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Cubs News

The Isaac Paredes Game? New third baseman breaks out at Wrigley Field

2 years agoTony Andracki

It won’t go down in Cubs lore the same way “The Sandberg Game” has, but Isaac Paredes certainly had his signature game at Wrigley Field in a 7-3 victory Tuesday night.

With classic “Windy City” conditions sweeping over the Lakeview area (an overcast, chilly night that felt more like a late-September game), Paredes didn’t mind one bit.

He hammered a ball into the teeth of 19 mph winds to left field that barely snuck out of the park, landing in the basket in left field for a 3-run homer in the 1st inning. Paredes hit that ball 101.1 mph at a 33-degree launch angle and on a normal night it may have landed on Waveland Ave.

“I knew it could go out,” Paredes said. “When I saw the outfielder start to slow down, I began to have some doubts and I began to run a bit harder. But yeah, I did feel like that swing had a chance.”

[MORE: Shota Imanaga has a new routine between innings and as usual, it’s hilarious]

That swing gave the Cubs and starter Shota Imanaga a big cushion early on in the game after the team was shut out Monday night.

“The way the wind was blowing today, you’re not thinking a 3-run homer in the 1st inning,” said manager Craig Counsell. “And just for Isaac to get a big hit on the board absolutely made everybody feel good.”

[WATCH: Paredes reacts to his big game, Wrigley atmosphere]

Paredes then added on to his big day with an RBI single in the bottom of the 3rd inning, looping a ball into shallow right field that scored Michael Busch – who was running on the pitch – from first base.

He later walked and in a fitting moment, recorded the final out of the game with a slick running play to retire Twins star Royce Lewis.

Prior to Tuesday’s game, Paredes had been hitting just .111 with 0 RBI for the Cubs in 7 games since coming over to Chicago in the deal that sent Christopher Morel to Tampa Bay.

“Honestly, I didn’t feel good [in the first few games with Cubs],” Paredes said through interpreter Fredy Quevedo Jr. “I wanted to do too much. I wanted to impress my teammates. Day by day, I’m preparing myself mentally to give it my best and always give it my 100% and for the results to come on their own.

“I feel really good. I was looking for a game like that to gain confidence.”