Offense Propels Chicago Cubs to Victory Over Toronto Blue Jays

The Chicago Cubs were able to avoid a sweep against the Toronto Blue Jays behind a nice day from the offense.

Author:
Payton Havermann
Publish date:
Sep 1, 2022 12:00 PM EDT

In this story:

With the Chicago Cubs opting for a bullpen day in their series finale, the team needed a healthy amount of runs, and that's just what Chicago got against Toronto Blue Jays' starter Mitch White.

The Cubs wasted no time, striking in the first inning on an Ian Happ single that scored Seiya Suzuki to grab a 1-0 lead before the Blue Jays had even taken an at-bat. The offense kept the foot on the gas after a scoreless first from starter Luke Farrell, quite literally stealing a run to extend the lead.

In a runners on the corners situation, with Alfonso Rivas on first and Yan Gomes on third, the Cubs' first baseman broke for second. Blue Jays' catcher Alejandro Kirk threw down to second, getting Rivas in a rundown, but allowing Gomes to score before the tag.

On that steal of home, there wasn't even a play at the plate.

The Cubs broke it open in the third, extending their lead on a two-RBI double from the bat of Nico Hoerner, and a little extra insurance courtesy of an RBI single from Rafael Ortega to make their lead 5-0.

The Blue Jays would get two runs back in the bottom of the frame on a two-run home run from Cavan Biggio that ended Farrell's evening at two innings. Manuel Rodriguez, however, would quickly extinguish the rally, pitching two perfect innings to keep the score 5-2 and lowering the righty's ERA to 1.93 on the season.

Franmil Reyes two-out, opposite-field blast in the fifth would put the Cubs up 6-2 and ultimately be the decisive run the Cubs needed. The righty has been a game-changer for Chicago, he has a 125 OPS+ in his 22 game Cubs career.

Toronto would rally in the bottom of the sixth, grabbing three runs on an Alejandro Kirk home run off of Erich Uelman. The Blue Jays continued to put runners on in the frame, but Cubs reliever Michael Rucker got a Biggio groundout to end the threat.

A Zach McKinstry RBI single extended the Cubs to 7-5, and the bullpen took it from there. Rucker and Brandon Hughes combined to toss a scoreless seventh before Hughes threw a 1-2-3 eighth lowering his season ERA to 2.96.

Rowan Wick then entered to close the game, and while a walk did bring the game-tying run to the plate, Wick got George Springer to harmlessly pop out, securing Wick's 9th save and Chicago's 56th win.

The Cubs exit Toronto having taken one out of three games. They will have an off day before traveling to St. Louis to take on the Cardinals in a three-game series. The first game begins at 7:15 p.m. CST Friday at Busch Stadium. Chicago will send Adrian Sampson to the mound to face St. Louis lefty Jordan Montgomery who tossed a complete-game shutout the last time he faced the Cubs.