Chicago Cubs Score and Recap (Simulated Game 50): Ian Happ’s Two-Homer Day Propels Cubs to Victory

The Chicago Cubs (32-18) got back on track Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates (18-30), thanks to a couple of big home runs by Ian Happ. The Cubs hung on late to a one-run lead and won the game 5-4, via MLB The Show 20.

Tyler Chatwood went to the mound for the Cubs and once again failed to get deep into the game. It has been a disturbing trend for the right-hander, who went four innings and allowed two earned runs on five hits and five walks while striking out four batters. In 10 starts so far in 2020, Chatwood is averaging just 4.6 innings per start.

The abbreviated effort was enough for his team against Pittsburgh, though. The Pirates jumped ahead in the 2nd on Josh Bell hit a leadoff homer, but that lead wouldn’t last long. Anthony Rizzo started a rally with a walk in the 4th inning against right-hander Trevor Williams, then moved to second one out later when Williams also walked Kyle Schwarber. That brought up Happ, who cranked a three-run homer to right field.

The Pirates got their second run against Chatwood in the 4th on an RBI single by Kevin Newman, but once again the Cubs would respond by stretching the lead. Schwarber singled with two outs in the 6th to keep the inning alive for Happ, who teed off on Williams once again.

It was Happ’s second home run of the day and his 12th already this year, and it pushed the Cubs lead to 5-2. The dinger also ended Williams’ day on the mound at 5 2/3 innings with five earned runs on four hits and two walks. H struck out six strikeouts on the afternoon.

Pittsburgh kept it close, however, as Bell clubbed his second homer of the day in the 7th inning against reliever Jeremy Jeffress. Guillermo Heredia was on first base, bringing the score to 5-4, but that’s as close as they’d get. Craig Kimbrel came in to close out the game in the 9th for his 19th save of the year.

Notes: At the 50-game mark, Kimbrel leads all relievers in the National League with 345,000 votes for the All-Star Game. Contreras leads all NL catchers with 237,000, Javier Báez leads shortstops with 325,000, and Kris Bryant leads all third baseman – and all players in both leagues – with 437,000 votes. Rizzo is fourth among NL first basemen while David Bote is eighth on the second base list.

Key Players:

Happ – 3-for-4, 2 HR, 5 RBI
Hoerner – 1-for-3, BB, 2 SB
Bell – 3-for-5, 2 HR, 3 RBI
Newman – 2-for-5, RBI

Winning Pitcher – Ryan (1-0)
Losing Pitcher – Williams (2-6)
Save – Kimbrel (19)
Home Runs – Happ 2 (12), Bell 2 (8)

50-game stats:

Contreras – 140 AB, .300/.369/.550, 8 HR, 26 RBI
Phegley – 51 AB, .216/.255/.294, 1 HR, 3 RBI
Caratini – 69 AB, .188/.243/.391, 4 HR, 12 RBI
Rizzo – 182 AB, .269/.351/.489, 11 HR, 26 RBI
Kipnis (IL) – 62 AB, .113/.225/.210, 1 HR, 2 RBI
García – 4 AB, .000/.000/.000, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Bryant – 181 AB, .359/.456/.696, 16 HR, 33 RBI
Bote – 137 AB, .263/.346/.453, 6 HR, 29 RBI
Báez (IL) – 173 AB, .306/.361/.618, 13 HR, 28 RBI
Hoerner – 58 AB, .207/.258/.328, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 7-7 SB
Schwarber – 155 AB, .342/.411/.523, 7 HR, 25 RBI
Happ – 150 AB, .293/.361/.613, 12 HR, 35 RBI
Almora – 81 AB, .235/.303/.432, 3 HR, 11 RBI
Miller (AAA) – 17 AB, .118/.211/.176, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Heyward – 125 AB, .272/.361/.496, 9 HR, 25 RBI
Souza – 76 AB, .237/.298/.329, 2 HR, 9 RBI

Hendricks – 10 GS, 4-3, 55.2 IP, 45 K, 8 BB, 5.34 ERA
Darvish – 10 GS, 5-2, 61.2 IP, 74 K, 20 BB, 3.79 ERA
Lester – 10 GS, 3-4, 53.1 IP, 44 K, 20 BB, 3.88 ERA
Quintana – 10 GS, 5-2, 62 IP, 53 K, 24 BB, 3.19 ERA
Chatwood – 10 GS, 1-1, 46.1 IP, 50 K, 25 BB, 3.30 ERA

Mills – 19 G, 31.2 IP, 33 K, 8 BB, 3.41 ERA, 0-0 S
Wick – 21 G, 19.2 IP, 23 K, 9 BB, 4.12 ERA, 0-3 S
Jeffress – 20 G, 20.1 IP, 22 K, 8 BB, 4.43 ERA, 0-1 S
Hultzen – 13 G, 10.2 IP, 11 K, 3 BB, 3.38 ERA, 0-0 S
Maples – 7 G, 7.2 IP, 7 K, 5 BB, 7.04 ERA, 0-0 S
Sadler (AAA) – 13 G, 13 IP, 5 K, 6 BB, 3.46 ERA, 0-1 S
Winkler (AAA) – 4 G, 2.2 IP, 2 K, 3 BB, 16.88 ERA, 0-0 S
Tepera (AAA) – 15 G, 17.1 IP, 13 K, 9 BB, 4.67 ERA, 0-0 S
Ryan – 24 G, 19.2 IP, 23 K, 11 BB, 2.75 ERA, 0-3 S
Morrow – 5 G, 5 IP, 4 K, 0 BB, 0.00 ERA, 0-0 S
Kimbrel – 26 G, 23 IP, 32 K, 8 BB, 1.57 ERA, 19-21 S