During the course of Sunday night's 7-6, 12-inning win in extras over the Mariners, Cubs dugoutsman Joe Maddon did the ol' bootleggers gambit of calling upon the left reliever to pitch, tucking away said lefty reliever in an outfield nook and or cranny, and the re-summoning that lefty back to the found for further platoon-advantaging. This is not breaking the rules; rather, it is breaking bread with the rules. So it is done with the people's sanction.

Optimally, no batted ball will find the pitcher during his brief corner outfield sojourn, but on this night a deep liner off the cudgel of Franklin Gutierrez drove the miscast Wood not only to the (brick) wall but also deep within the captive embrace of some local flora. Please observe ...

So did Wood make the snare?

Yes, he made the catch, at some level of personal hazard, let it be known. Also, know that this was no leisurely can of corn that Mr. Wood hawked down ...

Excelsior!

Sunday, July 31, 2016, has already been established as The Day the Pitchers Took Over, and with Mr. Wood's daredevilry, the legend only grows.

Maddon was not done digging into his bag of tricks. Rotation stalwart Jon Lester, stepping in as a pinch-hitter, drove in Jason Heyward with a two-strike squeeze bunt in the 12th, and the Cubs overcame a six-run deficit -- using 22 players -- to cap this wild victory. Before that, the Cubs rallied for three runs in the ninth to force extras.