Marcus Stroman struck out eight over six strong innings, Dansby Swanson had three hits with an RBI in his Chicago debut and the Cubs opened the season with a 4-0 home victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.
Stroman (1-0) was brilliant to begin his second season as a Cub, allowing three of Milwaukee’s four hits and walking three on 90 pitches before giving way to three Chicago relievers.
The right-hander’s only real trouble came in the third inning, after he became the first player in major league history to be assessed a regular-season pitch clock violation. Stroman was ahead in the count 1-2 on Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich when he was hit with the call; Yelich worked a walk, but Stroman got Rowdy Tellez to ground into an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded.
The Cubs did all their scoring in the bottom of the third off Milwaukee ace Corbin Burnes (0-1), who yielded all four runs and four hits while walking three and striking out just three — after leading the NL with 243 punchouts last season.
Swanson, who signed a seven-year, $177 million deal after seven seasons in Atlanta, made a splash in his Chicago debut and recorded two of his hits off Burnes.
The Brewers got singles from Willy Adames, Brian Anderson, Brice Turang and William Contreras. Milwaukee batters also struck out 12 times and stranded seven runners on base.
While Milwaukee went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position through the first three innings, the Cubs broke through in the bottom of the third. Nico Hoerner delivered an opposite-field single to right for Chicago’s first hit off Burnes, which sent Miles Mastrobuoni to third base. Then Swanson followed with his first hit and RBI for the Cubs, while Hoerner also scored on the play via Adames’ throwing error to make it 2-0.
Chicago wasn’t done, as fellow veteran newcomer Trey Mancini singled home a run. Then Adames was late touching second base on Yan Gomes’ hopper up the middle, which allowed the Cubs’ final run of the frame.
The 10 total hits in the game were all singles.
–Field Level Media
