Cubs keep rolling up runs, win opener vs. Dodgers
Where to start, offense or defense?
Well, defense saved the day for the Cubs, so let's get that out of the way.
A couple of diving infield grabs with two runners in scoring position were vital to securing a 9-7 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Wrigley Field on Friday. The Cubs stretched their win streak to five in a row after starting 0-2.
In the fourth inning second baseman Nico Hoerner not only did a full dive to snare a two-out grounder from Gavin Luz, he seemed to adjust mid-dive to a high hop and popped to his feet quickly enough to throw out Lutz by a half-step.
In the ninth former Dodger Michael Busch, who is relatively new to first base, dove to his right to catch a low liner from James Outman. The Dodgers had runners on second and third for both plays, so that was 4 runs saved in a 2-run game.
“It was funny, Nico was telling me at the mound visit we're just trying to keep everything from getting to the outfield,” Busch said. “If we have to dive we're going to dive, and two pitches later, I had to dive.”
Hoerner's fourth-inning snag was so impressive, it drew a reaction from the abnormally calm Kyle Hendricks on the mound.
“I did see that video, that was funny,” Hoerner said. “Kind of a softer hit ball, so it bounced higher. The way I landed kind of bounced me up into throwing to first. I was fortunate how that worked out.”
The offense is worth mentioning because the Cubs hadn't scored 9 or more runs for three straight games since 2019. And they did on three sub-45 degree days this week, with the wind blowing in every direction.
The Cubs lead the majors with the highest walk rate, lowest strikeout rate and runs per game. There's always been chatter about trying to string together good at-bats and grinding at the plate. So far this season, that's been happening at an impressive rate.
“I think it comes down to having good players and also playing together more,” Hoerner said. “We have a nice combination of having a bit of a core and identity from last year that had some success, then adding quality players to it.”
Another oddity in this game is Dodgers starter Bobby Miller from McHenry High School struck out the side in the first inning. Miller fanned 11 in his previous start against the Cardinals and a repeat performance seemed possible.
But the Cubs scored 5 runs in the second, knocked Miller out of the game and struck out just once more the rest of the day. Dansby Swanson homered to start the second-inning rally and Seiya Suzuki ended Miller's day with an opposite-field 2-run double. Busch added his first Cubs home run in the third. Then after a Shohei Ohtani homer brought the Dodgers within 6-5, the Cubs responded with 3 runs in the sixth powered by Ian Happ's 2-run triple that eluded a diving outfielder.
“Hopefully it's become our identity,” manager Craig Counsell said. “It's really hard to do, those two numbers (strikeout and walk ratio). But it's a sign of the at-bats we're taking and how guys are grinding them out, swinging at the right pitches, putting the right pitches in play, fouling off the tough pitches. And it's certainly a formula for success.”
This was Ohtani's first Wrigley Field appearance. The press box was standing-room only and the atmosphere was typically electric for a Friday afternoon home game.
“That was a fun ballgame, really fun ballgame,” Hendricks said. “Guys played unbelievable.”
The rest of the weekend should be more of the same. Every game will feature Ohtani vs. Suzuki, and both rookie Japanese pitchers will take the mound. The Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto is set to throw Saturday against Jordan Wicks, while the Cubs will send Shota Imanaga to the mound Sunday for his second MLB start.
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