CHICAGO _ Javier Baez was called out twice on the same play at home plate during the second inning Friday _ once by umpire Ben May and again by replay officials, who confirmed May's call from about 800 miles away in New York.
Baez left no room for argument six innings later, though, when he belted a baseball that landed 409 feet away from home plate, in one of the last rows of the left-field bleachers, to give the Cubs two insurance runs in their 7-4 victory against the Blue Jays at Wrigley Field.
If Baez's home run was the exclamation point, his diving snag of Jose Bautista's scorching ground ball that seemed destined for left field for the second out of the ninth was the period.
"I like hearing the fans cheer for me," Baez said. "I know Chicago loves me. Thank you."
His play, especially in the second half, has helped earn last year's National League Championship Series co-MVP some of that adoration. He's batting .308 with a .664 slugging percentage and an OPS just south of 1.000 since the All-Star break, and he's taking advantage of increased playing time with shortstop Addison Russell out with a foot injury.
Baez's flashes of brilliance on the field come with frustration at times, though.
Such as during the second inning Friday when he was thrown out trying to score.
The play, recorded in the official scorebook as 9-6-3-6-2, occurred while Albert Almora Jr. was in the midst of a rundown between first and second after he had driven in the Cubs' third run with a single to right field.
The fourth run wasn't to be, though, after Baez broke from third and couldn't avoid Blue Jays catcher and former teammate Miguel Montero's tag at the plate, which Baez slid past.
"He told me he tagged me, obviously," Baez said with a grin. "No excuses. They just got me."
Baez got them back with his 20th home run, which made him the fourth Cub 25 years old or younger with at least that many this season, tying a major league record. The home run also made him the fifth Cub with at least 20, tying a franchise mark.
"We'll try to get 30 if we can," Baez said.
In addition to a show from Baez and starter Jake Arrieta, fans received a free preview of the upcoming Chicago Air and Water Show.
With Blue Angels roaring through practice formations above, Arrieta kept the Blue Jays grounded by allowing a run, six hits, two walks and striking out six in 61/3 innings of his seventh consecutive quality start.
The free agent-to-be has allowed two or fewer runs in his last seven starts and is 5-1 with a 2.00 ERA during that span. But increasing his price on the open market with each appearance has little to do with his motivation right now, he said.
He just wants to give the team a chance to win, he said.
Oh, and to have a beer with his old catcher, Montero, who was designated for assignment then traded by the Cubs earlier this season after making remarks about Arrieta's inability to hold base runners. Montero was booed heavily in his first two at-bats Friday.
"I asked him if he wanted to grab a drink tonight," Arrieta said. "So we might do that. He's one of my favorite guys ... a good dude."
An overflow of fans choked Wrigley Field with chants of "Let's go, Blue Jays" again and again Friday. Then Baez hit one that he admired and none of the Blue Jays outfielders bothered to watch.
"He does things maybe a handful of guys in baseball can do," Arrieta said.
