Game Recap: Cubs fall to D-backs |
Dustin Riese
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- Saturday, March 29 2025
PHOENIX - One night after securing their first win of the 2025 MLB season, the Chicago Cubs (1-3) returned to Chase Field on Friday, looking to make it two straight against the Arizona Diamondbacks (1-1). With Jameson Taillon taking the ball against Merrill Kelly, the Taillon of old showed up for the Cubs as the Diamondbacks made quick work of Chicago to even the series with an 8-1 win.
Taillon has been one of the question marks heading into the season. He is coming off a great season, but one where the results didn't fully reflect the entire picture. In other words, he was more lucky than good, and after allowing six runs on nine hits in just 4 1/3 innings, some are wondering if the 2023 version of Taillon is back. The same can't be said about Kelly, who has not only had plenty of success against the Cubs but already looks to be in mid-season form. Despite lasting just 5 1/3 innings and walking four hitters, Kelly did all that was asked of him. He held the Cubs to just one run on three hits, which is all the offense the Cubs would have in what was otherwise a very ugly game. Unlike Thursday's game, when the Cubs had to play from behind early, Chicago struck first in the second. A leadoff walk by Dansby Swanson was followed by an error, and the Cubs had two on and no outs. Pete Crow-Armstrong kept the line moving with an RBI double to bring home the game's first run, but instead of finding a way to add on in that inning, his double would be the only run of the night for Chicago. Not only did Arizona waste no time battling back, but it was a familiar name doing the early damage as Eugenio Suarez followed a leadoff Pavin Smith single with a two-run shot, and just like that, the Diamondbacks led 2-1. His homer was the game-winning hit for Arizona, but it also marked the beginning of a four-RBI night for the third baseman, as he continues to dominate the Cubs throughout his career. That duo continued to give the Cubs fits in the fourth, with Smith picking up another leadoff hit to start things off and once again coming home on another Suarez blast as the Diamondbacks opened up a 4-1 lead in the fourth. Arizona was just getting started in that inning, with Alek Thomas picking up a double shortly after before coming home on another Geraldo Perdermo single to push the lead to 5-1. Although the Cubs had chances to tack on some runs in the third and fifth innings, nothing came of it, as the Crow-Armstrong double was their only hit with runners in scoring position, which has been an issue all season. Arizona, on the other hand, couldn't do anything wrong with runners on base, as another leadoff double from Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to begin the fifth led to another run, with Smith bringing him home on a double. That was the end of the road for Taillon as he was lifted for Eli Morgan and Brad Keller in a rather short night for the pen. Initially slated to begin the season in AAA, Morgan was called up after the Ryan Braiser injury, and after striking out three in 1 2/3 innings, he made quite a first impression. The same can't be said about Keller, who earned his roster spot based on a strong spring but went out and had a rough first inning of work in the seventh. What started with a leadoff double from Ketel Marte, followed by another single from Gurriel Jr., led to an RBI single from Josh Naylor, as the Diamondbacks extended their lead to 7-1. Arizona would tack on their final run later in the inning off a Thomas single as they held an 8-1 lead with the rest of their pen set to take over. Whether that be Joe Mantiply in the eighth or Shelby Miller in the ninth, it didn't matter, as they combined for two perfect innings of relief, with four strikeouts, including three from Miller in the ninth, to close out the win. Along with the RBI hit from PCA, Seiya Suzuki, and Swanson also had hits, as those were the three hits by the Cubs. Chicago will look to grab the series lead on Saturday when they send Shota Imanga to the bump.
