Cubs offense wakes up in rout of Brewers

*Photo from the Toronto Star*

   What a time to break out for the Chicago Cubs offense. Anthony Rizzo homered, Jake Marisnick drove in 5 runs, and the Cub absolutely destroyed the Milwaukee Brewers with a 15-2 win Friday afternoon. Kris Bryant also drove in 3 runs for the Cubs, who had 10 runs after two innings.

   In the first, RBI doubles from Rizzo and Nico Hoerner, an RBI single from David Bote, and a 3 run double from Marisnick made it 6-0 Cubs early on. In the second, Rizzo and Javier Baez homered, Jason Heyward hit an RBI triple, and then scored on a ground out to make it 10-0 Cubs. In the 4th, Marisnick hit a solo homer to make it an 11-0 lead. In the 6th, homers from Kolten Wong and Billy McKinney got the Brewers two runs, but in the bottom of the 6th, Austin Romine hit an RBI double, and Willson Contreras hit a 3 run homer to make it 15-2.

   Rizzo said of how the offense exploded that "It’s kind of a tale as old as time. When guys get hot, get rolling, the next thing you know, another guy gets rolling; next thing you know, you hit a bunch of homers and get a bunch of hits." 

   Kyle Hendricks got the start for the Cubs, and got the win in a great showing, allowing two runs on 6 hits and one walk, striking out 6 hitters over 6 innings pitched. Kyle Ryan then threw two innings, allowing just one hit and one walk, and Dillon Maples worked the 9th, throwing a clean inning with two strikeouts.

   Hendricks said of his start that "There were definitely more positives to take out of this start. There’s still a lot of hard work to do, still a lot of hard contact, fastballs that are up, but I at least made some better pitches overall. I just need to continue on that road."

   Brett Anderson took the loss for the Brewers, only getting one out in his start, getting tagged for 3 runs on 3 hits in his short lived outing. After Anderson left, Josh Lindblom came in and didn't do any better, getting shelled for 8 runs on 9 hits and 3 walks in 3 2/3 innings. Drew Rasmussen then threw a scoreless inning, but then Angel Perdomo allowed 4 runs in his inning of work. Eric Yardley then threw a scoreless inning, and second baseman Daniel Robertson came on to pitch, not allowing any runs either. 

   Anderson lamented the game afterwards, saying that "I feel terrible to put our team in a position like that, have Josh come in the game in that situation. You never want that to happen. But it happened. Hopefully, it’s nothing too serious. You can’t feel worse than to put somebody in that situation. This was so lopsided, you just flush it and move on to the next one."

   The Brewers and Cubs continue their series today, with Adbert Alzolay starting for the Cubs, and Freddy Peralta going for the Brewers.