Enhanced Box Score: Cubs 3, Diamondbacks 2 – May 15, 2022
That’s two series wins in a row for the Cubs! First time this season! And on the West Coast, to boot! More permissive happiness!!!
The Cubs won it late last night, and they did it again today, this time on the strength of a beautiful at bat from Frank Schwindel, with Patrick Wisdom on second base after he’d rocketed a double to lead off the 9th. Schwindel kept fight off pitches, and with Ian Kennedy working away away away, Schwindel eventually just dunked one into right field, scoring Wisdom.
A blast and a bloop! pic.twitter.com/0HeJR7ahRS
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) May 15, 2022
We are all Frank right now. pic.twitter.com/5Flbyam3Up
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) May 15, 2022
The earlier scoring for the Cubs came on solo homers from Wisdom and Rafael Ortega.
There will be much more to say and break down on Justin Steele’s incredible outing today, but, generally speaking, it was the best I’ve seen his command. He was locating the fastball so well up in the zone, throwing his slider in the zone for strikes and then having it sweep for swinging strikes.
As we’ve seen before, he ran into some trouble the second time through the order as he got up to the 40-50 pitch range, but this time around, once he got out of that 4th inning (without a lot of help from his defense), he was able to turn it right back on for the 5th and the 6th. He looked as good finishing up in the 6th as he did at the start of his day. That’s two straight VERY encouraging starts for Steele.
Scott Effross was once again great, though he was left in to face one batter in the 9th (a single), and then Rowan Wick was brought into the game with no outs and the tying run on first, trying to save his second game in a row. Tougher spot than you’d like for your fill-in closer. Another hit and the tying run was on second with nobody out, but Wick got a pop out and then a double-play grounder to end it.
That double-play, by the way, was turned by Andrelton Simmons, who was making his Cubs debut as a defensive replacement in the 9th.
