(Matt Dirksen//Getty Images)
The Chicago Cubs overcame the onslaught of the powerful Arizona Diamondbacks in what would be one of the wildest, rollercoaster-style tussles this side of Sluggers. It was the first game of the series which brought even more action than the high anticipation which preceded it. There were records broken and homers galore. Bats were blazing, and both teams were mercilessly attacking baseballs all game long.
To summarize, the Cubs were leading 7-1 by the end of the seventh inning. There were 10 runs scored in the eighth inning by way of the Diamondbacks, and the Cubs were then losing 11-7. This was no thanks to Porter Hodge who coughed up six runs and was rocking an 81.00 ERA on the day. But the final score was 13-11 with a Cubs’ victory due to a glorious comeback.
No Quit
One thing is for certain: there’s no room for second-rate scrubs on this squad. Kyle Tucker‘s been amazing. The middle’s defense is menacing for opposing hitters to say the least. Nico Hoerner is the Jedi master locking down second base. Dansby Swanson is a game changer at short. The crowd chants “P-C-A!” when things get heated. Ian Happ is a cold-blooded ball slayer with blue socks on. Even in an off year. Northsiders around the world love this team. They’ve shown no quit and are a force to be reckoned in the early goings of the season. They also have the best run differential in the league with a +38.
After a sluggish start particularly during what are considered home games and some below average ERA, they seem to have evolved. This was even followed by the recent crushing announcement of the loss of former ace Justin Steele due to season-ending surgery. And they’ve still blossomed into an early powerhouse.
The Cubs appear to be for real—as real as you can get for mid-April. They’ve sliced tenaciously through opponents. Even the high-end teams need to check themselves before stepping foot on the diamond against the baby bears.
The Year of the Fire Monkey
Carson Kelly morphed into an overnight phenom. He is currently leading the league in OPS by a large margin over Aaron Judge. He’s locked in, and literally in the zone. Kelly was a rookie on the St. Louis Cardinals in 2016—some may remember that epic year. Now he’s been around for about a decade and he’s loving baseball like a wide-eyed rookie all over again. He’s already having the season of his lifetime. And Cubs’ fans can’t get enough.
A few fast facts about the game:
- The 16 combined runs in the eighth inning were a Wrigley Field record
- There were two grand slams
- There were 24 total runs scored to go along with 33 hits
The Cubs and D-backs go at it again on Saturday at 1:20 PM CDT.
