PHOENIX_After learning that prized catcher Willson Contreras could be lost for up to six weeks, the Chicago Cubs picked up the slack Friday night with an 11-hit attack as they pulled away to an 8-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Contreras was batting .274 with 21 home runs and 70 RBIs before suffering a moderate strain of his right hamstring Wednesday at San Francisco.
The Cubs took advantage of two walks by the Dbacks' Taijuan Walker to score twice in the first inning. Kris Bryant, who was batting .170 with two outs and runners in scoring position, hit a two-out single in the second to score Jon Jay. Kyle Schwarber and Alex Avila hit back-to-back homers in the sixth, and Albert Almora Jr.'s pinch-hit single fueled a three-run eighth.
The Cubs' John Lackey improved to 5-0 lifetime over the Diamondbacks. Lackey induced All-Star first baseman Paul Goldschmidt to ground into an inning-ending double play in the first and struck him out in the fourth. But Lackey was pulled after Goldschmidt ripped an opposite-field home run to right with one out in the fifth. Pedro Strop pitched 11/3 scoreless innings to earn his 100th hold with the Cubs.
"The reality is (Contreras) is not here now. In some perverse way, sometimes when that does occur, other people are coming to the forefront," said Cubs manager Joe Maddon.
Rightfielder Jason Heyward ran far toward the right field line to catch a fly by Ketel Marte in the second. Avila, starting in place of Contreras, worked with Lackey without any disruptions.
Lackey's record is 5-0 since the All-Star break.
