Orioles 2 - 7 Cubs
Final
  for this game

Cubs pin hopes on Hendricks in middle tilt with O's

Aug 23, 2014 - 1:21 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - Kyle Hendricks shoots for a fifth straight win on Saturday when the Chicago Cubs play the middle test of a three-game series with the Baltimore Orioles at Wrigley Field.

Hendricks has been spectacular since being recalled in early July, going 5-1 with a 1.66 ERA. Hendricks was terrific again on Monday versus the New York Mets, as he held them to a run and three hits in seven innings.

"Having a lot of young guys coming up, we've played together for a long time, so it makes it more comfortable and it's easier to play -- you feel more comfortable out there," Hendricks said.

Hendricks is the first Cubs rookie to post six consecutive quality starts since Kerry Wood had two stretches of seven in a row in 1998. In his big league debut on July 10 against Cincinnati, Hendricks gave up three runs in the first inning, but he has been charged with seven earned runs over 47 2/3 innings since then.

"I know it's a short snippet, and he's been very, very good, but he is (Greg) Maddux like in his execution and approach," Chicago manager Rick Renteria said of his rookie hurler.

Baltimore, meanwhile, will counter with righty Bud Norris, who has won his last three starts. Norris defeated the Chicago White Sox on Monday, as he limited them to a pair of runs and three hits in seven innings. He also struck out five without walking a batter and improved to 11-7, while lowering his ERA to 3.69.

"We go out there every day and play hard, one guy picks up the other, and we just feed off each other," said Norris. "It's a 25-man roster that's been getting the job done, and we are pretty excited about it."

Norris has faced the Cubs 10 times (9 starts) and is 4-4 with a 3.13 ERA.

Chicago drew first blood in this series on Friday, as Javier Baez and Luis Valbuena homered to back seven solid innings from Jake Arrieta in the Cubs' 4-1 win.

Arrieta (7-4), who took a perfect game into the fifth, gave up one run on four hits against his former team. The right-hander had been acquired from Baltimore last July with pitcher Pedro Strop and two international signing bonus slots for pitcher Scott Feldman and catcher Steve Clevenger.

"It was nice to face those guys," said Arrieta. "It's good to see a lot of them again -- it's been a while."

Nelson Cruz hit his major league-leading 34th homer of the season for the Orioles, who had a four-game winning streak stopped.

Baltimore starter Kevin Gausman (7-5) allowed three runs on six hits while striking out seven over five innings.

Baltimore took two of three from Cubs the last time these teams met back in 2008.






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