Historic offensive display helps Cubs climb closer to division lead

With an offensive explosion, the Cubs scored 20 runs on Tuesday and followed that up with 16 on Wednesday. The 36 runs over the last two games are the most the Cubs have scored in a two-game span since 1897.

The Cubs also became the first team in MLB history to have consecutive games with ten extra-base hits and five home runs.

After an impressive hot streak before the trade deadline going 10-3, the Cubs decided to be buyers and kept impending free agents in pitcher Marcus Stroman and slugger Cody Bellinger while acquiring third baseman Jeimer Candelario and relief pitchers Josh Roberson and Jose Cuas.

Now sitting at 55-53 and only three games behind the Reds for first place, the decision to keep the team together is looking like the right one.

The offense has been one of the best since the All-Star break, and adding Candelario has only helped reinforce that. 

Candelario has had eight hits in his nine at-bats since returning to the place started his career and made his MLB debut in 2016. 

While Stroman and Justin Steele have headlined the rotation, veteran Kyle Hendricks is quietly having a solid bounce-back season after struggling in each of the last two seasons and relief pitcher Adbert Alzolay is breaking out in his first season as the Cubs closer. 

With the Reds struggling to find consistent pitching outside of impressive rookie Andrew Abbott and the Brewers sputtering over their last ten games, the Cubs could very well sneak into the playoffs as the NL Central champion before the season is over and even their players are beginning to believe it.