Game Three – Cubs 14, Diamondbacks 6
WP – John Lackey (1-0) LP – Rubby De La Rosa (0-1) Save – None
Anthony Rizzo tripled, homered and tied a career-high with six RBI. Dexter Fowler, Jason Heyward and Ben Zobrist reached base a combined 12 times and scored eight runs. And John Lackey settled in after a bad start as the Cubs beat the Diamondbacks on Thursday night at Chase Field.
Thursday’s game had a little bit of everything and one very concerning injury to Kyle Schwarber.
There was an inside the park home run. A safety squeeze. The Cubs tied the game on a throwing error after a pop out behind home plate. The Cubs hit two triples in the five-run fourth inning, worked 10 walks, five scored, and had 11 free baserunners to go along with 14 hits.
Kyle Schwarber had to be carted off the field in the second inning after colliding with Dexter Fowler in left center on what ended up being an inside the park home run for Jean Segura.
The Cubs announced Schwarber has sprained left ankle. X-rays were negative on his ankle and left knee and will undergo an MRI on Friday. Schwarber was on crutches after the game.
The Cubs offense picked up John Lackey in his Cubs debut. Lackey gave up six runs in the first three innings but his teammates scored nine runs in the first four innings and tacked on late.
Anthony Rizzo (3-for-4 with a home run, a triple, a walk, a HBP, three runs scored and six RBI) led the offense Thursday. Rizzo had a two-run triple that gave the Cubs an 8-6 lead in the fourth and launched a three-run homer in the ninth inning. Rizzo equaled a career-high he set last May 23 at Chase Field with six RBI.
Dexter Fowler (2-for-4 with a triple, two walks, two runs scored and two RBI), Jason Heyward (2-for-4 with two walks and three runs scored) and Ben Zobrist (1-for-3 with a double, three walks, three runs scored and a RBI) were on base all night. Fowler, Heyward, Zobrist and Rizzo combined on eight hits, eight walks and scored 11 runs with nine RBI.
Kris Bryant (3-for-6 with a double and a run scored) had three hits and scored a run batting fifth and Addison Russell (2-for-4 with a double, a walk, two runs scored and two RBI) drove in two runs with a pair of hits and scored twice.
John Lackey worked through just a poor start to his night. Jean Segura drove Lackey’s first pitch of the game over the right field wall. Lackey gave up three runs in the first inning, one in the second on Segura’s inside the park home run that Schwarber injured himself on and two more runs in the third. Maddon stuck with Lackey and he settled in after the Cubs five-run fourth inning.
Lackey retired 11 of the final 13 batters he faced and ended up completing six innings. Lackey was charged with six runs, all earned, on eight hits with a walk and four strikeouts on 84 pitches, 59 for strikes.
Pedro Strop (1.1 innings), Travis Wood (0.2 innings) and Hector Rondon (1 inning) struck out six over the last three shutout innings and allowed one baserunner.
With Thursday’s win the Cubs improved to 3-0 on the young season and tied a franchise record in the process. The Cubs have won 12 consecutive regular season road games dating back to last season which equals the longest road winning streak in franchise history that was set in 1945.
The Cubs just did not quit Thursday night, even late in the game with a comfortable lead. The Cubs scored five runs of the 14 runs in two of their final three at bats.
After going down in order in the first inning on just 10 pitches, the Cubs went to work in the second inning.
Anthony Rizzo was hit by a pitch to lead off the second. Kris Bryant doubled and Kyle Schwarber walked to load the bases. Montero struck out swinging for the first out.
Addison Russell delivered. Russell singled to center. Rizzo and Bryant scored and made it a 3-2 game. Schwarber stopped at second. Lackey could not get the bunt down and struck out swinging. Fowler grounded out to second for the third out.
The Diamondbacks made it 4-2 on Segura’s inside the park home run in the bottom of the second.
The Cubs tied the game in the top of the third. Heyward led off with a single to right. Zobrist walked. Rizzo singled to center. Heyward scored, 4-3 Diamondbacks. Zobrist stopped at third. Bryant popped out to Welington Castillo behind the plate. Castillo fell backwards as he caught the ball. Rizzo saw what happened, tagged and took off for second base. Castillo threw the ball into center field. Zobrist scampered in and tied the game at four. Tommy La Stella grounded out to Goldschmidt with the infield in. And Montero grounded out to Segura at second base to end the inning.
The Diamondbacks took the lead right back in the bottom of the third with a pair of runs on a David Peralta triple and a Jake Lamb sac fly to left.
The Cubs turned it on in the fourth inning, tied the game and took the lead for good.
Russell led off the fourth with a double to right. Lackey lined out to center. Fowler tripled to right. Russell scored and made it a one run game. Heyward walked and put runners on the corners for Zobrist with one down.
Chip Hale decided that was enough for Rubby De La Rosa and went to his pen for Jake Barrett.
Fowler tied the game on a wild pitch from Barrett. Heyward moved up to second and Zobrist walked.
Anthony Rizzo gave the Cubs the lead with a triple to right. Heyward and Zobrist scored, 8-6 Cubs.
Bryant smoked a ball toward third. Lamb made an excellent stop and held Rizzo at third. Lamb made a low throw across the diamond. Goldschmidt could not scoop, Rizzo scored. Bryant took off for second. Goldschmidt threw to Ahmed and appeared at first glance to get the out. The Cubs challenged the call. It was reversed and Bryant was at second with one out. La Stella grounded out to second and Ahmed made an excellent diving stop on a ball ticketed for center field to take a hit away from Montero to end the inning.
Lackey put a zero on the board in the bottom of the fourth … and after four complete, the Cubs led 9-6.
The Cubs tacked on the seventh on a perfectly executed safety squeeze.
Russell walked to start the seventh. Matt Szczur hit for Lackey and singled to left. Russell went to third with no outs. Chip Hale went to his bullpen and replaced Kyle Drabek with Andrew Chafin.
Dexter Fowler pushed Chafin’s first pitch up the first baseline. Russell scored, 10-6 Cubs.
The Cubs put the game well out of reach in the ninth. Fowler worked a one-out walk. Heyward singled to center. Fowler went to third. Zobrist doubled to right. Fowler scored, 11-6 Cubs. Heyward held at third with one out.
Anthony Rizzo put an exclamation point on his night. Rizzo launched a three-run homer to right … 14-6 Cubs.
Jason Hammel is scheduled to face lefty Robbie Ray on Friday night (8:40pm CDT) in game two with the Diamondbacks.