March 31, 2017 Cubs.com, Russell, Rizzo homer; Anderson solid for 5 http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/221635936/astros-cubs-combine-for-4-hrs-in-exhibition/ Cubs.com, Lester earns right to start Opening Night http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/221580806/jon-lester-to-face-cardinals-on-opening-night/ Cubs.com, Cubs remain top dog in NL Central http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/221652876/chicago-cubs-remain-team-to-beat-in-nl-central/ Cubs.com, La Stella relieved to learn he's on roster http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/221623856/tommy-la-stella-on-making-cubs-roster/ Cubs.com, Maddon: Cubs turning page, aiming to repeat http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/221628170/joe-maddon-gets-cubs-ready-for-regular-season/ ESPNChicago.com, Curse-breaking Chicago Cubs not afraid to change http://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/43516/curse-breaking-cubs-not-afraid-to-change CSNChicago.com, Follow The Leader: What Makes Theo Epstein An Unstoppable Force For Cubs http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/follow-leader-what-makes-theo-epstein-unstoppable-force-cubs CSNChicago.com, How Justin Grimm Could Be X-Factor In Cubs Bullpen http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/how-justin-grimm-could-be-x-factor-cubs-bullpen Chicago Tribune, World Series goal achieved, Theo Epstein sets sights on Cubs empire http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-theo-epstein-cubs-empire-spt-0402-20170331- story.html Chicago Tribune, What if Cubs had lost Game 7? Line between agony, afterglow so thin http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-world-series-almost-goats-spt-0331-20170330- story.html Chicago Tribune, Albert Almora Jr.'s sudden power a pleasant asset for Cubs offense http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-albert-almora-power-surge-cubs-spt-0331- 20170330-story.html Chicago Tribune, After bout of food poisoning, Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks set for return http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-kyle-hendricks-food-poisoning-20170331-story.html Chicago Tribune, New faces on the Cubs: Pitcher Wade Davis has history of winning http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-new-faces-wade-davis-cubs-spt-0402-20170331- story.html Chicago Tribune, New faces on the Cubs: Jon Jay looking to help Albert Almora Jr. http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-new-faces-jon-jay-cubs-spt-0402-20170331- story.html Chicago Tribune, New faces on the Cubs: Koji Uehara's split-finger fastball still effective at 41 http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-new-faces-koji-uehara-cubs-spt-0402-20170331- story.html Chicago Sun-Times, Drop the mic? No, says Theo: `There’s a lot more work to be done’ http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/drop-the-mic-no-says-theo-theres-a-lot-more-work-to-be-done/ Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs’ Carl Edwards Jr.’s goal: ‘Make the All-Star team this year’ http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/cubs-carl-edwards-jr-s-goal-make-the-all-star-team-this-year/ -- Cubs.com Russell, Rizzo homer; Anderson solid for 5 By Carrie Muskat and Alyson Footer HOUSTON -- The Cubs and Astros, two teams expected to be among the top offenses this year, gave a sneak preview of what may be to come with a high-scoring affair Thursday night at Minute Maid Park. The Astros edged the Cubs, 8-6, taking the first of a two-game exhibition set that will mark the final tuneup for both teams. Houston right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. struck out the side in the first inning, but he struggled for the next two. The Cubs tagged him for three runs on four hits in a second highlighted by a leadoff triple by Ben Zobrist and RBIs by Addison Russell and Javier Baez. "The good thing about tonight is it doesn't count," McCullers said. "That's one positive. My fastball command was pretty good today. I struggled with my breaking ball, I struggled with my changeup. To be able to see good life on my heater, being able to put it in and out. ... The breaking ball wasn't really working, The changeup, I didn't have a lot of confidence in it. That's on me, I'll figure it out. I"ve got until Tuesday." The Astros answered in the bottom of the inning behind a two-run homer by Josh Reddick, his first long ball of the spring, off Cubs lefty Brett Anderson. "The homer Reddick hit was a pitch that I probably