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How Shota Imanaga's comfort with Cubs has resulted in him becoming a stabilizing force

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During his critical seventh-inning at-bat against left fielder Brendan Donovan with runners on first and second with two outs, left-hander Shota Imanaga was thinking about postgame.

“I was pretty hungry, so I was thinking about what kind of food nutrition I should take after the game,” Imanaga said through an interpreter.

Imanaga punched out Donovan with a sweeper to end the inning. After the punchout, Imanaga roared and spun around to celebrate. The left-hander has become more comfortable in the clubhouse, which has helped his pitching.

After another stellar start in Saturday’s 5-1 win — seven innings, four hits, and one run allowed — Imanaga continues to show that his approach can succeed in the majors.