8/2 Rizzo wins NL Rookie of the Month

Anthony Rizzo’s first full month with the Cubs earned the 22-year-old first baseman National League Rookie of the Month honors for July. In 25 games, Rizzo led NL rookies in hits (32), home runs (seven), RBIs (17) and total bases (55) while ranking second in runs scored (14). He also finished third among NL rookies with a .330 batting average, .375 on-base percentage and .567 slugging percentage. His seven homers were the most by a Cubs rookie in a calendar month since Mel Hall hit nine in August 1983.

Rizzo drove in eight go-ahead runs in July and produced four game-winning RBIs, leading NL rookies in both categories. He registered his first walk-off home run on July 29 with a two-run homer in the bottom of the 10th against the rival Cardinals. He also had nine multi-hit games in July — including a career-high four-hit game on July 6 — and hit safely in 20 of his 25 games. He’s the fourth Cubs player to win the award, joining Hee-Sop Choi (April 2003), Geovany Soto (April and August 2008) and Darwin Barney (2011).

– Carrie Muskat