CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs hit six home runs Saturday, including two apiece from Willson Contreras and Kris Bryant, in a 13-4 rout of the Atlanta Braves at Wrigley Field.
Manager David Ross returned to the Cubs dugout for the win following his one-game suspension Friday for Ryan Tepera’s retaliatory pitch Tuesday against Milwaukee Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff, who had hit Contreras earlier in the game. Tepera was given a three-game suspension, which he appealed.
The Cubs offense didn’t fare any better with bench coach Andy Green in charge Friday, going 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position and stranding 12 base-runners.
Ross watched the game on TV, which he admitted was difficult.
“Nowhere to vent,” he said. “I saw the guys fighting, really quality at-bats. Get some guys on, taking our walks. You have a better view of the strike zone (on TV), so you get a little more frustrated being at home watching it.”
But the Cubs came alive Saturday with a pair of solo home runs from Contreras in his first two at-bats and a three-run shot from Javier Baez during a four-run third. Bryant and David Bote hit a pair of two-run shots in the five-run fifth. The Cubs had their biggest scoring binge of the season and a season-high 13 hits.
The lack of offense has been a recurring theme throughout the first two weeks of the season. The Cubs entered the game ranked last in the majors in average (.166), on-base percentage (.267), slugging (.307) and OPS (.574) and are second to last in runs scored (34). They are averaging five hits per game this season.
With the exceptions of Contreras (.257), Bryant (.220) and Jason Heyward (.205), no one in the starting lineup was hitting over .200. Anthony Rizzo had three hits Saturday to improve to .229.
The Cubs made two roster moves before the game, activating relievers Dan Winkler and Brandon Workman from the COVID-19-related injured list while returning Pedro Strop to the South Bend, Ind., alternate site and optioning Justin Steele there. All four of the Cubs players placed on the COVID-19-related list — Winkler, Workman, Matt Duffy and Jason Adam — are back.
Ross said Kyle Hendricks is “ready to go” for his Sunday start against the Braves after missing his scheduled start Tuesday in Milwaukee for “not feeling well.”
