Tauchman’s theft offers signature rivalry win

ST. LOUIS — There was a short second in Busch Stadium on Friday when the roar of the gang softened, as followers waited to find the baseball. When Cubs middle fielder Mike Tauchman popped up from the warning monitor flexing and howling, all questions had been answered.

Tauchman made the sort of game-ending catch that can perpetually be a part of Cubs-Cardinals lore. In the instant image, it was a game-saving seize to rob Alec Burleson of a walk-off blast, an exclamation level on a 3-2 comeback win that stretched Chicago’s successful streak to seven video games.

“Tauchman. My goodness,” Cubs supervisor David Ross stated. “We don’t win that game early in the season.”

The Cubs have gained 9 of 10, giving them a 52-51 report that has the membership again above the .500 mark for the primary time since May 6. Chicago sits 4 1/2 video games again of the NL Central-leading Brewers and three 1/2 again within the Wild Card race, reviving the possibilities of including or standing pat at Tuesday’s Trade Deadline.

For a lot of this current tear, it has been a high-octane offense main the cost. In the newest win, the Cubs reverted to an early-season recipe of stellar pitching and robust protection — the latter on full show in a dramatic ninth inning.

Clinging to a one-run lead, Adbert Alzolay allowed back-to-back singles to open the ultimate body. He then induced a double play off the bat of Brendan Donovan. It was a sharply hit ball that second baseman Nico Hoerner snared to his left earlier than turning and firing to shortstop Dansby Swanson.

“That play was really hard,” Tauchman stated. “And they make it look really easy.”

And that set the stage for Tauchman’s second.

Alzolay despatched an elevated 98 mph fastball over the outer half, and Burleson linked with the pitch. Off the bat, the Cubs’ late-inning reliever solely had one thought working by way of his thoughts.

“How did he hit that ball?” Alzolay stated. “It was where the pitch was supposed to go — up and away. Good velo. Probably the hardest fastball I threw today. The guy just got on top and hit it over the wall.”

Tauchman introduced it again.

He glided throughout the grass, counting his steps as soon as he hit the monitor earlier than timing his leap completely.

“It’s kind of like you have that internal clock or feeling of, ‘I’ve kind of got to go up now,’” Tauchman stated. “And it kind of just coincided with the ball coming down. I didn’t know, I guess, that I was right at the wall until I kind of turned to catch the ball.”

Alzolay punched the air and screamed. Catcher Miguel Amaya jumped out of his crouch. Hoerner simply held his arms within the air in disbelief.

“It’s going to be one of those funny ones where you go back through video and kind of go from face to face and see people’s reactions,” Hoerner stated. “That’s probably the most dramatic single play I’ve been a part of in the big leagues.”

Inside the clubhouse, lefty Drew Smyly heard coaches watching a dwell feed yelling earlier than seeing the play unfold on a delayed broadcast within the clubhouse.

“I just thought it was just a routine fly ball to center field,” stated Smyly, who logged 4 1/3 strong innings in reduction of opener Hayden Wesneski. “And then he just kept drifting and drifting, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh,’ and then he robbed it. What an unbelievable catch. Tauchman’s been incredible since he’s been called up.”

By the time Tauchman received to the infield, he acquired a hug from a fired-up Alzolay.

“I like the hug more than a high-five,” Tauchman quipped. “The high-five hurts for 15-20 minutes. I’ve got to ice my hand after some of the high-fives. The hug was great.”

The play was harking back to a game-ending seize made in St. Louis by Leonys Martin for the playoff-bound Cubs in 2017. On Sept. 28, Martin reached over the center-field wall to rob a homer from Paul DeJong within the eleventh inning, sealing a 2-1 victory and eliminating the Cardinals from the postseason image.

Friday wasn’t Tauchman’s first house run theft, both.

When Albert Pujols’ Hall of Fame plaque is hung within the gallery, it can inform of his 703 profession house runs. It would have stated 704 had it not been for Tauchman’s inning-ending theft within the ninth in an extra-inning win over the Dodgers on May 28, 2021, when Tauchman was with the Giants.

“He’s got good instincts,” Ross stated. “The instincts sometimes can outplay just raw talent for me. Good baseball instincts are really important. And he’s got a high baseball IQ. I’m glad we made that switch there late. Not that [Cody Bellinger] can’t do that.”

In reality, Bellinger has a pair robberies of his personal this season. On May 15 in Houston, he took further bases away from Kyle Tucker, however the middle fielder landed awkwardly, injuring a knee and winding up on the injured record. That led to Tauchman’s callup from Triple-A Iowa.

Since that time, Tauchman has helped as a part-time leadoff man, middle fielder and bench piece. And he has been a key a part of the Cubs’ in-season turnaround.

“I think he embodies a lot of our strength,” Hoerner stated. “He’s going to embrace whatever role he has, and he’s got a really big one for us.”