Chicago Cubs Recap: Huge first inning helps Lackey pick up series win over the Reds

On the same day, the world of professional sports said goodbye to one of the greatest basketball players of all-time, the Chicago Cubs steamrolled the Cincinnati Reds to take the series. Backed by a five-run first inning, John Lackey turned in his best performance as a Cub in his second outing.

After taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning during Monday’s contest, the Cincinnati Reds found themselves in a bit of a jam early on. Right-hander Alfredo Simon (0-1, 9.53 ERA) failed to get out of the first inning of the ballgame, surrendering five earned runs.

It was a great start for the Chicago Cubs (7-1) who failed to drive in a run, yet a hit, until the seventh inning just a few days ago. Shortly after the Reds (5-3) grabbed an early one-run lead during the top of the first inning, leadoff man Dexter Fowler recorded his third double of the season on a pitch sent out to right field.

Veteran right-hander John Lackey helped out his own cause by driving in the fifth run of the inning. Aside from a bases loaded walk by Kris Bryant and a Jorge Soler sacrifice fly, both Miguel Montero and Addison Russell drove in a run via singles.

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Lackey (2-0, 5.68 ERA) kept the Reds in check by holding them to two earned runs on six hits while issuing three walks and striking out seven batter’s. Tonight’s outing was a lot better than his Chicago Cubs debut in Arizona.

Skipper Joe Maddon dipped into the bullpen starting with Trevor Cahill who finished off the seventh inning. This led the way for Clayton Richard and Neil Ramirez who combined for only one walk and a hit in two innings of work.

Former Cub Dan Straily was brought into the game following Simon’s exit and worked through 2 1/3 innings against the team who traded him to the Houston Astros last season. Straily was a part of the deal that included third baseman Luis Valbuena for Fowler. Valbuena is still with the Houston Astros.

Chicago tagged him and right-hander Keyvius Sampson for a combined four earned runs on as many hits. Cincinnati’s pitching staff had issued more walks than they did hits, runs, and strikeouts.

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Montero led off the third inning with a walk and would come around to score on an RBI single by Jason Heyward. Despite having only one hit, Miggy crossed the plate three times. One more than Bryant who hammered his first home run of the season to left field in the home half of the fourth.

Tomorrow night, right-hander Jason Hammel will look to help the Cubs complete their second sweep of the young campaign. They took both games from the Los Angeles Angels to start the year before returning to Arizona to take on the Diamondbacks. Hammel pitched well in his 2016 debut, holding the Dbacks to four hits, one earned run and six strikeouts last Friday.