ST. LOUIS --
“He had a good series,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “That’s something to build on, for sure. It’s confidence-building and it’s good for us winning baseball games, as you saw this week. He had a great offensive series.”
Here were three takeaways from Thursday’s victory, which wrapped up a 5-2 trip against the Pirates and Cardinals:\n\n**1\\. Assad’s solid effort**\n\nThroughout this season, righty
“It’s important to have this flexibility,” Counsell said pregame. “As we know, things happen during the season. So, there’s going to be players that *have* to have this flexibility. It’s kind of why I use the ‘out-getter’ word, because you have to have people that are able to do both.”\n\nAfter the Cubs’ decision to part ways with Jameson Taillon earlier this week amid his persistent struggles, Assad once again was pulled out of the bullpen and tasked with starting on Thursday in St. Louis. The right-hander did not miss a beat, giving the North Siders 4 1/3 innings in which he held the Cardinals to one run.\n\nDating back to May 1, Assad has given the Cubs a 2.31 ERA across 50 2/3 innings between seven relief appearances and six starts. In July, the righty has turned in a 1.50 ERA in 18 innings between three starts and two relief outings, including collecting the first save of his career on Saturday in Pittsburgh.\n\n“I thought Javy stepped up,” Counsell said, “and did as much as we possibly could’ve asked him for.”
**2\\. PCA hits another milestone**\n\n
**3\\. Saves by the baker’s dozen**\n\nAfter setup man Jacob Webb held the Cardinals in check in the ninth and into the 10th inning -- with the help of a highlight-reel catch by Crow-Armstrong in center in extras \\-\\- Counsell called