Chicago Cubs, led by hot-hitting Nico Hoerner, cash in during a 10-4 win against Philadelphia Phillies
PHILADELPHIA — Any time Nico Hoerner comes to the plate with runners in scoring position, the Chicago Cubs feel good about their chances. Hoerner has been a driving force early on for a Cubs lineup still looking to be a more consistent run-producing offense. So, it was no surprise on Tuesday against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park when Hoerner delivered a timely hit with the bases loaded in a tie game during the sixth inning.
Down 0-2 in the count, Hoerner went back up the middle on Phillies lefty reliever Tim Mayza’s sinker over the middle of the plate for a two-run single. The Cubs’ four-run sixth inning, capped by Alex Bregman’s two-run single with the bases loaded two batters later, helped them pull out a 10-4 win over the Phillies. Through their first 17 games, Hoerner is slashing .
303/. 397/. 455 and 144 wRC+ with a team-leading 13 RBIs.
“Obviously, I feel like he’s going to put the ball in play somewhere hard and going to come through for the boys. He’s started off really well, feel like he’s hitting all pitch types, making contact, swinging at good pitches to hit,” said Bregman, who finished with a three-hit, three-RBI game. “It’s a mature group, and obviously I don’t think anyone’s really felt like they’re at the top of their game really to start the season, but it’s a bunch of guys who know how to compete and know how to get the most out of it, even when they’re not feeling good,” Bregman said.
“So I feel like we’ll get this thing rolling and we’ll get guys locked in and be right where we need to be. ” Despite the Cubs’ inconsistency producing runs through the first three weeks of the season, they have been elite at putting pressure on opposing pitchers, including Tuesday when they went 6-for-18 with RISP. Their 204 plate appearances with runners in scoring position this season are the second-most in the majors.
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