Offense stays hot as Cubs blank Rockies

Allan Henry - USA Today Sports

by Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - Sat Mar 09 19:58:24 GMT-05:00 2024

MESA - It took long enough for the Chicago Cubs offense to get going, but things are starting to look up for this team offensively. All it took was the signing of Cody Bellinger to add to the middle of their lineup so they could look like the team everyone expected them to look like as they took down the Colorado Rockies on Saturday 5-0.

For all the times they were shut out this Spring, it is nice to have them on the right side of a shutout for a change, as their pitching stepped up in a big way. Ideally, you would like to score in multiple innings throughout a game, but to score all of your runs in one inning will work too as all five of the Cubs runs came in the third inning.

That was more than enough for Thomas Pannone and company, as the Cubs pitchers combined to allow just three hits in the game. Pannone got the start and delivered three shutout innings, allowing one hit and striking out two. That hit came in the top half of the third inning, but that was the last of the Rockies' hits for quite some time.

After picking up a single in the second against Dakota Hudson, the Cubs offense started to come to life in the third, as they had his number. That all started with a leadoff walk to Garrett Cooper, while one-out singles from Nico Hoerner and Seiya Suzuki loaded the bases. That was all for Hudson, as he was replaced by Austin Kitchen.

One batter into his outing, the Rockies found themselves behind for good. Bellinger came through with an RBI ground-rule double for his first RBIs of the Spring to put the Cubs in front 2-0.

Belli gets us on the board! pic.twitter.com/G9fV8aaOUB
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 9, 2024

Chicago would never trail, as Dominic Smith added a two-out single to extend the lead to 3-0. Patrick Wisdom capped off the five-run third with a two-run single to put the Cubs in front 5-0.

Despite not seeing as much time this Spring as he would like, Wisdom continues to do great work behind the scenes, and with two hits and two RBIs in the win, the hard work is starting to pay off in a big way. Following the outing from Pannone, Carl Edwards Jr. and Adbert Alzolay took over to pitch a scoreless fourth and fifth, with Alzolay working around a fifth-inning walk to keep the shutout intact.

The same can be said for Hector Neris, who allowed the first Rockies hit since the third inning as a leadoff double had Colorado in business and threatening to end the shutout. Neris didn't let that get to him as he battled back to retire the next three hitters he faced and pitched around another mini-jam. Even with the Cubs offense coming out strong in that third inning, like the Rockies, they went quiet after that, but Wisdom did add his second hit of the game in the sixth only to be left stranded on the bases.

Two more scoreless frames from Yancy Almonte and Daniel Palencia kept the Rockies off the board through eight as the Cubs continued to control things on the mound. With three outs to go and looking to close out the shutout, Craig Counsell went with Hunter Bigge, who pitched very well for the most part.

After retiring the first two batters he faced, with one coming via strikeout, the Rockies picked up their first hit in three innings again, as Jameson Hannah doubled to put a runner in scoring position. Hoping to finally cash in and, at the very worst, end the game on a positive note, Bigge wouldn't let that happen, striking out Braxton Fuller for the Cubs' ninth strikeout of the game to close out the 5-0 shutout win.

In the two games that Bellinger has played, the Cubs' offense has not only looked good but has been consistent, which is a good sign. If their offense can produce at that level all season, they will win many games as long as the pitching can hold up. Wisdom was part of that today, with two hits and two RBIs, leading the team in both categories.

Bellinger added two RBIs on his double as Hoerner, Suzuki, and Smith wrapped up the rest of the hits. In non-game news, Counsell announced that left-handed Justin Steele would get the ball to open the season. He will be making his first career opening-day start, a well-deserved honor for a pitcher coming off a career year last season.