Chicago Cubs Have Been Getting It Done on the Road Since the All-Star Break

For the stretch run, the Cub's will be as dominant on the road as they are at home. That's a bold statement, seeing that going into tonight's finale against the struggling Braves, the Cubs are 28-30 on the road, compared to their scorching 45-17 home record.

The Cubs have to win on the road, and they have done just that since the All Star break.

Since the break, they have gone 10-6 and have won seven in a row on the road. Coming out of the break, the big question really surrounding this team was the health of Kerry Wood and Alfonso Soriano.

Could this team be just as good on the road as they are at home?

I think they have answered that question.

In this current road, winning stretch, they have outscored their opponents 58-19. During the final weeks of the season, they have 28 road games and many come against clubs in our division, who play just as well at home as we do.

The key to winning the division will be how this team responds to playing on the road while closing out the season. With only 19 more home games left, this is a critical stretch for this team. 

With Jim Edmonds seeing the ball very well, Mark DeRosa and Ryan Theriot are getting key hits. Even though the Kosuke Fukudome, who is hitting .268 this season, and Aramis Ramirez (.282) and Derrek Lee (.290) are not putting up huge numbers during this recent stretch, this team is still winning.

The key to this success is what they have been riding all year long: good pitching, good defense, and timely hitting. Their National-League-leading OBP is .357, their slugging is .447, and their team average is .281. All of these stats lead the NL and are second only to the Texas Rangers in MLB's standings.

Their pitching has not been that bad either; they rank fifth in the majors, with a team ERA of 3.76. With over 1,000 innings pitched, they have given up the third-least amount of hits with 996 and have saved 33 of 51 save opportunities. The Cubs are second only to the Dodgers in the national league in team ERA. They are getting it done on the bump.

They have the offense to go along with a great defense and even better pitching staff. Now all they have to do is connect on the field for the final weeks.

If this team can continue its recent success on the road, coupled with their dominating Wrigley Field performance, this team should make it deep into the playoffs, even without the coveted home-field advantage in the series.