Chicago Cubs roll behind 4-hit games from Happ, Russell in win

The Chicago Cubs got four-hit performances from Ian Happ and Addison Russell as they cruised to an 11-1 blowout of the Miami Marlins.

The Chicago Cubs made a few roster moves before today’s game, and they apparently worked. The moves may be coincidence, but the offense came to life. They banged out 16 hits off the Marlins pitching as they took the opener with an 11-1 win.

The Cubs (37-35) didn’t get a vintage type start from Jake Arrieta (7-5, 4.36), but it was an efficient one as he got the win behind seven strong innings of work. Arrieta allowed a solo home run to Marcell Ozuna as he allowed just the one run on six hits.

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For the Marlins (32-39), the struggles of Jeff Locke (0-3, 5.70) continued against the Cubs. Locke got into trouble in the fourth as Anthony Rizzo walked and Arrieta later singled. With the game at a 2-1 score, skipper Don Mattingly got the pen up and going. But Kris Bryant halted that hope as drove his 16th home run to deep left field to make it a 5-1 game. The Cubs just continued to add on from there.

What stood out

Addison Russell and Ian Happ held the fourth and fifth spots in the lineup, and they didn’t let Joe Maddon down. Russell went 4-for-5 with a home run and two RBI–needing just the triple for the cycle. Happ added four hits of his own as the two combined to go 8-for-10 with four RBI on the evening.

Willson Contreras added a home run, and his batterymate Arrieta wasn’t to be forgotten as he had a two-hit night that included a RBI. The Cubs were 5-for-17 with runners in scoring position, and they did leave eight men on base. But when you pound out 11 runs on the road? You can overlook such a thing. Mark Zagunis went hitless in his debut but did tally a RBI on a fielder’s choice.

What’s next

The two teams will go at it again at the same time (6:10 p.m. CT) tomorrow night as John Lackey (5-7, 4.98) takes on the talented Jose Urena (5-2, 3.64) in the second game of the four-game set.