Co-Written with Taylor Weber.
Chicago Cubs Had a Road Trip to Remember
It was a road trip to remember for the Chicago Cubs, that included a 16-0 win, a grand slam and a no-hitter. However, that was just one night, here’s how the past seven games went down.
The Big Story(s)
Rivalry picks up right where it left off
The Cubs took on St. Louis at Busch Stadium and continued to win series against the Cardinals as the team did in the playoffs last season. Chicago was a game away from starting off the season series with a sweep, when the Cardinals escaped with the W on Wednesday.
Arrieta throws another no-no
The Cubs’ ace has done it again. Jake Arrieta has thrown his second no-hitter in just 11 starts, in one of the best stretches of pitching in MLB history. The no-hitter came during the first game of a four-game series with Cincinnati, featuring a 16-0 win and a Kris Bryant grand slam. Certainly a night to remember for fans.
Rizzo batting .203, but amongst league leaders in home runs
It’s been a weird start for Chicago’s first basemen, Anthony Rizzo, who is averaging an abysmal .203. However, Rizzo is second in the NL with eight home runs, one less than Bryce Harper‘s nine, and that’s not the only thing that’s surprising.
A Cubs starter with a better ERA than Arrieta?
That’s right, Jason Hammel currently sits at a 0.75 ERA ahead of Arrieta’s 0.87. Both sit in the top five of the MLB.
The Road Trip Recap
Monday April 18th: Chicago Cubs (10-3) 5, St. Louis Cardinals (7-6) 0
In his first game facing his old team, John Lackey pitches a gem. He threw seven innings, giving up no runs on four hits with 11 strikeouts and only a single walk. On the other side, Mike Leake started strong but ended rough giving up four runs, three earned, through seven innings pitched. Dexter Fowler started off the scoring in the sixth inning with a solo home run. Jorge Soler, Addison Russell, and Lackey would drive in runs in the seventh inning. Bryant would drive in the final run of the game on a single, as the Cubs shutout the Cards 5-0.
Tuesday April 19th: Chicago Cubs (11-3) 2, St. Louis Cardinals (7-7) 1
St. Louis would jump to an early lead, scoring one on a Yadier Molina triple in the second inning. The Cubs would strike back in the fourth inning on a Hammel single to left field. Hammel would be the star of the game, driving in the Cubs only runs, and getting the win 2-1
Wednesday April 20th: St. Louis (8-7) 5, Chicago Cubs (11-4) 3
St. Louis would strike early and often, scoring a pair in the first inning on a 2-run Matt Holliday bomb. They would get another pair in the second inning on a wild pitch, and a single by the pitcher, Carlos Martinez. Rizzo would give the Cubs a run on a solo shot to right field. After a long rain delay in the seventh inning, play would resume, and the Cubs would make it a game with two runs in the eighth inning on Rizzo single and Kris Bryant force out. Yadier Molina would drive in the last run of the game in the eighth inning to lift the Cardinals to a 5-3 victory.
Thursday April 21st: Chicago Cubs (12-4) 16, Cincinnati Reds (8-8) 0
Cubs smoke the Reds in a 16-0 victory, but oddly enough, scoring 16 runs wasn’t the highlight of the game. It only took Arrieta 9 starts to throw his second career no-hitter. Arrieta was lights out (obviously), going the full nine, walking four, and striking out six in the reigning Cy Young winners’ second no-no, but you can read more about that here. Kris Bryant led the Cubs offense driving in six on a 4-6 night that included a 2-run shot in the first inng, and a grand slam in the seventh inning. Ben Zobrist, David Ross, and Rizzo would also homer in the game. Fowler, Arrieta and Matt Szczur would also contribute.
Friday April 22nd: Chicago Cubs (13-4) 8, Cincinnati (8-9) 1
Cubs strike first on a Ross sacrifice fly in the second inning. They would score again in the fourth on an Rizzo solo homerun, two safety squeeze plays by Ross and pitcher Jon Lester. The Reds get their first run of the series on a Zack Cozart solo shot to left center field. Cubs dominate the ninth inning, getting five more runs on 3 doubles by Fowler, Jason Heyward, and Bryant, along with a homerun by Javier Baez.
Saturday April 23rd: Cincinnati Reds (9-9) 13, Chicago Cubs (13-5) 5
Chicago would take a 1-0 lead on an Russel homerun in the second inning. Eugenio Suarez would single, drive in a run, and later score on a Brandon Phillips double, giving the Reds a 2-1 lead. Cubs would retake the lead in the fifth inning on a Dexter Fowler double and a Bryant single, putting them up 3-2. Reds would again strike back, on 3-run blasts by Eugenio Suarez and Adam Duvall, and also a Scott Schebler solo homerun in the sixth inning. Down by six, the Cubs would attempt a comeback in the seventh inning, scoring two on singles by Jason Heyward and Ben Zobrist. But it wouldn’t be enough as the Reds got four more, and beat the Cubs 13-5.
Sunday April 24th: Chicago Cubs (14-5) 9, Cincinnati Reds (9-10) 0
Jason Hammel would pitch another great game, throwing six innings of three-hit baseball. The bullpen would pitch the final three innings, not surrendering a hit. Cubs would get their nine runs on two Rizzo homeruns, one in the first inning and another in the third inning. Tommy La Stella and Russell would also drive in one run each. Heyward would drive in the final three runs on singles in the first and second innings.
The Wrap Up
The Cubs nailed a 5-2 record during the road trip only to come home for 16 of their next 19 games. They also hold a 3.5 game lead in the NL Central and also the best record in baseball at 14-5.
Main Photo
