Wesneski, Bellinger clutch in win over D-backs |
PHOENIX - It doesn't matter how you get them, but a win is a win in this day and age, and that is the approach the Chicago Cubs (11-7) have taken so far this season. With so many injuries to the starting rotation and now everyday lineup, no one would be surprised if this team were to slip in the standings.
Yet here they are, playing some good baseball against a tough schedule as they concluded their nine-game West Coast trip against the Arizona Diamondbacks (9-10) at Chase Field. It hasn't always been easy, especially when your bullpen single-handedly blew two games on the trip, but the Cubs came into Wednesday's game with a chance at a winning trip, which isn't easy. At some point, Craig Counsell will have to trust his starters more than he has, as Jordan Wicks lasted just 4 1/3 innings and was removed after throwing just 74 pitches. I get that analytics plays a part in this, but Wicks was excellent allowing just two runs on five hits while striking out five. Fortunately for him, Hayden Wesneski made his season debut and dominated through four scoreless frames while some late-game offense lifted the Cubs to the series win and a winning record on this trip 5-3. Things didn't start well for Wicks as Ketel Marte led off the bottom of the first with a solo blast to put Arizona in front 1-0. Given how the Cubs offense has played all season, one run may not seem like a ton, but Brandon Pfaadt was on point early and mowed through the Cubs lineup. After allowing singles in each of the first two innings, Pfaadt buckled down and retired nine straight batters at one point as the Cubs offense was guessing. He would go seven innings, allowing just two runs and striking out six as he did his part to keep the Diamondbacks alive. The same can't be said about Wicks, who pitched in and out of trouble in each of the first four innings but, most importantly, limited the damage to keep his team in the game and within striking distance. Eventually, that would pay off as the Cubs benefitted from an error to begin the fifth, only to have Mike Tauchman and Yan Gomes deliver back-to-back RBI hits as the Cubs were suddenly in front 2-1. Chicago would've loved to add on during their half of the fifth, but an unlucky double play from Miles Mastrobuoni killed that thought, and things remained 2-1. Immediately following the Cubs grabbing the lead, former Cub Tucker Barnhardt set his team up nicely as the leadoff double put them in a great position to tie things up. Two batters later, that came to fruition with Marte cashing in again with an RBI single to make things 2-2. Following an error that put two runners on, Wicks saw his day end and was replaced by Wesneski, who took care of the rest. With the Cubs pen being as taxed as they have been this season, they needed Wesneski to give them some length, which he did, and it also brings into play the possibility of him reentering the rotation in place of Kyle Hendricks at some point. Needing length out of Pfaadt, the right-hander continued to pitch into the sixth only to have Cody Bellinger connect for his third homer of the season to put the Cubs in front 3-2. Cody puts a charge into this one 💪 3rd homer of the season for #Cubs Cody Bellinger! pic.twitter.com/WQbDd5bcRp That was the final run he would allow in his outing, as it was up to Joe Mantiply and the rest of the bullpen to take care of the rest. Fortunately, the Cubs offense had other plans. Dansby Swanson picked up a one-out single in the eighth before advancing to second on a stolen base. Then came Bellinger, who not only picked up another single but also benefitted from an error on the play that allowed Swanson to score and saw Bellinger reach third. Insurance! pic.twitter.com/O80tdt0Fhx Bellinger would soon come home on the Michael Busch single, and just like that, the Cubs opened a 5-2 lead, and things were looking good. Given how this series has gone, no lead is safe, but Wesneski ensured things would stay safe as he pitched into the ninth before yielding to Drew Smyly. Like Wicks, things didn't start well for Smyly as Joc Pederson immediately took him deep to make things 5-3 and kept the Diamondbacks in this one a bit longer. That homer didn't phase Smyly as he recovered quickly to retire the final two hitters and lifted the Cubs to a much-needed series win. The Cubs had nine hits in the game, and four players picked up two, with Bellinger, Busch, Swanson, and Tauchman having the multi-hit games. Gomes added the final hit for the Cubs, who now return home for a seven-game homestand that starts Thursday for four against the Miami Marlins. "I thought it was probably our best pitching performance of the year." Craig Counsell called Hayden Wesneski’s outing today the #Cubs best pitching performance of the season. Here’s a recap of Hayden’s last 24 hours: pic.twitter.com/d2GU3IlsBI “Everybody had a lot of confidence in the dugout … to see him go out there and do that was so impressive.”
3-2 Cubbies! pic.twitter.com/Pcvh8ddzNC
Craig Counsell on Hayden Wesneski. pic.twitter.com/7AECoKVU3k
Jordan Wicks on Hayden Wesneski’s performance. pic.twitter.com/5pZRZ67A63
