Commentary

Bad start gone, Rizzo having more fun

Anthony Rizzo
Anthony Rizzo

CLEVELAND -- Anthony Rizzo is having the time of his life after learning firsthand what it's like to go from the bottom to the top.

Rizzo and Travis Wood (Bryant) are the two survivors from the start of the Cubs rebuild in 2011, and playing in the World Series after what they've been through is almost surreal.

"The first four years, it wasn't like that," Rizzo said. "It's a good feeling to come in now. We're going to play this game, and next year we're going to go into spring training expecting to win the World Series again, just like we did this year. It's exciting stuff."

Rizzo helped kickstart the Cubs to a 5-1 victory in Game 2 on Wednesday night at Progressive Field, helping to even the Series at a game apiece as it moves to Wrigley Field.

Thousands of Cubs fans in the stands sang "Go Cubs Go" in the rain after Aroldis Chapman induced a grounder for the final out in the ninth, capping a night on which everything went right in the Cubs' first World Series victory in 71 years.

"It's a race to three now," Rizzo said. "We feel good about Friday night, Wrigley Field, first World Series in 71 years. So we're going to like the energy."

After going 0 for 4 in Game 1 on Tuesday, Rizzo reverted to form in Game 2, doubling down the right-field line off Trevor Bauer in the first to bring Kris Bryant home with the first run.

"These games are huge," Rizzo said. "Let our pitchers go out there, and even a one-run cushion is big."

Rizzo drew a walk off Bauer in the second and scored on Kyle Schwarber's first RBI single, then fouled off five consecutive pitches in a 10-pitch at-bat against Zach McAllister in the fifth before drawing another walk. Ben Zobrist tripled Rizzo home to make it 3-0, and the Cubs were on their way.

Rizzo has been relishing every moment of this postseason, even though he has been tested in ways he probably never imagined. He went into Game 4 of the National League Championship Series with two hits in 26 at-bats and had no RBI in his previous 10 postseason games dating to last year's NLCS.

But since Rizzo broke out of his slump with a home run using Matt Szczur's bat in the fifth inning of Game 4, he hasn't looked back. In his last five games, he's 8 for 21 with 3 doubles, 2 home runs, 5 runs and 6 RBI.

What has been the difference?

"Honestly, I always say it's baseball," Rizzo said. "But I'm going to go out on a limb here and say it's the bat. It's got me feeling good and I just want to stay there."

So he's not going back?

"I'm going to ride this out with Szczur's bat all the way," Rizzo said. "Hail, Szczur."

Rizzo and second baseman Javier Baez have been animated and frolicsome in the postseason, acting like a couple of guys starring in a buddy cop film.

In Game 5 of the NLCS against the Dodgers, Rizzo bounced a ball off Baez's chest from a couple of feet away after catching a Kike Hernandez popup with Baez breathing down his neck. In Game 6, Rizzo called for a popup, only to have Baez swoop in and catch the ball at the last second.

Rizzo feigned anger and pretended he was going to go at Baez before cracking a smile and returning to his position.

"We always mess around, so I'm screaming as I always do and messing around, 'Javy, get away from me,' " Rizzo said.

"And he kept calling it. I was like 'Oh, man, he really wants this ball.' So at the last second I see him under me, and I'm like, all right, he'll take it. I actually thought about jumping over him and catching it, but I'll just let the sure-handed guy take it."

Aren't they worried about goofing around in such a big game?

"No," Rizzo replied, bringing up a special "sandwich" play that he and shortstop Addison Russell came up with recently.

"We have one where we're going to sandwich the second baseman," Rizzo said. "The second baseman is going to catch it, I'm going to be behind him, and then Addy is going to cut in front. It's going to happen one time."

Maybe in the World Series?

"It could, if it's the right ball," Rizzo said.

Of course, goofing around is always fun until something goes wrong, as your mother always said.

"Well, obviously, yeah," Rizzo said. "But it's just slowing the game down. I think that helps slow the game down when you have your teammate there and enjoy it and can have fun with it."

Time of your life, huh kid?

Sports on 10/28/2016

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