Detroit Tigers at Chicago Cubs

· Major League Baseball

Detroit Tigers

61-65, 30-33 Away

Final
1 - 3

Chicago Cubs

62-64, 35-28 Home

Bellinger has 2-run double and Swanson homers to lift the Cubs over the Tigers 3-1

Bellinger went 2-for-4 to lead Chicago. Javier Assad (6-3) pitched 5 2/3 innings for the Cubs, allowing just one run on six hits and striking out seven.

“I thought it was Javy’s best start in a while, maybe since coming off the injured list,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “Getting ahead of hitters more consistently, more execution, fewer bad misses. Curveball to left handers got him some strikeouts tonight. The two-seamer got some strikeouts tonight. Multiple pitches (were) working, and I think that’s what led to the good outing.”

Tyson Miller, Drew Smyly and Porter Hodge threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings, each allowing a hit, to close the game. Hodge earned his second save.

Detroit fell despite strong performances at the plate by Dillon Dingler and Spencer Torkelson. Dingler hit in the Tigers’ lone run with an RBI single and added a triple. Torkelson was 4-for-4.

Tigers reliever Bryan Sammons (0-1) took the loss with three runs scored on four hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Chicago’s offense was mostly stagnant for the first four innings. With two runners on base, Bellinger doubled in the fifth to put the Cubs ahead 2-1. It was a similar scenario to Bellinger’s previous at-bat in the third, when he grounded out with runners on first and second.

“Obviously, I was pretty disappointed I wasn’t able to get the job done,” Bellinger said regarding his first attempt at batting in a run. “I felt decent that at-bat and said I just wanted to make the adjustment. Same situation, man on first and second with one out, so stay within my approach. (Ian) Happ and (Michael Busch) Buschy did a great job of getting on again, so I tried to get the job done.”

Swanson hit a solo home run in the sixth, his 10th of the season, to left-center field to extend the lead.

Detroit’s series opener at Chicago was Tigers shortstop Javier Báez’s first game at Wrigley since he was traded by the Cubs to the New York Mets in July 2021. The 31-year-old Báez spent his first 7 1/2 seasons in the majors with Chicago, helping the franchise to a historic World Series championship in 2016. He went hitless in four attempts with four strikeouts. He was greeted with a standing ovation prior to his first at-bat.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long is rehabbing both a left hip labral repair and a right elbow sprain. ... RHP Casey Mize is scheduled to pitch on a rehab assignment with AAA Toledo on Saturday. The former first overall pick has been out since June 30 with a left hamstring strain. ... RHP Reese Olson, who has been recovering from a right shoulder strain, is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Wednesday. ... OF Wenceel Pérez last played on Aug. 9 against San Francisco due to a left oblique strain and is expected to start a hitting progression this week.

Cubs: Chicago announced Tuesday it had designated RHP Héctor Neris for assignment and called up RHP Jack Neely from AAA Iowa. Neris posted an 8-4 record and 3.89 ERA in his first season with the Cubs this year, but blew five saves. Neely was Chicago’s No. 18 prospect and was acquired at the deadline from the Yankees.

Jameson Taillon (8-7, 3.62 ERA) is set to start for Chicago in the second game of the series, while the Tigers had yet to announce a starter.

How can I watch Detroit Tigers vs. Chicago Cubs?

TV Channel: Tigers at Cubs 2022 MLB Baseball, is broadcasted on MLB.TV.
Online streaming: Sign up for Fubo.

Matchup Prediction

Cubs: 59.8%

Tigers: 40.2%

*According to ESPN's Basketball Power Index

Scoring Summary

	9th Inning	Báez struck out swinging.
	9th Inning	Dingler popped out to second.
	9th Inning	Jung struck out looking.
	9th Inning	Torkelson doubled to center.
	9th Inning	Hodge relieved Smyly
	8th Inning	Paredes grounded out to first.

Statistics

DET		CHC
1	Games Played	1
1	Team Games Played	1
0	Hit By Pitch	0
9	Ground Balls	6
14	Strikeouts	4
1	Runs Batted In	3
0	Sacrifice Hit	0
9	Hits	5
0	Stolen Bases	0
1	Walks	4
0	Catcher Interference	0
1	Runs	3
1	Ground Into Double Play	0
0	Sacrifice Flies	0
35	At Bats	28
0	Home Runs	1
0	Grand Slam Home Runs	0
18	Runners Left On Base	9
1	Triples	0
0	Game Winning RBIs	1
0	Intentional Walks	0
1	Doubles	1
12	Fly Balls	18
0	Caught Stealing	0
144	Pitches	126
0	Games Started	0
1	Pinch At Bats	0
0	Pinch Hits	0
0.0	Player Rating	0.0
1	Is Qualified	1
0	Is Qualified In Steals	0
12	Total Bases	9
36	Plate Appearances	32
0.0	Projected Home Runs	162.0
2	Extra Base Hits	2
2.9	Runs Created	2.8
.257	Batting Average	.179
.000	Pinch Hit Average	.000
.343	Slugging Percentage	.321
.114	Secondary Average	.286
.278	On Base Percentage	.281
.621	OBP Pct + SLG Pct	.603
0.8	Ground To Fly Ball Ratio	0.3
2.9	Runs Created Per 27 Outs	3.2
17.5	Batter Rating	22.0
0.0	At Bats Per Home Run	28.0
0.00	Stolen Base Percentage	0.00
4.00	Pitches Per Plate Appearance	3.94
.086	Isolated Power	.143
0.07	Walk To Strikeout Ratio	1.00
.028	Walks Per Plate Appearance	.125
-.143	Secondary Average Minus Batting Average	.107
2.0	Runs Produced	6.0
1.0	Runs Ratio	1.0
0.4	Patience Ratio	0.4
0.4	Balls In Play Average	0.2
72.3	MLB Rating	73.3
0.0	Offensive Wins Above Replacement	0.0
0.0	Wins Above Replacement	0.0