Chicago Cubs Score and Recap (5/22/22): Cubs 5, D-Backs 4 – Back-to-Back Jacks Snap Skid
The Cubs went in Sunday’s game hoping to end their losing streak after dropping the first three games to the Diamondbacks and another to the Pirates before that. They would have to do it without Willson Contreras, who is day-to-day with a tweaked hamstring suffered in Saturday’s loss. That situation led them to call up P.J. Higgins, who has been on a tear over the past month at Iowa.
That move paid off immediate dividends as Higgins came up in the 2nd inning with the bases loaded and boy did he deliver. The catcher laced a line drive to right field for a bases-clearing triple that gave the Cubs a 3-0 lead.
Wade Miley cruised through the first five innings with minimal traffic on the bases, but he ran into trouble in the 6th when the Diamondbacks plated three runs on four hits and a walk. That opened the door for bullpen weapon Keegan Thompson, who gave up just one run in the 7th that was the result of very weak contact finding holes.
The Cubs responded in the 8th with back-to-back homers by Patrick Wisdom and Frank Scwhindel, who became the first Cubs duo since Ernie Banks and Jim Hickman in 1969 to double up on dingers in consecutive games. Thompson closed out the 9th and the Cubs finished the homestand at 3-4. (Box score)
Why the Cubs Won
The offense came to life in the 8th with back-to-back homers and Thompson was effective in three innings of relief
Key Moment
The Higgins hit was huge, but Wisdom and Schwindel hitting the tying and go-ahead homers to deliver a much-needed W gets the nod here.
Stats That Matter
- Higgins had a great 2022 Cubs debut: 1-for-3, with a walk and 3 RBI
- Thompson: 3 IP, 1R, 2H, 4K, 0 BB
- Wisdom and Schwindel: 3 H, 2 HRs, 2 BB
Bottom Line
After winning three series in a row, including one in Arizona against the Diamondbacks, the Cubs feel back into their anemic ways en route to a four-game skid. This snaps them out of it, but they really needed another win or two during this stretch.
On Deck
The Cubs hit the road to face the Reds for another four-game series that opens up Monday night at 5:40pm CT. Drew Smyly will be taking the ball for the Cubs against Vladimir Gutierrez, a righty who is currently 0-5 with an 8.65 ERA. The game will be on Marquee Sports Network and 670 The Score.
