Friday’s 5-1 win over the Angels will be remembered as the day of Justin Steele’s first complete game and arguably his best outing as a Cub.

If it were up to him, one of his teammates would be getting just as much recognition.

“If I had a player of the game, I’d give it to [third baseman Miles] Mastro[buoni],” Steele said after his 95-pitch, 2-hit complete game. “He had some crazy plays today. It definitely kept me in the ball game, kept me going.”

Mastrobuoni made a trio of plays Friday that saved extra bases, runs and, most importantly, pitches, allowing Steele to snag his first career complete game.

It started right away.

On the first pitch of the game, Taylor Ward laced a 98.3-mph line drive to third base that Mastrobuoni dove to his right to snare for the first out of the game, saving a would-be double down the line.

“I mean first pitch, right out of the gate, it gets tough to see the ball a little bit here during the daytime and stuff like that,” Mastrobuoni said. “So, you just try and lock in and I was able to snag that one.”

In the 4th clinging to a 3-0 lead, the Angels were able to put a pair of runners on base after Seiya Suzuki dropped what would have been the third out of the frame. Zach Neto laced a 107.1 mph groundball to third, forcing Mastrobuoni to dive to his left, field the ball and throw it to Nico Hoerner at second base for the force out to stymie the Angels rally.

“That’s a run for sure,” manager Craig Counsell said after the game.

Jo Adell led off the 8th with a chopper to third that got just past the mound. Mastrobuoni charged, fielded the ball and fired to pick up the first out of the inning.

Just for good measure, the final out was recorded via a Brandon Drury groundball to Mastrobuoni, a fitting end for Steele and Mastrobuoni.

All those plays added up in Steele’s dominant outing.

“For instance, like Mastro, making that play [in the 4th], that probably saves a run,” Steele said. “Instead of a hit, it’s an out and I’m moving towards the next inning. It’s saving me pitches.

“If, just for instance, plays not made, say I get to the next batter, say it’s a 5- to 10-pitch at-bat [and] he ends up dinking one or something. Things can switch and sway in whatever direction when things aren’t happening. But the defense did a great job today of making the plays and keeping me out there.”

It’s a testament to Mastrobuoni, who was making only his 12th start of the year and first at the hot corner. He’s been funneled up and down from Triple-A, but sticks to his pregame routine, working with infield coach Jonathan Mota and bench coach Ryan Flaherty to stay ready at various infield positions.

“Then when the game comes around, just try and go out there and honestly just have fun,” Mastrobuoni said. “Maybe I do, [but] I lose kind of track of that a little bit sometimes and so you do that and you see what happens.”

It leads to recognition from a team’s ace during a gem.

“I mean, that means so much to hear that from him,” Mastrobuoni said. “I know he really works hard. Really wants to put this team in a good spot to win. You just follow suit, follow suit, go out there and just play your player butt off and see where the cards land.”