CHICAGO _ The Cubs' offense took matters into their own hands after slugger Kris Bryant was beaned by a pitch in the first inning that caused him to leave Sunday's game against the Rockies.
After Bryant was nailed in the helmet by a 96-mph fastball from German Marquez, the Cubs responded with four consecutive singles with two out to highlight a three-run rally, and Javier Baez ripped a 418-foot home run to center field in the second as the Cubs held on for a 9-7 win at Coors Field.
The Rockies loaded the bases in the ninth and thought they scored on a wild pitch by closer Brandon Morrow. But a replay overturned the safe call, thus resulting in the third out on Nolan Arenado.
Baez hit a two-run double to highlight a three-run seventh, which loomed large when the Rockies countered with three runs in the bottom of the inning.
Center fielder Albert Almora Jr. made three spectacular catches. Almora robbed Arenado of an extra base hit in the first by making a diving catch in left center. Almora received medical attention after landing hard on his right side and massaged his neck but remained in the game.
Almora made another diving catch of a drive by Noel Cuevas to end the second.
Jason Heyward hit a two-run single in the third to expand the Cubs' lead to 6-0, but he lost a ball in the sun that resulted in a two-run triple by Trevor Story in the bottom of the third.
Charlie Blackmon and Arenado hit consecutive homers off left-hander Jose Quintana to cut the Rockies' deficit to two in the fifth.
Morrow earned his fourth save, but he needed help in the ninth when Almora caught a deep drive by Blackmon before crashing into the fence for the first out.
