Edward Cabrera pitched six innings of one-hit ball and Ian Happ homered for the third straight game to lift the Chicago Cubs to a 7-2 victory against the visiting Los Angeles Angels on Monday.
Carson Kelly and Moises Ballesteros both contributed two-run singles for the Cubs, who out-hit the Angels 9-5.
Los Angeles has lost three straight after winning its first two games. Yoan Moncada homered and Nolan Schanuel had two hits, including a single that helped put two on with one out in the ninth. But Colin Rea regrouped to strike out Jorge Soler and Moncada to complete a three-inning save.
Cabrera (1-0) retired 10 of the first 11 batters he faced in a scoreless club debut. By then, he had been staked to an early lead that proved to be sufficient.
After Angels starter Ryan Johnson walked the bases loaded with one out in the first inning, Nico Hoerner put Chicago on the board with an RBI sacrifice fly. Kelly followed with a two-run bloop single that the wind continued to push to short right-center field.
The Cubs added three more runs in the third. Happ started the rally with an opposite-field solo home run to left with one out. The Angels were in position to escape the inning without further damage, but Moncada’s defensive miscue at third base created another opportunity for Chicago.
With runners at second and third and one out, Kelly lined sharply to second baseman Oswald Peraza, who threw to third base with a play on baserunner Pete Crow-Armstong. Moncada attempted to tag Crow-Armstrong instead of keeping his foot on the bag to complete an inning-ending double play.
Ballesteros grounded a two-run single to right one batter later.
Cabrera, who was acquired from Miami in a January trade, scattered one hit, one walk and five strikeouts.
Johnson (0-1) spaced six runs and seven hits in 3 1/3 innings. He walked four and struck out two.
Los Angeles avoided a shutout after Cabrera departed, as Moncada connected for a two-run home run against Rea in the seventh. It was the Angels’ only extra-base hit of the night.
Dansby Swanson (two hits) got one run back with an RBI single in the bottom half.
Joey Lucchesi and Shaun Anderson delivered 4 2/3 innings of two-hit, one-run relief for the Angels.
–Field Level Media
