Chicago Cubs Score and Recap (2/23/19) – Cubs 8, Brewers 4: Kris Bryant Proves Health with Homer
Cubs baseball made its triumphant return Saturday afternoon in Mesa against the rival Brewers. While it’s only spring training, seeing and hearing the Northsiders back on the diamond is a great sight to behold.
By far the biggest story in the game was the work put in by Kris Bryant. After Jason Heyward singled to open the bottom of the 1st, Bryant reached across the plate to yank a two-run homer to left. The next inning, the Brewers hit a homer of their own against Jen-Ho Tseng to tie the game at two.
A Bryant single keyed the Cubs rally in the bottom of the 3rd inning and new addition Daniel Descalso singled home the go-ahead run to give Chicago a lead they would never relinquish. Players from minor league camp would tack on four insurance runs in the 8-4 victory. (Box score)
Why The Cubs Won
The Cubs’ minor league players made fewer mistakes than the Brewers’ and took advantage of their opportunities. Honestly that is how most spring games are decided late.
Key Moment
There is only one possible answer for key moment: Bryant proving his shoulder is feeling pretty good with a season-opening homer.
Stats That Matter
- Heyward went 1-for-2 in the leadoff spot. Joe Maddon hasn’t committed to a leadoff hitter this season, but it appears J-Hey has a shot.
- Javy Baez and Willson Contreras both went 0-for-2. Contreras was the designated hitter while Taylor Davis caught.
Bottom Line
Bryant was fired up after the game, telling reporters he wanted to prove the doubters wrong. I think I could get used to angry Bryant shutting up the haters. Most importantly, the Cubs are back playing.
On Deck
The Cubs head to Scottsdale to play the Giants Sunday at 2:05 pm CT. Radio coverage is available on 670 The Score.
