CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 30: Dansby Swanson #7 of the Chicago Cubs reacts after hitting a double, while Andres Gimenez #0 of the Cleveland Guardians tries to tag him during the seventh inning at Wrigley Field on June 30, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. The Cubs defeated the Guardians 10-1.Photo: Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images
The good: Manager Terry Francona returned after missing the previous three games with health issues while starting pitcher Cal Quantrill returned after missing the past month with shoulder inflammation.
The rough: The Guardians' series opening loss against the Chicago Cubs, capping off the first half of their schedule.
After a pair of scoreless innings the Cubs pounced on Quantrill in the third inning. Following a pair of one-out singles and a walk, Nico Hoerner delivered a bases-loaded, two-run single for an early 2-0 lead. Then the Cubs began the fourth inning with a pair singles, setting up Jared Young's two-run triple down the right field line, doubling the Cubs' lead to 4-0. With one out Mike Tauchman singled to left, scoring Young, extending the Cubs' lead to 5-0 and knocking Quantrill out of the game. Tauchman reached third on a single then scored on a sacrifice fly to put Chicago ahead 6-0.
The Cubs continued their onslaught in the sixth, this time on a pair of home runs: first Nick Madrigal hit a solo shot with one out, then Christopher Morel went deep with Nico Hoerner on base, ballooning the lead to 9-0. Finally, Dansby Swanson hit a lead off double in the seventh, advanced to third on a ground out, and scored on a sacrifice to cap off the Cubs' scoring at 10.
Will Brennan prevented a shutout loss with his fifth home run of the season in the ninth, setting the final tally, 10-1. However the Guardians left eight runners on base, including two in both the first and fifth innings as well as the bases loaded in the eighth.
The Cubs outhit the Guardians, 13-5, as Nico Hoerner had a game-high three while Cody Bellinger and Jared Young each had two. Amed Rosario paced the Guardians with two hits including a double and David Fry and Myles Straw each had the teams' other two hits while scoreless. Nevertheless, Cubs' starter Justin Steele allowed three hits, struck out six batters, and walked one as he improves to 9-2.
Now halfway through the season, the Guardians (39-42) slip half a game behind the Twins in the Central division and suffer their first losing streak in two weeks (June 16-17 at Arizona Diamondbacks). Cleveland will try to rebound tomorrow at 7:15 PM as Tanner Bibee (4-2, 3.79 ERA) will take the hill for the Guardians while Marcus Stroman (9-5, 2.47 ERA) will toe the rubber for the Cubs (38-42).