Chicago Cubs

Anthony Rizzo finally snapped his postseason slump after stealing a teammate's bat

Published Nov. 15, 2016 2:41 p.m. ET

Chris Bahr

Anthony Rizzo busted out of his postseason funk in a big way Wednesday night to help the Cubs blow out the Dodgers and even the NLCS at two games apiece. And he can thank a teammate.

Rizzo went 3-for-5 with a homer and a double in the 10-2 win, after entering Game 4 in a miserable 2-for-26 playoff slide. And he did it with Matt Szczur’s bat.

Here are the details – with a pretty special back story – from the Chicago Tribune:

“He’s done that a few times, grabbed my bat,” Szczur said. “It’s the same weight and size, just a different model. So he just grabbed one.”

Rizzo pointed at Szczur on his way to first base, and said afterwards he was inspired by a video he saw on TV about Szczur’s gift of bone marrow to a sick girl.

This all has to be worth at least a steak dinner, right? A spot on the active roster if the Cubs advance to the World Series?

"He doesn't owe me anything," Szczur said.

The Cubs’ offense will try to keep rolling tonight against Dodger right-hander Kenta Maeda in a pivotal Game 5 of what now essentially is a best-of-3 series. The Cleveland Indians await in the World Series.