Suzuki extends hit streak to 6, Cubs down Bryant's Rockies 5-2
DENVER - Seiya Suzuki stayed hot with an RBI double in a 3-run first inning, Frank Schwindel homered and drove in 2 runs, and the Cubs cooled off Kris Bryant and the Colorado Rockies, winning 5-2 on Thursday night.
Suzuki extended his hitting streak to six games since joining the majors from Japan and drove in his 10th run when the Cubs collected 5 straight hits against Kyle Freeland (0-2).
Bryant went 2 for 5 and lost a third hit due to Yonathan Daza's baserunning gaffe as the Rockies had their four-game winning streak snapped in the opener of Bryant's second series against his former team.
Bryant, the NL MVP when the Cubs won the 2016 World Series, was traded to San Francisco in July and signed a seven-year, $182 million deal with the Rockies after the lockout.
Schwindel had a run-scoring single in the first and went deep to right to lead off the sixth after the Rockies had sliced the lead to 3-2. Ian Happ's RBI single made it 5-2 and chased Freeland, who allowed 5 runs and 9 hits in 5 1/3 innings.
C.J. Cron had an RBI single off Ethan Roberts, who also walked in a run after replacing Justin Steele with 1 out in the fifth. Keegan Thompson (1-0) took over and got Elias Diaz to fly to right with the bases loaded to end the inning.
Mychal Givens pitched a scoreless ninth for his first save as the Cubs hung on despite hitting into five double plays.
Bryant singled to left in the third and ninth and hit a liner that fell in front of Happ in left in the fifth. But Daza thought the ball might be caught and was forced at third.
Bryant was the center of attention before the game.
"I want to do what I did there for another team," Bryant said, while noting how few players he knows from the Cubs' retooled roster. "I enjoyed my time in Chicago, but I don't know if it warrants a press conference every time I play them."
Suzuki did cost the Cubs a run in the third. After reaching on shortstop Jose Iglesias' throwing error and with Villar at third, Suzuki was doubled off first on Yan Gomes' 1-out flyball to right that should have been a sacrifice fly.
Suzuki also miscommunicated with second baseman Nick Madrigal on Diaz's fly to shallow right that fell and was ruled a single in the fourth. But with two on, Steele got Iglesias to ground into an inning-ending double play.
Bryant and Cubs manager David Ross, buddies and former Chicago teammates, traded barbs before the game.
"It's hard to see him as a manager because I just think back to 'Dancing with the Stars' and 'Saturday Night Live' looking like a fool," Bryant said, smiling.
Ross reminisced about when Bryant set up his @GrandpaRossy3 Instagram account in 2016.
"Why did I have to be Grandpa? I was still playing," Ross said, adding, "I got to watch him grow from a prospect to MVP and all the things he's done. And he's a pretty great human being."