On the top shelf of Nico Hoerner’s locker is an autographed baseball card of Ryne Sandberg. A fan gave it to him in spring training, asking for nothing in return. The fan just wanted Hoerner to have it.
Maybe Hoerner reminded the fan of Sandberg because, if you didn’t know better, you would’ve thought Sandberg was playing second base for the Cubs on Sunday. Hoerner made a play that called to mind many of those made by the late Hall of Famer, turning a double play to end the sixth inning in a lopsided 8-4 victory against the Diamondbacks.
After missing most of the last two games with a stiff neck, no less.
‘‘That was huge,’’ said left-hander Matthew Boyd, who raised his fist in celebration of the play, which ended the last of his six innings. ‘‘It keeps me at 94 pitches. [Nolan] Arenado was on deck, another good hitter. That was an amazing play.’’
‘‘I saw the ball go up, and I was, like, ‘Nobody’s gonna get it,’ ’’ catcher Carson Kelly said. ‘‘And then Nico bolted over there and got it. That was incredible.’’
With one out and Corbin Carroll on first, Hoerner ran to cover second base as the Diamondbacks executed a hit-and-run with Ildemaro Vargas at the plate. But Vargas hit a pop-up that was headed where Hoerner had been positioned, at straight-up double-play depth.
With an outbound wind pushing the ball toward short right field, Hoerner ran back like a wide receiver, made an over-the-shoulder catch and, in Sandberg-like fashion, whirled around and made a jump throw to Michael Busch at first to double up Carroll.
‘‘I don’t think I’ve done that one before on a pop-up,’’ he said. ‘‘I kind of ran in a circle.’’
He did more than that. Hoerner deked the speedy Carroll into staying at second base long enough to double him up.
‘‘He deked Corbin,’’ Boyd said. ‘‘Corbin was looking around, so I was trying not to react. It’s one of those things where every step matters, especially with how fast Corbin is. He deked Corbin into hanging out at the base. It bought enough time to double him up. That play was truly Nico.’’
‘‘When the wind’s blowing out, I try to over-run anything behind me — like, really get behind it,’’ Hoerner said. ‘‘That was one I was kind of chasing on the other end of it.’’
It was one of many highlights for the Cubs, who completed a three-game sweep for their fifth consecutive victory and 11th in a row at Wrigley Field. Ian Happ extended his on-base streak to 24 games with two walks and a single, Moises Ballesteros hit a two-run home run and Busch hit a three-run triple.
Hoerner also was part of the 12-hit onslaught with a single, a double and a run scored from his usual leadoff spot. He raised his batting average to .301 and his OPS to .841. And though he made the first out of the game for the Cubs, he let everyone know he was feeling fine with a lineout to center that had an exit velocity of 94.4 mph.
After the game, he confirmed that he felt no effects from the stiff neck.
Hoerner was one of five Cubs with two hits. The Cubs roughed up Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly for six runs and eight hits in 4⅓ innings before getting two more runs and four more hits against reliever Brandon Pfaadt. They had plenty of chances to do more damage, leaving 10 runners on base and going 4-for-13 with runners in scoring position.
As has been the case more times than not, however, the Cubs’ offense is doing enough to win. Throw in strong pitching and stellar defense — center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong made several running catches he made look easy — and you have a dangerous team.