CHICAGO (670 The Score) -- There's nothing quite like a little home cooking for the Cubs.
Owners of a 21-33 road record that's the worst in the National League and has team architect Theo Epstein expressing embarrassment, the Cubs returned to the comfort of Wrigley Field and were sharp in a 6-2 win against the Brewers on Friday afternoon. With the victory, the Cubs improved to 37-18 at home and climbed within a half-game of the NL Central-leading and idle Cardinals.
"The fans are great here, but we have a lot of fans on the road," Baez said. "We should be the same. We always want to be home with friends and family. We just have to compete. We need to take this energy to our road trips. We need to take it to pitch by pitch."
The Chicago offense looked more like its usual self after a feeble effort in St. Louis, where the Cubs produced a combined three runs and 15 hits in losing two of three games. On Friday, every Cubs player in the starting lineup -- left-hander Jose Quintana included -- had a hit, and they led 4-1 when they chased Brewers right-hander Zach Davies after four innings.
Javier Baez led the way with a three-hit, three-RBI day that included a homer. Jason Heyward also led the game off with a homer.
"It was pretty nice today," manager Joe Maddon said. "We had other opportunities as well. Willson (Contreras) hit one to the wall. (David) Bote hit one to the other side. Javier moved it around when necessary. Jason's homer went. Both sides benefited from the wind blowing in. Both would have had two more homers. We played a clean game."
Maddon has been perplexed by the club's recent offensive struggles.
"We have to be a more consistent offensive club," Maddon said. "We have this very physical, talented group of players.
"We have to exact that somehow. I don't have any solid answers. I hate to tell you that. The process is the same. The work has been the same. We have been getting in these games and not moving the ball off of the barrel like we need to."
Maddon has been stressing to the Cubs to punch the ball into the gaps and use the entire field. Heyward's homer reflected what Maddon has preached, as it was an opposite-field blast.
"It's beautiful when it works out the way you want it, isn't it?" Heyward said."We are trying. We are trying hard. It starts with that. You must show up every day until it happens and keep trying to be consistent with it. This is definitely a group thing. That is regardless of the result of the at-bat. We ground them today. We fouled some pitches off and were able to get into their bullpen."
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.
