Cubs Thrash Athletics 18-3 – Game Seven Recap

The Cubs put on a masterclass of offense in this one. After a heartbreaking loss in Arizona yesterday, the Cubs rebounded with their best game of the season, by far. The Athletics will hope to forget the first game in their temporary home. 

The onslaught of runs started in the first inning with a Seiya Suzuki sacrifice fly that scored Ian Happ. That would be followed up by homer by both Michael Busch and Nico Hoerner. They gave Ben Brown a 4-0 advantage before he threw a single pitch. 

Cubs’ starter Ben Brown, was good in this game. After winning a spot in the rotation, Brown pitched well in his first outing. His fastball was lively, and his infamous knuckle-curve generated its usual swing and miss.

In his five innings of work, Brown surrendered three earned runs on six hits and five strikeouts. The Final line is perhaps a bit deceitful, as Brown looked good except for a few hard-hit pitches. 

History for Carson Kelly

Carson Kelly would end the Cubs’ temporary slump with his fourth inning homer. He would have a historic night for the Cubs. 

The night’s highlight came on his eighth inning triple, giving him the first Cubs cycle since Mark Grace did it in 1993. Not bad for a catcher who had a .687 OPS last season.

The Cubs kept pouring it on

Athletics starter Joey Estes would be mercifully relieved in the fifth inning, but this would hardly stop the Cubs’ momentum. Upon entering the game, Athletics relief pitcher Mitch Spencer would immediately allow a Pete Crow-Armstrong double.

Then, after walking Matt Shaw, Carson Kelly would double to score both Hoerner and Crow-Armstrong

After an Athletics errant throw helped Matt Shaw score from second, Michael Busch would bring in another two on his single to left. At this point, the Cubs were up 10-3 in the top of the fifth inning. 

But they weren’t done yet. Carson Kelly would add another double in the 6th, and Tucker sent him home on a double. Then it was Dansby Swanson’s turn to double, which scored Tucker. After that Nico Hoerner would add an RBI single in the sixth. 

Another Pete Crow-Armstrong hit would score Dansby Swanson, and the Cubs’ avalanche of runs would continue.

On a night like tonight, one takeaway is always that the confidence and momentum generated by the Cubs’ hitters are valuable. At this early point in the season, it’s good to have a surge in confidence, especially for young players like Shaw and Crow-Armstrong. Padding their stats doesn’t hurt either, I suppose. 

Speaking of padding stats, Kyle Tucker’s ninth inning home run off a position player was quite funny.

Thankfully, tonight’s lead was too big for the bullpen to blow. In what was essentially garbage time past the fifth inning, the Cubs relievers managed to shut out the Athletics for the remainder of the game. 

Cubs fans, enjoy nights like these. After a struggling offense, it’s good to see the Cubs rebound with a plothara of runs. Its cool to see a Cubs player do something that hadn’t been done in over thirty years. What a night for the Cubs.  

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