The Cubs opened their series against the visitors from Houston with a decisive victory.
After a lackluster series split against the Marlins, the Cubs needed a game like their 7-2 win over the Astros Tuesday evening at Wrigley Field to show themselves, and everyone else, that they’re still the strong contending team many expected them to be this year.
Jordan Wicks began the first inning with a couple of strikeouts and then the Cubs offense got right to work. With one out in the bottom of the inning, Ian Happ singled and Cody Bellinger launched one into the bleachers [VIDEO].
After Michael Busch struck out, Christopher Morel walked (one of two free passes he had on the evening) and Dansby Swanson singled.
Then Mike Tauchman went oppo for a three-run homer [VIDEO].
Everyone could have gone home right then, because the Astros were not coming back from a five-run deficit. Houston didn’t look quite as lackadaisical as the Marlins did over parts of last weekend, but they sure don’t look like the team that won the World Series year before last.
They did get on the board with a pair of doubles in the fourth off Wicks to make it 5-1, and then a solo homer by Jake Meyers in the fifth made the score 5-2. But overall Wicks had a really good outing, with just the two runs allowed, no walks, and five strikeouts while completing six innings for the first time this year.
Here’s a breakdown of Wicks’ outing [VIDEO].
Wicks was helped in part by Cubs defense, notably this catch by Busch in the third [VIDEO].
The Cubs got one of those two runs back in the sixth. Swanson led off with a walk and one out later Matt Mervis reached on catcher’s interference. Another walk, by Miguel Amaya, loaded the bases.
The force play at second scored Swanson to make it 6-2, and the Cubs completed the scoring with one more in the eighth — Tauchman’s second homer of the game [VIDEO].
It was Tauchman’s second career two-homer game and first since 2019, when he was with the Yankees. Fun fact:
Mike Tauchman (Palatine) is the first #Cubs player born in the Chicagoland area to hit 2 homers in a game at Wrigley Field since Phil Cavarretta (Chicago) August 30, 1936 (Game 2 of doubleheader)
— Christopher Kamka (@ckamka) April 24, 2024
Ben Brown (one inning), Mark Leiter Jr. (two-thirds of an inning) and Yency Almonte (one and one-third innings) combined to finish up the last three with only one hit and one walk allowed. Here’s the final out [VIDEO].
The only discordant note from this satisfying win was a possible minor injury suffered by Bellinger. Here’s how it happened [VIDEO].
You can see Bellinger’s right shoulder and side bang into the wall. He stayed in the game for another inning before leaving, replaced in the lineup by Alexander Canario.
Here’s the aftermath:
Craig Counsell said x-rays were negative but they have to see how he is tomorrow before they can determine how long he might be out. https://t.co/JM0WBTARBV
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) April 24, 2024
Here’s what Bellinger said after the game [VIDEO].
And, he did have a sense of humor about it:
Cody Bellinger (right rib contusion) was encouraged by how he felt postgame, calling dull pain good sign after colliding with CF wall in 4th. X-rays negative.
He joked: “We’re going to have to check on the wall, see if the wall’s OK first & then be careful around it next time.”
— Meghan Montemurro (@M_Montemurro) April 24, 2024
Hopefully, it’s no big deal and he won’t miss too much, or any, time.
The game was a solid overall effort by this Cubs team, something we’ve been used to seeing quite a bit this year. The Astros look like a team in disarray, largely because most of their starting rotation is on the injured list. But even their offense — and they had basically their regular lineup out there Tuesday — looks kind of defeated. Let’s hope that continues the next two days.
The teams will meet again Wednesday evening at Wrigley Field, where the weather forecast is for dry but cold conditions. Jameson Taillon, whose first start of 2024 last Friday was outstanding, will start this one for the Cubs, and rooke Spencer Arrighetti goes for Houston. Game time is again 6:40 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.