The Chicago Cubs are facing a youngster in Amir Garrett today, and one who has battled control problems so far in his rookie big league stint. In recent years, that’s precisely the type of pitcher the Cubs would frustrate, as they patiently ground him down and forced him back into the zone over the course of several innings, and multiple times through the order.
… and the Cubs did it again today, they simply didn’t wait much past the first inning. After working three walks in the frame, including a bases-loaded free pass to Addison Russell, Javy Baez got a pitch he liked up in the zone and crushed it to left for a grand slam:
Who’s gonna rock you when the sun won’t let you sleep? pic.twitter.com/GHjElm3H8R
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) May 18, 2017
Did you like catcher Tucker Barnhart’s reaction? He always has the best looks back there when he knows something bad just happened. And Javy Baez definitely did something bad to that baseball.
A closer look:
Hasta luego. pic.twitter.com/fSKXetzzCp
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) May 18, 2017
At last! It wasn’t a solo home run!
And Baez didn’t rely too much on the wind for that one, but definitely got it high enough in the air to get some assistance:
415 grand feet for Javy. pic.twitter.com/nGZOcr3zUi
— Brett Taylor (@BleacherNation) May 18, 2017
Baez’s first-inning feat hasn’t happened too often for the Cubs in the last 15 years:
#Cubs first inning grand slams since 2000
Javier Báez today
Junior Lake 9/6/2013
Mark DeRosa 6/3/2007
Aramis Ramírez 6/25/2005— Christopher Kamka (@ckamka) May 18, 2017