Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports
The Chicago Cubs earned a hard-fought Opening Day victory over the Brewers.
On a cold day at Wrigley Field, the Chicago Cubs took the first of a four-game series against their division rivals, the Milwaukee Brewers.
1. No more “first inning Hendricks”
Perhaps nobody on the Cubs roster was happier to see the 2021 season in the rearview mirror than Kyle Hendricks. Usually steady as they come, the “Professor” was awful in the first inning of games last season, posting a 7.59 ERA.
Hendricks went 1-2-3 against the Brewers to open the game. In total, Hendricks tossed 5.1 innings, allowing six hits while striking out seven batters.
2. Nico Hoerner shows rare power
Runs were going to be tough to come by against Corbin Burnes. The Reigning NL Cy Young Award winner was mowing the Cubs lineup down before running into some adversity in the fifth inning.
After Seiya Suzuki notched his first MLB hit, a single deposited into left field, Jason Heyward also followed with a single.
The Cubs tied the game on Patrick Wisdom’s sacrifice fly and took the lead on Nico Hoerner‘s two-run shot, his first home run since September 21, 2019.
3. Ian Happ goes off
No stranger to Opening Day success, Ian Happ went 3-for-4, including a double and two RBIs on Thursday. In 2020, Happ went 1-for-3 with two RBIs against these Brewers on Opening Day.
In 2018, he hit the game’s first pitch for a home run in Miami. Happ, who hit just .226 last season, is off to a good start but he’ll need to show some consistency in 2022.
4. David Robertson slams the door
Mychal Givens should be lumped in here as well for his inning-ending strikeout in the eighth. But David Robertson had an exceptional outing in his Cubs debut and in a big moment.
Facing the top of the Brewers’ order, the former New York Yankee got Kolten Wong to fly out to center before allowing a single to Willy Adames.