Michael Busch delivered a strong performance in his first game against former team. AP Photo/Erin Hooley
Erin Hooley/AP Photos
First baseman Michael Busch had already hit a home run against his former team, delivering another solid performance at the plate. But with the Cubs clinging to a two-run lead in the ninth inning with runners at second and third, Busch lunged to his right to make a diving catch and clinch the 9-7 win over the Dodgers for the Cubs.
“That’s a big thrill,” manager Craig Counsell said postgame. “To hit your first — I know he had some home runs last year — but your first one as a Cub against your former team. That’s really cool. Great play at the end of the game. So happy for him.”
After doing a solid job inducing soft contact, pitcher Kyle Hendricks struggled against the top of the Dodgers’ lineup in the fifth inning, allowing three runs. He credited relief pitcher Drew Smyly for coming for him and getting the team out of the jam. Smyly threw three straight strikeouts.
“It was better and on the right path, but still frustrating,” Hendricks said. “I was more of myself, executed a lot more but just late in the fifth inning and too many bad pitches.”
Mistakes against the Dodgers’ lineup can snowball, but to the Cubs’ credit, they made the routine play to limit the damage. The Dodgers were 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position.
It was a busy day for third baseman Nick Madrigal. He had a strong stop at third in the third inning, made a reactive catch with runners on second and third in the top of the fourth inning. Second baseman Nico Hoerner made an impressive diving stop to end that inning
“It was unbelievable defense from pitch one,” Hendricks said. “Nico [Hoerner] with what was a huge play in the game at that moment, but Madrigal, what he did today at third, he was all over the field and just got me out of so many jams there.”
With four Gold Glove-caliber defenders, the Cubs’ foundation was built on defense, so it’s an encouraging sign for the state of the offense that it was able to outpace the Dodgers.
Shortstop Dansby Swanson’s solo home run in the bottom of the second got the offense started, but Wrigley Field came alive when outfielder Seiya Suzuki connected on a fastball from pitcher Bobby Miller for a two-run double to cap a five-run second inning.
“It was an inning with great at-bats,” manager Craig Counsell said. “A whole bunch of foul balls; guys before that just taking good at-bats and moving the line and we’ve done a really nice job of that and it turned into a big inning.”
Suzuki’s hit forced the Dodgers to go to their bullpen in the bottom of the second inning and allowed the Cubs to wrest away control at a windy Wrigley Field.The Cubs finished with nine hits and eight RBI.
“We hit the ball really hard in Texas too that we didn’t get rewarded for, so consistency, the offense has been giving really good at-bats,” Outfielder Ian Happ said. “Everybody kind of stringing at-bats together, giving ourselves a chance.”
It was the Cubs playing smart baseball, taking walks when they were there and stringing together at-bats. The Cubs have scored five-runs in six straight games. The team is developing an identity as a team that strings together at-bats and plays sound defense.
“It’s going to be a long season,” Hendricks said. “There’s going to be a lot of challenges, but this is fun and exciting. It’s a really good challenge early for us just to see where we stand.”