Chicago Cubs Score and Recap (3/14/24): Cubs 3, A’s 1 – Imanaga Throwing Smoke in Cubs Win
The Cubs took on the A’s at Sloan Park on Thursday afternoon and got another outstanding starting pitching performance as they went on to win a low-scoring contest.
Chicago grabbed a quick advantage in the bottom of the 1st inning when Nico Hoerner singled and scored on a Seiya Suzuki double. Shōta Imanaga was completely locked in, blowing away Oakland hitters with splitters and high fastballs.
Mike Tauchman hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 4th inning to double the Cubs lead to 2-0. Imanaga made it into the 5th before his afternoon ended finishing with nine strikeouts, all of them swinging.
The A’s scored their only run off of Carl Edwards Jr. in the top of the 7th inning but Chicago got it back on a solo home run by David Bote in the next frame And would take home a 3-1 victory. (Box score)
Why the Cubs Won
The pitchers did a great job beginning with Imanaga and continuing throughout the day on Thursday.
Stats That Matter
- Suzuki had a pair of doubles and looks very comfortable at the plate right now.
- Imanaga has a total of 19 strikeouts in three outings this spring and he kept the ball in the ballpark Thursday.
- Bote has five spring training home runs as he tries to remind the Cubs he is still a viable bench option.
Bottom Line
If manager Craig Counsell can get this version of Imanaga in 2024 the Cubs rotation could be very formidable. Suzuki finished 2023 on a very strong note and it seems like he is poised to keep it going into this season.
On Deck
The Cubs play a unique split-squad matchup with the White Sox on Friday. The major league squads face each other at Camelback Ranch starting at 3:05pm CT, meanwhile, each team will field a group of top prospects for a MLB Spring Breakout showcase at 4:05pm CT. The Spring Breakout contest is available on Marquee and the Cactus League game airs on NBC Sports Chicago.
