak for the Cubs and nudged the floodgates open.
An offense stifled by a pair of left-handed Dodgers starters in its previous two National League Championship Series games looked much more like its regular-season self while pounding out a 10-2 victory to even the best-of-seven series on Wednesday night.
• NLCS Game 5: Tonight 8 ET/7 CT on FS1
Game Date Time Matchup TV/Highlights Gm 1 Oct. 15 CHC 8, LAD 4 Gm 2 Oct. 16 LAD 1, CHC 0 Gm 3 Oct. 18 LAD 6, CHC 0 Gm 4 Oct. 19 CHC 10, LAD 2 Gm 5 Oct. 20 8 p.m. CHC @ LAD FS1 Gm 6 Oct. 22 8 p.m. LAD @ CHC FS1 *Gm 7 Oct. 23 8 p.m. LAD @ CHC FS1 * If necessary | All times listed ET • NLCS coverageShop for postseason gear: Cubs | Dodgers
This was as complete an offensive effort as the Cubs have generated all postseason, with eight players scoring, six driving in at least one and four notching multihit games. Shortstop Addison Russell and first baseman Anthony Rizzo paced the offense with three hits and a homer apiece as each found offensive traction for the first time all month.
“More than anything, it’s about confidence,” manager Joe Maddon said of his two breakout players. “And I want to believe they’re going to show up tomorrow with a lot more confidence than they showed up with today.”
Rizzo entered the night with two hits in 26 postseason at-bats. Russell was 1-for-24. Neither had driven in a run. Their struggles were at the center of a more widespread offensive drought that had enveloped the Cubs’ offense in NLCS Games 2-3. The unit had mustered a combined six hits while …
