Game One Hundred Thirty-Six – Cubs 9, Cardinals 0
WP – Dan Haren (9-9) LP – Lance Lynn (11-9) Save – None
Dexter Fowler homered to start the game and drove in the first three runs. Anthony Rizzo and Miguel Montero plated a pair of runs in the third and Addison Russell smacked a three-run homer in the third. Dan Haren pitched seven innings of shutout ball, scored a run and drove in a run as the Cubs took game one in St. Louis on Monday afternoon.
The Cubs jumped on Lance Lynn in the first inning and knocked him out of the game with one out in the third inning. The Cubs scored eight of the nine runs in the first three innings and cruised to their second win of the season in St. Louis.
Dexter Fowler (2-for-3 with a home run, a double, a walk and three RBI) and Addison Russell (1-for-3 with a home run, a walk, three RBI and two runs scored) were the difference early in the game as the two combined to drive in six runs on two home runs and a double.
Dexter Fowler started the game with a home run to right on a 3-2 pitch and set the tone for the afternoon. After Starlin Castro (2-for-4 with a run scored) singled with one out in the second, Russell worked a two-out walk that brought up Fowler with two on and the Cubs leading 1-0. Fowler smoked a 0-2 pitch into left center that Stephen Piscotty misplayed. Castro and Russell scored and gave the Cubs a 3-0.
Anthony Rizzo (1-for-3 with a double, a walk, a RBI and a run scored) doubled in Chris Coghlan (2-for-5 with a run scored) in the third and Rizzo scored on a Miguel Montero (1-for-4 with a RBI and two runs scored) single to center. Dan Haren (1-for-3 with a sac fly RBI and a run scored) singled to right with two outs and Addison Russell gave the Cubs an 8-0 lead with a booming homer over the center field wall.
Dan Haren plated Miguel Montero in the fifth inning with a sac fly to center for the ninth and final run of the game. Joe Maddon started emptying his bench in the sixth inning. And by the end of the game, only Chris Coghlan (1B), Addison Russell (SS) and Starlin Castro (2B) remained from his starting eight.
Dan Haren clearly had his best day with the Cubs. Haren kept the Cardinals off balance early in the game and pounded the strike zone once he was given a big lead. Haren pitched out of one jam in seven innings. The Cardinals loaded the bases with one out in the fourth. After Tommy La Stella made a sliding catch in foul ground to retire Jon Jay, Mark Reynolds flied out to right for the third out.
Dan Haren gave up seven hits and two walks with five strikeouts on 103 pitches, 62 for strikes, in seven innings.
Carl Edwards Jr. made his big league debut in the eighth inning. Edwards Jr. walked the first batter he faced, Tony Cruz, before inducing a 5-4-3 double play off the bat of Tommy Pham and retiring Peter Bourjos on a grounder to second for the third out. Edwards Jr. faced the minimum on 10 pitches, five for strikes.
Zac Rosscup pitched a scoreless ninth with three strikeouts to complete the Cubs 17th shutout of the season.
With Monday’s win, the Cubs improved to 79-57 on the season.
Dexter Fowler led off the game, worked a full count and gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead with a long homer to right. After La Stella flied out to center, Chris Coghlan singled to right (3-2 pitch). Anthony Rizzo walked as the Cubs made Lance Lynn work. Kris Bryant blooped a 1-0 pitch into shallow right. Matt Carpenter ran out and made an over the shoulder catch. Coghlan misread the play and was doubled off second to end the inning. Lance Lynn threw 22 pitches in the first, 10 for strikes.
Dan Haren issued a two out walk to Jason Heyward in the first. Miguel Montero threw out Heyward at second with Peralta at the plate to end the inning. Haren threw 14 pitches in the first, five in the strike zone.
After one complete, the Cubs led 1-0.
Miguel Montero lined out to left center for the first out in the second. Starlin Castro ripped a 0-1 pitch into right for a single. Dan Haren struck out swinging. Addison Russell worked a two-out walk and gave Fowler another shot at Lance Lynn.
Dexter Fowler drove a 0-2 pitch into the gap in left center. Castro and Russell scored, 3-0 Cubs. La Stella popped out to right for the third out.
Yadier Molina doubled off the wall in right with two outs in the second. That was all off Haren in the second inning. Haren blew a fastball past Jon Jay and struck him out swinging to end the inning. It took Haren 32 pitches, 17 for strikes, to complete two innings.
The Cubs had a 3-0 lead after two innings.
Chris Coghlan started the third with a single to right. Anthony Rizzo pulled a 2-0 pitch from Lynn into the gap in right center. Coghlan motored around the bases and scored, 4-0 Cubs. Bryant struck out swinging (3-2 pitch).
Miguel Montero lashed a 2-1 pitch back up the middle and into center. Rizzo scored, 5-0 Cubs. And that was it for Lance Lynn. Mike Matheny went to his pen for Seth Maness.
A wild pitch with Castro at the plate allowed Montero to lumber to second. Castro flied out to center for the second out. Dan Haren shocked the Cardinals with a single to right. Montero held at third with two outs.
Addison Russell launched a 1-1 pitch to center. And Russell’s 13 homer of the season, a three-run shot, gave the Cubs an 8-0 lead. Fowler struck out swinging to end the inning.
Dan Haren gave up a one-out bloop single to pinch-hitter Greg Garcia in the third. Haren retired Matt Carpenter on a flyout to right center and Stephen Piscotty on a flyout to right to end the inning … 47 pitches for Haren after three innings, 26 for strikes.
The Cubs led 8-0 after three innings.
Tyler Lyons took over for the Cardinals in the fourth and set the Cubs down in order.
Jason Heyward started the fourth and reached on a ground rule double to right. Heyward pulled a 3-2 pitch to right that hit the line. The ball was called foul, the Cardinals challenged the call and after a rather lengthy delay, the ruling on the field was changed. And Heyward stood at second with a leadoff double. Haren walked Jhonny Peralta.
With runners on first and second and no outs, Haren caught Brandon Moss looking. Yadier Molina loaded the bases with an infield single off Haren’s foot.
Tommy La Stella made an excellent sliding, over the shoulder catch in foul ground to erase Jon Jay for the second out and Mark Reynolds flied out to Bryant in right field to end the inning. Haren made 68 pitches, 38 for strikes, in four innings.
After four complete, it was 8-0 Cubs.
The Cubs took advantage of an error by the Cardinals in the fifth and added to their lead. Bryant struck out swinging for the first out. Miguel Montero tapped a 0-1 pitch to the third base side of the mound. Tyler Lyons picked up the ball and threw it away. Lyons throw was to the inside of the bag, Moss could not make a play. Montero went to second on the error. Starlin Castro singled to left. Montero stopped at third with one out.
Dan Haren lifted a 1-2 pitch into center. Montero tagged and scored, 9-0 Cubs. Addison Russell could not check his swing on a 0-2 pitch and was called out to end the inning.
Dan Haren faced the minimum in the fifth after Piscotty rolled into a 6-4-3 double play. Haren needed 74 pitches, 43 for strikes, to complete five innings.
The Cubs led 9-0 after five innings.
And that was the final score. Dan Haren kept the Cardinals off the board in the sixth and seventh innings as both Joe Maddon and Mike Matheny emptied their benches.
Carl Edwards Jr. replaced Haren for the eighth inning. After issuing a walk to Tony Cruz, Edwards Jr. got two groundballs and three outs to end the inning.
Zac Rosscup completed the shutout by retiring all four batters he faced in the ninth inning.
Jason Hammel takes on Michael Wacha in game two with the Cardinals on Tuesday night (7:15pm CDT).