PITTSBURGH _ The Cubs' 100th victory Monday night was as much an affirmation of their individual excellence as their season-long success.
Kyle Hendricks continued his amazing ascent with six shutout innings as the Cubs breezed to a 12-2 humbling of the Pirates for their first 100-win season since 1935.
A grand slam by once-strikeout-prone Javier Baez provided an early cushion in the fourth, and a two-run home run by Kris Bryant in a six-run sixth increased his RBI total to a career-high 101.
The large margin enabled manager Joe Maddon to follow his preferred script for the final week of the regular season as he substituted liberally in the final three innings.
The victory allowed the Cubs (100-56) to savor their latest distinction in the same clubhouse where they celebrated like party animals nearly one year ago after beating the Pirates in the National League wild-card game.
The stakes are even greater this fall, but the Cubs continue to align themselves perfectly by finishing strong and healthy.
Hendricks (16-8) lowered his major-league-leading ERA to 1.99 while not walking a batter as he extended his streak of allowing three earned runs or fewer to 22 consecutive starts.
Tentatively scheduled to start the regular-season finale Sunday in Cincinnati, Hendricks is 12-2 with a 1.29 ERA over his last 18 appearances since June 19.
"We did not anticipate all of this," Maddon said of Hendricks, 26, who was 8-7 with a 3.95 ERA in his first full major-league season in 2015. "We thought (he would be) good. He finished last year so well. But he's really exceeded, and good for him.
"This is something I think he can carry on for years. By no means a fluke, an anomaly. This is how good he's capable of being. So it's made a big difference he's been able to do what he's done."
Bryant, 24, moved within one of the NL lead by smacking his 39th homer. By surpassing the century mark in RBIs, he put an end to the good-natured ribbing he had received after not driving in a run in his final six games, stuck on 99.
Bryant also scored his 120th run, the most by a Cub since Derrek Lee scored 120 in 2005.
Baez drove in a career-high six runs, tying a team season high Bryant has achieved on three occasions.
With home-field advantage throughout the NL playoffs wrapped up, Maddon rested Dexter Fowler and Ben Zobrist and started rookie Albert Almora Jr. and Chris Coghlan.
Almora, vying for a spot on the postseason roster, executed a bunt single that preceded Baez's slam and added an RBI double in the sixth to cap his second three-hit game.
"He stays ready," Maddon said. "He's in a different role he's not used to (playing). It looks like he's ready to play.
"We still haven't decided how we're going to construct the playoff roster. I don't ask him to do anything but play your game. His at-bats have gotten better."
