The Cubs’ 10-4 win over the Phillies Tuesday evening in Philadelphia is, I think, the sort of game this team can begin to produce more often.
Solid starting pitching. (Well, Colin Rea was essentially the starter after Riley Martin opened.)
Six different Cubs had at least two hits. Overall: 15 hits, six walks, two doubles and a home run. This team is capable of this sort of offensive production and I think we’ll see more of it going forward.
Martin dispatched the Phillies on just six pitches in the first
inning. As I’ve said, I like what I’ve seen from Martin. He attacks hitters, doesn’t mess around, seems to have good mound presence. I hope he sticks around.
About those six pitches, from BCB’s JohnW53:
Riley Martin’s six pitches were the second fewest known to have been thrown by a Cubs starter.
Frank Castillo threw three pitches to one batter against the Mets on Aug. 10, 1991, then departed with an injured shoulder.
Alec Mills threw seven against the Red Sox on July 2, 2022, and Shawn Boskie threw eight against the Cardinals on June 16, 1992. Both also were injured. Both pitched to two batters.
Drew Pomeranz threw eight as a one-inning opener against the Nationals on Sept. 7 last year. He had thrown nine against the Reds on May 31.
Rea then entered the game and things didn’t go well, at least at first. Two singles and a 442-foot home run by Edmundo Sosa gave the Phillies a 3-0 lead in the second. After that, though, Rea allowed just one other hit in completing six innings, striking out five with no walks. He retired the last 10 Phillies he faced in throwing 87 pitches (58 strikes). Here’s more on Rea’s outing [VIDEO].
And more from John:
The last Cub to pitch six innings in relief was Ben Brown, at home against the Reds on May 31, 2025. He gave up no runs on one hit, walked one and struck out nine.
There had been only three others of at least 6.0 since 2000:
Jamie Arnold, on Sept. 22, 2000, at home vs. the Cardinals (6.2 IP, 1 R, 3 H, 2 BB, 2 SO)
Eddie Butler, on March 30, 2018, at Miami (7.0 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 5 SO)
Alec Mills, on Aug. 14, 2019, at Philadelphia (6.0 IP, 3 R, 4 H [2 homers], 2 BB, 4 SO)
It was also noted on the broadcast was the fact that Rea was the first to go 6 innings in relief with no walks since Rodney Myers on Aug. 31, 1999.
While Rea was stifling Phillies batters, Cubs hitters went about erasing that 3-0 deficit. Two runs came back in the third. Pete Crow-Armstrong led off with a double and went to third on a ground out. Nico Hoerner’s single scored PCA [VIDEO].
Michael Busch singled, but Nico was thrown out trying to take third. Alex Bregman followed that with a single, with Busch stopping at second.
Ian Happ’s double scored Busch [VIDEO].
Happ missed a home run by only a couple of feet. It went to a crew chief review, but a double was confirmed. Still, the Cubs trailed by just one.
They tied the game up in the fifth. Dansby Swanson led off with a walk and one out later, Busch walked. Bregman’s single made it 3-3 [VIDEO].
The Cubs broke the game open in the sixth off reliever Tim Mayza. With one out, Carson Kelly walked and PCA was hit by a pitch. Swanson reached on a fielder’s choice, loading the bases.
Nico gave the Cubs a two-run lead [VIDEO].
Swanson stopped at third, and then Busch walked to load the bases.
Bregman’s single scored two more runs [VIDEO].
The score remained 7-3 Cubs through seven thanks to Rea’s great outing. Jacob Webb relieved Rea and gave up a double to Sosa and an RBI single to Trea Turner to make it 7-4. At that point Craig Counsell called on Caleb Thielbar to face the Phillies’ tough left-handed hitters, Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper. Schwarber singled, but Thielbar struck out Harper. Then Thielbar threw a wild pitch, advancing the runners to second and third.
Thielbar then struck out Alec Bohm to end the threat [VIDEO].
The Cubs had Daniel Palencia warming up in the ninth for a potential save opportunity, but the offense made the save op unnecessary. Seiya Suzuki led off with a single and Miguel Amaya walked.
Kelly then smashed his first home run of the season [VIDEO].
With a six-run lead, Counsell called on left-hander Ryan Rolison to a success. Rolison gave up a one-out single to Bryson Stott, but then induced this game-ending double play ball [VIDEO].
It was a satisfying win in every way. Here are Counsell’s postgame remarks [VIDEO].
Here are some postgame comments from Nico Hoerner [VIDEO].
As I mentioned above, this is the sort of offense I expect from this team going forward. It was especially good to see two-hit nights from Busch and PCA, two guys who have been really struggling. They’ll be just fine going forward, I think.
The Cubs will play the series finale tonight against the Phillies with a chance to take the series. Shōta Imanaga, who was outstanding last time out against the Pirates (six no-hit innings), gets the call for the Cubs. He’ll have a tough opponent in Phillies lefty Jesús Luzardo. Game time is again 5:40 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
