Cubs' offense bails out bullpen in 10-6 win against Rangers
The optics weren’t good. The Cubs’ bullpen had blown a three-run lead, and the game was tied in the eighth inning. But the Cubs also had managed to load the bases. And Dansby Swanson was up.
“It’s so easy to try and do more,” Swanson said after the Cubs’ 10-6 victory against the Rangers on Tuesday. “Less is more in those situations. And I understand that we’re in the driver’s seat, and just anything little and simple can get the job done.”
Swanson managed to get his hands through an inside pitch and sent it into right field, driving in two runs. The offense, which has shone early in the season, continued to tack on to secure the series win with back-to-back victories.
“Just the consistency and the intent has been so tremendous from our group,” Swanson said. “Not taking at-bats off, no matter what the score is, no matter what the situation is, just looking to do a job, being intentional about running the bases. All those things are huge, and I think that has just shown what it takes for this group to be good. And we’ve done that so far throughout this year, and it’s been a joy to be a part of.”
Even before the game-clinching rally, the offense had continued a strong homestand, overcoming frigid conditions.
Swanson, who finished the night with four RBI, got the scoring started on a solo home run in the second. Seiya Suzuki had a hit in each of his first three at-bats. And after Tucker had a pair of long fly balls caught at the warning track, he broke through with a single and a double in back-to-back innings.
“Our lineup just feels really deep right now,” said starting pitcher Jameson Taillon, who limited the Rangers to three runs in six innings. “We’ve seen a lot of pitches, we’re moving guys over, getting guys in. It’s a good brand of baseball we’re playing. And then on a night like tonight, too, it’s nice that they’re having long innings, so it just let me warm up and get in the tunnel and regroup a little bit.”
All of that amounted to a 6-3 lead when Taillon handed the ball to the bullpen — even after a missed opportunity to add an insurance run in the sixth. Suzuki slowed rounding second and had to stop at third on Kyle Tucker’s two-out double.
Very quickly, the Cubs’ lead fell into -jeopardy.
Reliever Julian Merryweather faced five batters and gave up two runs. Setup man Porter Hodge took over for him to get the last out of the inning. But the next inning, Hodge gave up a game-tying triple down the right-field line to Josh Jung.
But the Cubs had another push in them. Ian Happ and Jon Berti reached on errors, and in between, Tucker drew an intentional walk, loading the bases for Swanson. After Swanson put the Cubs ahead, a double steal gave them two runners in scoring position. With two outs, Pete Crow-Armstrong sent a line drive into left field, his third hit of the game, driving in two runs before he was caught between first and second.
That gave closer Ryan Pressly a bit of a cushion, but he didn’t need it. And finally, the Cubs fans who had braved the cold temperatures to the end could breathe a frosty sigh of relief.
“It’s been a great start for us as a group,” Swanson said. “And we’re looking forward to continuing the roll we’re on.”