The Tigers are not a good team, but the Cubs needed this win to get back on track. The Cubs managed to hang on yesterday to avoid the sweep, but today saw the Cubs looking like the team that rolled out to their best start since 1907. These games frequently can be traced back to one moment and that moment might have been the bottom of the third inning. The Cubs rallied with two outs to score two runs in the top of the second, and Alec Mills delivered a shut down inning in the bottom. However, the Tigers loaded the bases with one out in the third with former Cub Jeimer Candelairo at the plate. Candelairo bounced into a fielder’s choice that allowed a run to score, but defused the rally with a foul pop up keeping the Tigers down one run. The Cubs then cruised to their easiest win in a while.

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The Cubs went quietly in the first inning, but the Tigers threatened in the bottom half of the frame. Jonathan Schoop and Miguel Cabrera hit back to back singles. Mills punched out Candelairo and Niko Goodrum to end the frame.

Willson Contreras reached with a one out base hit to start the Cubs offense. Heyward had a productive out to move Contreras into scoring position. Casey Mize plunked Victor Caratini to extend the inning. David Bote and Nico Hoerner’s back to back singles plated two runs to put the Cubs ahead. Ian Happ walked to load the bases but Anthony Rizzo popped the first pitch up to end the inning.

Tbe Tigers made it a 2-1 game with their third inning rally. The Cubs then put the game away with Bote hitting a solo shot to start the frame. Nico Hoerner reached on an error and advanced to second on a stolen base. Happ flew out deep enough for Hoerner to reach third with one out. Rizzo then made amends with a clean single to drive in Hoerner. Javier Baez then hit a bomb to extend the Cubs lead to 6-1.

Alec Mills settled in to retire nine Tigers in a row to cruise through a quality start. The Cubs put a rally together in the fifth inning but in a familiar turn of events left the bases loaded. The Cubs offense cooled off until the ninth inning, but it was enough for the Cubs staff.

Mills ran into a little trouble in the seventh inning yielding a two run blast to Christian Stewart to start the inning, but he completed the inning for the quality start. Ryan Tepera and Colin Rea closed it out, but first the Cubs bats played screw the closer in the top of the ninth. Baez hit a solo shot and David Bote delivered a bases loaded knock to extend the Cubs lead to 9-3.

Random Reference

In the arcade classic NBA Jam if you made three consecutive baskets with the same player then he would become on fire. MLB baseball doesn’t exactly work the same way but it certainly feels like this team is heating back up. The Cubs have feasted on interleague play for a while now, and the offense got its mojo back in a big way. Javier Baez hit a bomb and then he did it again. There are a lot of things to feel good about as the team won two in a row for the first time in a week while evening their last 10 record to .500.