The Cubs open a four game series in the valley of the sun with John Lackey getting the nod in game 3 of 162. He doesn’t get off to the best start of the season or donning the Cubbie Blue with a first pitch leadoff home run to former Milwaukee Brewer Jean Segura. He’s able to strikeout Nick Ahmed but walked Paul Goldschmidt and gave up a double to David Peralta. It was Jake Lamb’s single to center that put them up 3-0. In the bottom of the second, the Cubs would suffer their first injury with Kyle Schwarber and Dexter Fowler colliding in center allowing Segura his second home run of the night but this one scored as inside the park. In the third, he would find himself in trouble again, giving up a triple to Peralta that scores Goldschmidt. Peralta would then score on a sac fly to left by Lamb. Lackey would make it through the 4th, 5th & 6th with out anymore damage. He would end up with a W but also a 9.00. My two biggest questions coming into this season were Lackey and the bullpen. The seven-eight-nine, Pedro Strop, Travis Wood & Hector Rondon would combine for six strikeouts giving up no runs. I think the biggest question mark will remain with Lackey, but maybe he just needs time to catch s groove.
He did get his first win of the season but had huge help from his offense. Ruby De La Rosa would get out of the first but wouldn’t make it passed 4 innings giving up 6 hits and 6 earned runs. First he hit Rizzo, gave up a double to Bryant, walked Kyle and with one out gives up a 2 RBI single to Addison Russell. After the collision in center, Bryant would move to left and Tommy La Stella would take over at third.
In the third Heyward would reach on a single to right and would end scoring due to Rizzo’s sharp ground ball to center putting Zobrist at third. He would end up scoring after Bryant popped out to Wellington Castillo and a bad throw to second allowing Rizzo to move to third. Russell would start off the fourth with a double to right and scored on a triple by Fowler to right. Ruby would walk Heyward and that would be all she wrote. Jake Barrett would replace him with no more luck. Fowler would score on a wild pitch. After walking Zobrist, Rizzo would triple bringing in two more runs. Bryant would single to third and then try to advance on a throwing error by Yasmani Thomas. He was called out at second but it was overturned with a challenge by Maddon. Rizzo would score. After 4 it was 9-6 Cubs!
Kyle Drabek would come into the game for Arizona in the 5th would get into a little trouble but was able to make it through 6 only to be pulled in the seventh after walking Russell and giving up a single to pinch hitter Matt Szczur. Fowler would lay down a bunt to score Matt but Andrew Chafin would make it through the 7th.
Strop would replace Lackey in the seventh, putting Bryant back at third and benching La Stella, with Szczur staying in left. Randall Delgado would make it through the eighth unscathed for the Diamondbacks but wouldn’t get so lucky in the ninth. He would walk Fowler, give up a single to Heyward, Zobrist would smack an rbi double to set up Rizzo for a three-run homer to right field. He was able to close out the ninth but not before giving up a single to Bryant. The Cubs continue thier domination at the plate and go 3-0 on the season.
Schwarber’s x-Ray’s would come back with a sprained ankle. Just waiting to hear back on his MRI.
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