April 20, 2015
PNC Park
Pittsburgh, PA
The Cubs travel to Pittsburgh in a highly anticipated series with the Pirates. Both teams are within percentage points of each other and trying to keep pace with the Phillies, who continue to surprise in second place in the early going.
Tonight’s game sees Travis Wood against Jay Happ. I am not sure what to expect as there is almost no wind, and it’s a bit humid so the air has a heavy feel to it. The lineups are set and the umpire is motioning for leadoff man Dexter Fowler to come to bat so we can start the game.
Dexter flies to Andrew McCutchen in center for out number one and Starlin Castro, who has been surprisingly efficient at the plate this season hits a high fly ball to right field. This one hits the warning track and bounces over the wall for a ground rule double.
He is still on second with two out when Kris Bryant hits a grounder just out of Jody Mercer’s reach for an RBI single. A quick stop by Francisco Cervelli in the grass before the next batter settles Happ down and the inning ends with the Cubs getting just the one run.
Travis Wood is firing bullets early on and has two quick outs before McCutchen clubs an inside fastball and this one just stays fair and the Pirates have tied the game at one each. Wood gets the next batter and the game is tied at one each after an inning of play.
Neither team gets even a runner in the second, but the Cubs bats exploded with one out in the third. Dexter Fowler gets a leadoff double to center field and scored on Castro’s RBI single up the middle. Castro then steals second on a very close play. Anthony Rizzo draws a walk and Kris Bryant hits a weak grounder that third baseman Jung Ho Kang tries to barehand, but can’t get the handle and the bases are loaded.
The bullpen gets busy as Miguel Montero steps to the plate. Happ and Montero have a great duel but eventually a tiring Happ gives in and Montero crushes it into the left center field bleachers for a grand slam. That is Miguel’s third homer of the season, and just the second grand slam in team history. (Joe Tinker had the other in 1905).
That ends Happ’s day as an unhappy manager asks for the ball and Chris Volstad comes in. He allows a single, but keeps the Cubs from doing further damage and the inning ends with the Cubs now comfortably on top 6-1.
Wood relaxes a bit and nearly pays for it after walking two hitters that were now on second and third with two outs but pitched his way out of trouble. Unfortunately for the Pirates the Cubs were not yet done hitting. Deolis Guerra is now in for Volstad who was pinch hit for in the bottom of the inning.
Fowler gets his second hit of the night with a sharp single to right. Dex is off with the first pitch and Castro goes with the pitch. This one is hit hard and rattles around in the right field corner. Fowler scores, and a solid relay throw keeps Starlin at second with his second two bagger of the game.
Rizzo then strikes out, but Bryant draws a walk and runners are on first and second with just one out. Montero is pitched more carefully this time and hits a weak fly to short left that Mercer makes a great running catch on for two out. Unfortunately for Guerra he gives too much of a pitch for Coughlin to hit and this one is crushed into the bullpen in left field for his team leading 4th homer of the year. The bullpen is up again, but the inning ends quickly afterward and the Cubs now well on their way to victory with a 10-1 lead in just the fourth inning.
Wood strikes out two more as the Pirates are scoreless again. Thankfully for Pittsburgh Guerra pitches a little better this inning as he gets through the fifth inning and the Pirates still way behind.
The home fans have pretty much emptied the stands, but the few still caring enough to watch get something to cheer about in the bottom of the fifth when Cervelli gets a leadoff single to left. He is wiped out in a force play that sees Mercer take first base.
Unfortunately he gets caught stealing, but pinch hitter Chris Stewart hits a single to right and then steals second base. Sterling Marte rips a double that scores Stewart, but Gregory Polanco whiffs and the Pirates still trail by 8 after five innings.
Guerra is relieved by Joe Blanton who puts in three strong innings, and Travis Wood goes into cruise control and the score is unchanged as the Cubs come to bat in the top of the ninth inning with Arquimedes Caminero in to try closing this disaster out.
Starlin Castro rips a slider into the left field gap for his fourth hit of the day and his third two base hit of the night. Rizzo gets his first hit of the game with a double of his own and Castro scores. Rizzo was on third with one out when Montero gets an offspeed pitch and he rips the third double of the inning that scores yet another run for the Cubs. He was still on second with two out when Austin Jackson, who has been kind of silent this year hits a single to right that scores another run and moved to second as Russell draws a walk. Wood pops up and the inning is finally over.
Travis Wood goes the distance and finished the game by striking out two of the final three hitters. So this one is in the books with the Chicago Cubs defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates 13-2. Wood picks up his first win of the year and strikes out nine. Starlin Castro is player of the game, going 4-5 with three triples, drives in two runs while scoring four times. The Cubs now improve to 8-3 and are now just a game behind the Phillies for second place.
Around the horn:
The Rockies and Dodgers had a wild evening in Chavez Ravine with the league leading Dodgers winning 13-7. Yasmani Grandal and Howie Kendrick 4 hits each. Carlos Gonzalez had 3 HR, 6 RBI in in the loss.
Rasiel Iglesias gets a 3 hit shutout of the Cardinals in St. Louis.
Yordano Ventura tosses 3 hit shutout as the struggling Royals beat the Twins 1-0.
