CHICAGO -- Home runs are up everywhere and that includes Chicago, where the Cubs on Wednesday night became the first team in major league history to have five players record at least 20 home runs in their age-25 season or younger.
Ian Happ, 23, went deep against the Pittsburgh Pirates to join Javier Baez (age 24), Kyle Schwarber (24), Willson Contreras (25) and Kris Bryant (25) in the exclusive club.
Cubs skipper Joe Maddon said he didn't know of the impressive feat until he saw it displayed on the scoreboard.
"That's pretty impressive. That's never been done, right? That's a long time," Maddon said after the Cubs' 17-3 rout over the Pirates.
Happ's home run in the third inning off Pirates starter Ivan Nova also set a franchise mark as he became the sixth different Cubs player with at least 20 home runs this season. Anthony Rizzo has 31.
"There are lot of good hitters here. A lot of young guys that have learned a lot and are putting good swings on baseballs," Happ said. "You can see that, especially on a night where we score 17 and gets 20 hits. A lot of good at-bats."