could've hit out -- it was right on his barrel," said Anderson, who graded his stuff a "D-minus." "The defense made some really good plays behind me and I was able to get my pitch count up and get through five [innings]," Anderson said. "If this was a regular-season game, it would've given us a chance to win. There were mostly positives going forward, knowing my stuff will be better, can be better, and the fact that I got through it and my body feels good and my arm feels good and I'll get ready for St. Louis and Milwaukee." The third frame produced home runs from each team -- Russell's two-run shot into the Crawford Boxes off McCullers, and an opposite-field homer by Jose Altuve off Anderson, narrowing the Cubs' advantage to 5-3. The longest homer of the night belonged to Anthony Rizzo, who launched a solo shot into the second deck in right field off James Hoyt. Another offensive burst for the Astros occurred in the sixth. Evan Gattis' two-run double off Hector Rondon tied the game at 6, and Alex Bregman's base hit off Jhondaniel Medina gave Houston its first lead. That lead increased by one when a passed ball by Kyle Schwarber allowed the eighth Astros run to score. Schwarber started in left field but switched to catcher in the sixth, the first time he's done so in a Major League game since he tore two ligaments in his left knee last April 7. Schwarber, considered the third catcher on the Cubs' depth chart, did catch four innings in a Minor League game last Friday. Cubs Up Next: The Cubs wrap up the exhibition season Friday at 1:10 p.m. CT when Kyle Hendricks faces the Astros in his final preseason start, free on MLB.TV. The Major League ERA leader last season, Hendricks had not walked a batter until his last outing in Las Vegas, when he walked four. He finished Cactus League play with 15 strikeouts over 16 2/3 innings. Astros Up Next: The Astros wrap up their spring season Friday, free on MLB.TV against the Cubs at Minute Maid Park. Right-hander Joe Musgrove, who compiled a 2.45 ERA throughout the exhibition season to earn a spot in the rotation, will take the mound for the Astros. -- Cubs.com Lester earns right to start Opening Night By Carrie Muskat HOUSTON -- Jon Lester and Orval Overall will have something in common on Sunday night. Overall was the Cubs' Opening Day starter in 1909, the last year the franchise followed a World Series championship season. Lester will open the Cubs' defense of their championship when they face the Cardinals in St. Louis on ESPN at 7:35 p.m. CT. "Opening Day always means something to me," Lester said. "That's obviously an honor to be named that guy, especially on this staff and in this organization. I've been fortunate enough to do it a couple times. It's never easy, but it's always fun." It's not easy partly because of all the hoopla surrounding the game, he said. "It's a weird time," the lefty said. "There's so much more going into that than starting Game 1 of the playoffs, because then you've had the whole season, you know where you're at, you know what's working, you've got your scouting reports. I feel that first one is always different. But it's also fun. There's a lot of different emotions going into it." The biggest change for Lester is that his favorite catcher, David Ross, is now "Dancing With the Stars" following his retirement. Willson Contreras is the Cubs' regular catcher, and this spring, he's shadowed Lester. Contreras has caught not only Lester's Cactus League starts, but also his two Minor League games and every bullpen session. Contreras asserted himself early in camp and told Ross he wanted to learn Lester's quirks on his own. The best way to do that? "You just pitch," Lester said. "I'm still understanding how he calls the game. It goes both ways -- it's not just me sitting out there going, 'No, no, no, you're not doing anything right.' I'm learning from him, as well, and what he likes to do." What Lester figured out quickly is that he needs to duck when runners try to steal on Contreras, whose throw to second almost has more velocity than the lefty's pitches. Not many teams have a pitching staff strong enough in which the Major League ERA leader is the No. 5 starter, but that's the Cubs' rotation. Lester will start the opener and be followed by Jake Arrieta, John Lackey, newcomer Brett Anderson and Kyle Hendricks, who topped the Majors with a 2.13 ERA. Lester finished second in the National League Cy Young Award balloting last year; Hendricks was third. With all the talent, Cubs manager Joe Maddon said it was fairly easy to select Lester as the Opening Night starter.