Joe Maddon Brings In Magician To Help Cubs 'Create Some Magic Around Here'

(CBS) With is team mired in a five-game losing streak, its longest of the season, Cubs manager Joe Maddon dug into his bag of motivational tricks before Tuesday evening's game against the Mets in New York.

What he pulled out was a character who actually performs tricks, as Maddon and the Cubs had a magician entertain them in the clubhouse prior to the game.

The point?

"Just trying to lighten things up a little bit," Maddon said, according to the Chicago Tribune.

"We're always trying to, like I said, create some magic around here, so why not bring a magician in?"

Coincidence or not, the Cubs snapped their skid with a 1-0 win against the Mets. Most of it had to do with Kyle Hendricks' brilliant pitching, but a relaxed mood couldn't have hurt.

For his part, Maddon was especially enamored with a trick the magician performed with a soda can.

"He took a crinkled soda can -- empty -- demonstrated that it was empty, then he held it out, put his finger underneath it and all the crinkles started coming out," Maddon said, according to the Tribune. "Then he went around the top of it, and it resealed itself. Gave it to me to open up ... and then he poured the soda out into a cup. Like right there. That was like one of the coolest things ever."

There was also apparently a trick that involved Travis Wood choosing a card, only to see it pulled out of teammate Justin Grimm's back pocket shortly thereafter.