June 21--Aside from Kurt Suzuki, the only person Jon Lester couldn't solve was manager Joe Maddon.
Lester showed his disbelief Saturday when he was pulled by Maddon after retiring Torii Hunter for the first out of the seventh inning in the Cubs' 4-1 win over the Twins.
Lester enjoyed one of his most impressive performances of the season, allowing only three hits, but couldn't talk Maddon out of letting him stay in the game.
"I don't want to leave games," Lester said. "You always have more, but that's why you have managers and pitching coaches to make decisions for you. I may not be happy at the time, but I won't second-guess a manager and what they're trying to do."
Maddon said he was pleased that Lester wanted to stay in the game, but the combination of warm weather, 102 pitches and Suzuki coming up in a tie game after having hit a home run in the second convinced Maddon that pulling Lester was the right move.
"I love it," Maddon said of Lester's stubbornness. "I talked to him. I gave him my rationale, and we're good."
"I'm not happy, but it doesn't mean I'm down there second-guessing or yelling at the manager," Lester said.
"We're all competitors and he's competing with us, and I'll never second-guess what's going on in the game and his moves. His job is hard enough. My job is hard enough, and I'll try to stay in my own lane."
Lester's fastball, cut fastball, slider and curve were extremely sharp as he finished with seven strikeouts.
Extra innings: Right fielder Jorge Soler "is getting close" to starting a minor-league rehabilitation assignment, Maddon said. Soler, who has been on the 15-day disabled list with a left ankle sprain, ran in the outfield before Saturday's game. Maddon was encouraged after watching Soler's first batting practice session on Friday. ... A day after his 14-game hitting streak ended, Kris Bryant went hitless in a second consecutive game for the first time since going 0-for-13 over a four-game span (April 29-May 3).
