Chicago Cubs Score and Recap (5/1/22): Cubs 2, Brewers 0 – Marcus Stroman Locked in, Cubs Avoid Sweep

Marcus Stroman was locked in today, throwing the slider and sinker with extreme prejudice. The Cubs bullpen did its job holding the Brewers scoreless in the 8th and 9th innings. With the pitching on point, the Cubs wouldn’t need much offense to get the victory today.

Patrick Wisdom broke up the pitcher’s duel in the top of the 5th inning with a solo home run, his fourth home run of the season. That gave the Cubs the only run they’d need.

Seiya Suzuki drove in his team-leading 15th RBI with a double to score Alfonso Rivas, who singled with two outs in the top of the 6th.

The bullpen held strong, with Rowan Wick and David Robertson combining to allow just one hit after Stroman exited after the 7th inning. (Box Score)

Why the Cubs Won

Stroman finally found his grove, throwing 37 sliders and 34 sinkers out of 90 pitches (h/t @MLBastian on Twitter). The Brewers managed just two hits against him and never seriously threatened to score.

Key Moment

The Brewers had two runners on base with one out in the bottom of the 8th against Wick, who’d allowed a walk and a single. Wick struck out Tyrone Taylor and then Robertson came on to strike out Jace Peterson, ending the scoring threat.

Stats that Matter

• Stroman was nearly untouchable: 7.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K
• Alfonso Rivas reached base twice from the leadoff spot. He scored a run on a Suzuki double after a base hit in the 6th, and walked in the top of the 8th after a single by Nick Madrigal.
• The Cubs have now won both times they’ve faced Corbin Burnes this season.

Bottom Line

Getting Stroman back on track could be a big boost for the Cubs as they struggle to get their offense rolling. They’ll eventually need to score a lot more runs, but a confidence boost for Stroman is sure to go a long way towards righting this season.

On Deck

The Cubs have an off-day on Monday before kicking off a two-game series on Tuesday against the White Sox at Wrigley Field. Game time is set for 6:40pm CT and will feature Drew Smyly taking on a yet-to-be-determined Sox pitcher.