Cubs deny closer Hector Rondon again with five-run rally in eighth

9:02 PM ET

CHICAGO — Before the ball had even landed in deep center field on a beautiful Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field, Chicago Cubs closer Hector Rondon sat back down in the bullpen. He has seen this act too many times.

Moments earlier, his team was up 1-0 with two outs and a man on third base in the bottom of the eighth. Rondon was warming up to face the Arizona Diamondbacks for his first save opportunity since Monday. Paul Goldschmidt was looming as the tying run to lead off the ninth inning.

Rondon’s back had tightened up on him over the past few days, but by Friday he was feeling fine and ready to close out another Cubs win in front of their rabid fans. But as soon as the ball left Javier Baez’s bat — eventually plating three more runs in the eighth inning — Rondon knew his day was over before it had begun, though no one is complaining about a 6-0 Cubs’ victory.

“It gave us some breathing room,” winning pitcher John Lackey said of the Cubs’ five-run eighth. “It was nice to have a little cushion there, for sure.”

Manager Joe Maddon calls those “jug” runs, as in going for the jugular of the opponent and pulling away late in games. The players have even more fun when they score in the later innings, playing a game they call “Screw the Closer.” Rondon has only nine saves for a 38-win team, meaning he has often been screwed out of save chances.

Addison Russell helped the Cubs pull away in the eighth with a two-out, two-run double. “Right now, you’d like to have him up in those moments,” manager Joe Maddon said. Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

“It …

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