Rick Wilkins hit four homers in the Cubs’ three-game series at New York. He has five in his last five games, 11 for the season (47 games).
In 169 games before this year, he had hit a total of 14.
This is the same player who hit .122 in April and who, through May 10, had one homer and two runs batted in.
What’s changed?
“I wish I could tell you I’m doing something different, but I’m really not,” Wilkins said as the Cubs prepared for a weekend series against the NL West-leading Giants.
“It’s a comfort zone. I feel very comfortable when I go up there, I feel comfortable in the box, and I’m just going up there with the same basic keys I go up there with on every at-bat.”
Speaking of comfort: Frank Castillo, whose next start has been delayed until Tuesday, threw on the side before Wednesday’s game, trying to eliminate a move with his elbow that might be tipping his pitches.
“I got it to where it was comfortable,” Castillo said. “Tony Muser (the bullpen coach) pretended he was the batter and he wasn’t able to pick up anything after a while.”
The real test will come next week against the Marlins.
“I’m not saying that’s going to be the easy way and that I’m going to get on a roll,” he said. “But that’s half the battle, I guess.”
Remember him? Heathcliff Slocumb, in four appearances with the Indians, has thrown 7 2/3 innings without allowing a run and is holding opposition hitters to a .185 average.
Just counting: The Cubs will have to go 19-9 the rest of the way to be 10 games over .500 at the All-Star break, a .679 percentage. Extreme? The Phillies, before Thursday, were at .702 for the entire season.
Statistical fluke: Ryne Sandberg committed his fourth error June 2, in his 29th game. He didn’t get his fourth last year until Aug. 2, in his 101st.
