PHOENIX — Kyle Tucker launched his first home run for the Chicago Cubs, steering the team to a narrow 4-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night. Following a discouraging 8-1 defeat the previous night against Arizona, pitcher Shota Imanaga revitalized the Cubs by delivering seven efficient innings. Ryan Pressly managed a nerve-wracking ninth inning to secure his initial save with Chicago.
Tucker, who was acquired in a trade with Houston last December, made a significant impact with a trio of hits. In the fifth inning, with Jon Berti on base after a starting single, Tucker powered a shot to right field off Brandon Pfaadt, pushing Chicago into a 3-1 lead. Additionally, the Cubs saw rookie Matt Shaw notch his first major league homer, a pinch-hit drive to left field in the seventh inning facing Jalen Beeks.
Imanaga shone on the mound, allowing just one run and three hits in his second outing of the season, earning a 1-0 record. Although the Cubs’ advantage was trimmed to 4-3 in the ninth inning due to Eugenio Suárez’s two-run homer off Pressly, the team held on. This homer marked Suárez’s fourth for the season, the most in the major leagues so far.
A critical play ensued with two outs and two on base. Corbin Carroll managed to reach safely on an infield single after hitting a gentle one-bouncer to Dansby Swanson, the alert shortstop. However, pinch-runner Garrett Hampson misjudged, overran third base, and was tagged out by Swanson, sealing the game.
Ryan Pressly, who joined the Cubs in a January trade from the Astros, managed the high-stakes closing despite the threat from Arizona. Brandon Pfaadt, who accepted a $45 million, five-year contract with Arizona, gave up six hits across six innings in a challenging debut.
In other notable debuts, Gage Workman made his MLB introduction for the Cubs. Batting in the eighth position and stationed at third base, Workman experienced some difficulties at the plate, striking out twice, but showcased his defensive skills by backhanding a grounder to throw out Suárez.
Workman, whose origins are in Chandler and who played at Arizona State, was a Rule 5 draft acquisition from Detroit this past December.
A pivotal moment occurred when Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Cubs demonstrated his fielding prowess by throwing out Josh Naylor at third, who attempted to advance on a fly ball to center field. Initially, umpire Phil Cuzzi ruled Naylor safe; however, a review led to the call being overturned.
The Diamondbacks faced difficulties with runners in scoring positions, going 1 for 9, a statistic that haunted their competitiveness in the game.
Looking forward, a left-handed pitcher matchup awaits in the series finale, as Chicago’s Matthew Boyd is set to face off against Arizona’s Eduardo Rodriguez.