Chicago Cubs Score and Recap (7/7/21): Cubs 8, Phillies 3 – Cubs Finally Back in Win Column

Alec Mills (3-2, 4.85 ERA) took the mound against Zack Wheeler (6-4, 2.05 ERA) in game three of the series looking to build off his strong outing in Cincinnati on July 2. Mills has been a pleasant surprise as of late, going 1-2 with a 3.47 ERA over his last five outings.

Jason Heyward, Nico Hoerner, and Rafael Ortega gave the Cubs an early 3-0 lead with RBI knocks in the 1st. Anthony Rizzo and Willson Contreras pushed across a pair in the 2nd to increase the home team’s advantage to five.

The Phillies attempted a comeback in the 6th when they broke through for three runs. That would mark the end of the night for Mills, who was solid once again, going 5.2 innings while allowing five hits and one walk with five strikeouts.

Joc Pederson and Patrick Wisdom provided some much-needed insurance in the bottom of the inning as the Cubs took an 8-3 advantage. This would ultimately be the final score as the Cubs were able to break their 11-game losing streak. (Box Score)

Why the Cubs Won

A good outing by Mills and a big night at the plate resulted in tonight’s victory.

Key Moment

One of the most frustrating aspects of the Cubs’ losing streak was how they jumped out to early leads and immediately gave them right back. Mills was able to break the trend, ensuring that didn’t happen tonight in the early going.

Stats That Matter

• The Cubs scored all eight of their runs with two outs.
• Hoerner went 2-for-4 with an RBI, bringing his average to .337.
• The Cubs were one loss away from tying the 1925 Astros for most consecutive losses (12) following a no-hitter.

Bottom Line

The Cubs carried the momentum of Tuesday’s strong offensive performance into this contest. It’s only two games, but it’s encouraging nevertheless. Hopefully, they’ll be able to string together a few more of these kinds of efforts as they try to get back to where they were before the losing streak.

On Deck

Adbert Alzolay (4-8, 4.48 ERA) squares off against Zach Eflin (3-6, 4.13 ERA) in the series finale. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm CT on Marquee, ESPN, 670 The Score, and WRTO for Spanish speakers.