Levine: David Ross 'Overwhelmed' By 'Amazing' Ovations From Cubs Fans, Teammates
By Bruce Levine--
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The combination of Cubs left-hander Jon Lester and catcher David Ross worked their magic act one more time at Wrigley Field on Sunday evening.
Lester won his National League-leading 19th game, allowing three hits in 6 2/3 innings of shutout baseball of a 3-1 victory against the Cardinals. While Lester was terrific, the night belonged to Ross, who plans to retire at season's end and was removed by manager Joe Maddon in the top of the seventh inning with two outs. Working in conjunction with Lester, Maddon concocted the plan to get Ross the recognition from fans in the home finale, and Ross received a standing ovations as he left the field, then a curtain call as the crowd kept going crazy once he got to the dugout.
"I don't know if I ever had one," Ross said of the five thunderous ovations he received Sunday. "I certainly never had anything like that. Wow, what a treat for a backup catcher to get that kind of ovation. I was overwhelmed with emotion and thoughts. It was an amazing night."
Playing in his last regular-season game at Wrigley Field, it was the 39-year-old Ross who drove in the first Cubs run of the night with his 10th homer of the season, a solo shot in the fifth inning.
The Cubs now have nine players with 10 or more home runs, tying a franchise record they set last season.
"I was super excited," Ross said of his homer. "The standing ovation was cool. To break the game open and give us the lead with a really tough pitcher out there (was great). This was an emotional day for all the guys and throughout baseball (with the passing of Jose Fernandez). I was just overcome with emotion. I just felt like I floated around the bases. I don't ever feel that way, but I definitely felt that way tonight when I hit that home run."
This victory was the 57th home win for for the Cubs in 2016, which set a franchise record. The Cubs moved into Wrigley Field in 1916, and the 1933 and 1935 clubs each won 56 games at home. The Cubs improved to 99-56 in the process, their most wins since 1935, when they went 100-54.
Lester lowered his ERA to 2.28 -- the second-best mark in baseball behind teammate Kyle Hendricks (2.06) -- while strengthening his case for the NL Cy Young award. His opposition for that award will be Hendricks, Giants right-hander Johnny Cueto, Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner and Nationals right-hander Max Scherzer.
Lester hasn't lost a game since July 3 and has gone 10-0 with a 1.34 ERA since the All-Star break.
"We have a game plan obviously," Lester said. "We have weaknesses we go to in certain situations. The work we do and results are kind of a testament to everybody involved. We make the routine plays. We throw it and catch. It has been fun to a part of all this, with these guys all season."
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.
