Chicago Cubs Score and Recap (7/23/21): Cubs 8, D-Backs 3 – Chirinos, Cubs Smoke Snakes

The Cubs returned home after a long road trip and had a lot of fun at Wrigley Field in a big victory Friday afternoon.  They jumped down to an immediate lead against Arizona starter Zac Gallen, who had baffled them back in the desert last week. Kris Bryant walked, Anthony Rizzo was hit by pitch, and Javy Báez drove both of them home with a no-doubt three-run bomb to left.

If you wanna throw a strike to me
I got this bat, you see,
And I can take you for a ride 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/SLwfuelktx

— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 23, 2021

The Cubs doubled the lead in the 3rd inning with runs scoring on a wild pitch and a two-run single by Nico Hoerner. Six runs were more than enough for Zach Davies, who had one of his better starts in Chicago. He would only allow two runs in pitching into the 6th.

Robinson Chirinos was the big star the rest of the game with solo home runs in the 4th and 6th to give the Cubs a total of eight. Keegan Thompson came on the pitch of the final three innings and earn a save based on an odd rule. (Box score)

Why the Cubs Won

They scored three early thanks to a big swing from Báez and they kept building on that advantage as the game wore on.

Key Moment 

The 1st inning home run was the Cubs’ first three-run or grand slam shot since May 15 in Detroit. A franchise-record 75 consecutive home runs had been two-run or solo shots.

Stats That Matter

• If the Cubs want to trade him, Davies probably helped their cause on Friday: 5.1 IP, 2 R, 7 H, 8 K, and 2 BB.
• Chirinos has been a revelation since joining the Cubs, hitting a single in addition to the two jacks.
• Javy had a double as well as his homer as he continues to stay hot.
• Bryant left the game in the 7th, presumably because of the wet conditions and big lead.

Bottom Line

It was nice for the Cubs to actually beat up on an inferior opponent. Every time a star like Báez or Bryant has a big moment you can’t escape the thought that this could be the final time as a member of this team. It is a real bummer.

On Deck

Game two of the series is Saturday at 1:20pm CT and features a matchup between Alec Mills and Merrill Kelly. The game is televised on MLB Network (out of market only) and Marquee, while the radio feed is available on 670 The Score