Cubs' habit of streaking is reaching historic proportions
ARLINGTON, Texas — We’ve already made the observation once, and it bears repeating: These are truly days of miracle and wonder for the Cubs.
How rare is it for a Cubs team to have not one but two winning streaks of at least nine games in a season?
Since the Cubs began play at Wrigley Field in 1916, it has happened only three times before: The 1935 Cubs had winning streaks of 21 and 11 games. The 1927 Cubs had winning streaks of 12, nine and nine games, and the 1918 Cubs won nine in a row twice.
With a 7-1 victory against the Rangers on Friday night, these Cubs became the second team in franchise history to have double-digit winning streaks in the same season. The 1918 and 1935 Cubs went to the World Series and lost. The ’27 Cubs somehow finished in fourth place, 8œ games behind the Pirates.
More streaking: The longest winning streak in the 21st century by the Cubs was in 2001, when they won 12 in a row under Don Baylor.
In 1970, Leo Durocher’s Cubs won 11 in a row.
In all, there have been 26 winning streaks of nine games or more since 1916.
Another setback for Harvey
Reliever Hunter Harvey will be out at least four weeks, manager Craig Counsell said, after he experienced similar discomfort in his right triceps that led him to be put on the injured list earlier this season. Counsell said Harvey had an MRI exam that showed a stress reaction in the triceps. He is headed to Arizona to begin his rehabilitation.
Harvey, a 2013 first-round draft choice who has had a history of arm problems, did not allow an earned run in 12 appearances for the Royals last season and signed a one-year, $6 million free-agent deal with the Cubs. He has made only four appearances and has an 0-1 record with a 6.75 ERA.
More encouraging is the progress shown by lefty reliever Caleb Thielbar. Out since April 24 with a strained hamstring, Thielbar had a good bullpen session, is scheduled to throw a simulated game next week and could be sent on a rehab assignment by next weekend.
Also back and activated is reliever Ethan Roberts, who has recovered from the freak cut he got from trying to catch an iron grate that had gotten dislodged while he was working out with a medicine ball in a Citizens Bank Park hallway.
Happ-enings
With his run-scoring single in the first inning, Ian Happ extended his streak of reaching base safely to 29 games. That’s the longest streak in the National League and second-longest in the majors, one game behind the 30-game streak of the Athletics’ Nick Kurtz.
The last streak by a Cub that went longer was the 30-game streak by Bryan LaHair in 2012.
Going with the hot hand
Batting second and serving as the designated hitter in the Cubs’ lineup was Michael Conforto, who has hit two home runs this week, a walk-off Monday night and a solo shot for the Cubs’ first run Thursday afternoon against the Reds.
Conforto also singled, doubled and walked in that game against Cincinnati and came into this game batting .361.
He hit an opposite-field bloop double in his first at-bat Friday and scored on Happ’s single.
