Chicago Cubs Score and Recap (5/20/22): D-Backs 10, Cubs 6 – Cubs Blown Away at Windy Wrigley
Update: Gomes was scratched due to oblique tightness, so the lineup has been shuffled.
Yan Gomes was scratched due to left oblique tightness.
New #Cubs lineup: pic.twitter.com/XXLnpSz5E4
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) May 24, 2022
The Cubs unveiled a statue honoring legendary starter Fergie Jenkins in front of Wrigley Field before Friday’s game against Arizona, but the good vibes from that ceremony did not translate to the action on the field. The Diamondbacks smashed seven wind-aided homers to rout the Cubs, who hit four dingers of their own.
Kyle Hendricks did not have it Friday and gave up a two-run single to Jake McCarthy in the top of the 1st. The Cubs tied it with a Patrick Wisdom homer and Christopher Morel‘s RBI single in the 2nd.
Josh Rojas and David Peralta each hit solo shots in the 3rd to give the D-Backs a 4-2 edge. Jonathan Villar cut the lead in half with a 4th inning dinger, but Rojas and Peralta repeated their feat with two more homers against Hendricks in the 5th to make it 7-3.
Arizona would add three more bombs, including number three for Rojas, against the Cubs bullpen. Morel and Ildemaro Vargas homered for the Cubs in the 7th inning to make the score look a little more competitive, but the Cubs went down in a 10-6 defeat. (Box score)
Why the Cubs Lost
Hendricks has been known to give up homers and the wind blowing out Friday was a recipe for disaster. He gave up four and gave his team little chance to win.
Key Moment
The Cubs loaded the bases in the 7th inning down 9-5 with two outs, but Alfonso Rivas went down swinging against Noe Ramirez to end the scoring chance.
Stats That Matter
- Hendricks continues to be wildly inconsistent in 2022: 5 IP, 7 R, 8 H, 3 K, and 2 BB.
- Willson Contreras was ejected for arguing balls and strikes in the 7th.
- Vargas reached base three times on Friday with two walks in addition to his homer.
Bottom Line
The Cubs offense leaves them at a disadvantage in high-scoring games like Friday’s. A lack of power and a tendency to hit ground balls is not a good combination for prevailing in wind-blown Wrigley slugfests.
On Deck
Chicago will try to get back into the series Saturday at 1:20pm CT. It’s a battle of lefties on the mound as Justin Steele takes on Madison Bumgarner in a game available on Marquee Sports Network and 670 The Score.
