CHICAGO -- Rookie Ian Happ drove in four runs and joined the 20-homer club while Javier Baez added a two-run double and stole home to spark the Cubs to a 17-3 victory over the Pirates on Wednesday and complete a sweep.
Kyle Schwarber belted a pair of two-run homers and Anthony Rizzo added his 31st blast of the season to help the Cubs improve to a season-high 12 games over .500 and maintain a 3 1/2-game lead over the Brewers in the National League Central.
Happ became the sixth Cubs player to hit 20 homers this season, joining Rizzo, Schwarber, Baez, Kris Bryant and Willson Contreras, which set a franchise record. The Cubs also set a Major League record for most players age 25 or younger to hit 20 home runs; the old mark was five, shared by the 2007 Brewers and 1979 Expos.
http://m.mlb.com/video/v1792402983
We have a lot of good hitters here, a lot of young guys who have learned a lot and are putting good swings on the baseball, especially on a night when we get 20 hits and score 17 runs," Happ said. "We had a lot of good [at-bats]."
Happ smacked an RBI single in the first, a two-run homer in the third and an RBI double in the fifth. It's the fourth time this season he's driven in four runs in a game. He flied out to left in the sixth but, needing a triple for the cycle, he ran hard all the way to third unaware that Starling Marte had made the catch. Happ did pause at third before heading to the dugout.
http://m.mlb.com/video/v1790962483
"I loved the faux triple down the left-field line -- that was outstanding," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said.
