Cubs Find Their Bats Again in Miami
One day after getting shutout by the Miami Marlins, the Chicago Cubs come back to life to capture game 3 of a four game set in Miami.
The Chicago Cubs managed to breakout of whatever funk they were in last night in South Florida to outscore the Marlins 5–3 behind seven strong innings from Jon Lester, as the Cubs picked up a much needed win on Saturday afternoon.
The starting rotation continues to be impressive over the past couple weeks for the Cubs, although it looked as if Lester would be in trouble from the start of the game when he gave up a three run homer to Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto, but Lester would lock in after that and shut down the Marlins given up just three runs on four hits in seven innings. Another quality start from the starting rotation leaves hope for a strong second half from this group.
Ian Happ continued to be impressive in this series going 2–3 with an RBI, he’s now 8–12 in the series with three RBI’s. Happ started the scoring with an opposite field single to score Jon Jay from third after two singles from Willson Contreras and Jay, in the first inning. Unfortunately the Cubs would trial 3–1 after the home run by Realmuto in the bottom of the inning, but the offense would kick in later in the game to get Lester’s one mistake off the hook.
Javy Baez has been playing more and well of late with the injury to Ben Zobrist, Baez made the most of it today with a 2–4 showing with 3 RBI’s. Javy singled in the fourth that scored Addison Russell to cut the Marlin lead to 3–2 and Baez scored on an Albert Almora Jr. opposite field double. Perhaps the biggest hit of the game came in the sixth inning when Javy delivered an opposite field double to score Russell and Happ, Javy cut down his swing during the at bat after two powerful swings on the first two strikes to drive the ball off the wall in right field.
Willson Contreras would gun down Dee Gordon trying to steal third in the seventh inning fo a huge out to cut down any sense of a Marlin rally. The Cubs pitching would hold on to the 5–3 lead as the two best arms out of the bullpen so far this season in Carl Edwards Jr. and Wade Davis would impressively shut down the Marlins in the eight and ninth. Davis’ performance in the ninth might be some of the best stuff I’ve seen from him all year, completely terrorizing the heart of the Marlin order sending them down easily 1–2–3.
Anthony Rizzo had the day off as Kris Bryant started at first base for the Cubs, I would imagine Rizzo will be back in the lineup tomorrow. Joe Maddon has been using a bunch of different lineups this season, I would personally like to see a couple guys stay in the same spot of the lineup after success the game before. Rizzo, Bryant, Contreras, Russell and Happ has seemed to be a fairly productive top five combination, with Baez, Jay and Almora Jr. providing some production at the bottom of the order, but I’m no one to question the mad scientist. The Cubs offense seems to be better when they play small ball and take what the pitcher gives them, whether it’s an opposite way hit or a bunt to move the runner along to stay out of the double play that has been killing this offense this year. It’s no question the Cubs offense needs more consistency this season and a nice win streak would be nice from this club, the pitching seems to be turning the corner so hopefully the offense will as well. Game 4 will be an early game Sunday at 1:10 E.T. with Mike Montgomery for the Cubs going against Edinson Volquez.
Ross Adams grew up watching the Cubs on WGN in his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina and has become as loyal and diehard as they come to baseball on the North Side of Chicago. Ross is pursing an English degree and Journalism minor at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
