LDN - Sports

Phillies jump on Cubs early in 10-2 win

[May 02, 2017] CHICAGO -- Pete Mackanin said he was concerned that his team might be flat coming into Chicago on Monday after three consecutive losses last weekend to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Philadelphia Phillies manager did not need to worry.

The Phillies pounced on Cubs starter Brett Anderson for seven runs over the first two innings en route to a 10-2 victory after a rainy day and drizzly night at Wrigley Field.

"I was asked at the end of that sweep how it would affect the team, and it wasn't fun leaving there," Mackanin said after the Phillies evened their record at 12-12. "But coming in here and beating the Cubs pretty well is a good sign. ... All in all, it was a pretty good night."

Tommy Joseph slugged a three-run homer and Aaron Altherr reached base three times and knocked in three runs as the Phillies snapped a three-game losing streak.

Philadelphia right-hander Vince Velasquez (2-2) picked up his second straight victory in a five-inning outing to open the four-game Wrigley Field series.

Velasquez held the Cubs to two hits before he was pulled for a pinch hitter. He allowed one run, issued three walks, struck out four and threw 98 pitches.

"He got the win, that's what I'm happy about," Mackanin said. "He pitched well, (though) he's using too many pitches. ... We'd like him to go deeper into games. (But) if you keep the Cubs down to two runs (as a team), you've done a good job somehow."

Cubs left-hander Brett Anderson (2-1) took the loss after giving up seven runs and seven hits in 1 1/3 innings.

"He had a tough night, there's no other way to slice it," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "We've been having to come from behind over the last week to two weeks, and it's not easy to do, especially when you're getting to bed at 5 in the morning. But that's no excuse."

Phillies right fielder Michael Saunders added a solo home run and Freddy Galvis belted a two-run shot, both in the seventh inning off Chicago reliever Jason Grimm.

Javier Baez went 2-for-4 scored on a Matt Szczur sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh as Chicago (13-12) lost for the third time in four games.

The Phillies pounced on Anderson for four first-inning runs.

Cesar Hernandez reached on a leadoff single and scored on Altherr's run-scoring double to center for a 1-0 lead. After a walk to Maikel Franco, Joseph broke out of an 0-for-8 slump with a two-out, three-run homer to left that scored Altherr and Franco for a 4-0 lead.

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The Phillies made it 7-0 in the second when Altherr doubled home Cameron Rupp and Hernandez. Altherr then scored on Odubel Herrera's one-out single to center.

That was it for Anderson, replaced by left-hander Mike Montgomery. Anderson struck out one and walked one.

"When you have a tough pitching night like that, it makes it tough for the team," Maddon said.

The Phillies threatened in each of the next two innings with runners at third, but Montgomery got out of jams unscathed each time.

The Cubs had the bases loaded in the fourth with two outs, but Willson Contreras struck out swinging to end the inning.

Baez ended Velasquez's shutout with a homer to right to lead off the fifth.

Montgomery was pulled for a pinch hitter in the fifth. He worked 3 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hits while striking out two and walking two.

Waves of rain fell throughout the day and forced an 85-minute delay. The game got under way at 8:30 p.m. CT in a steady drizzle that eased by the second inning.

NOTES: Philadelphia snapped a three-game Wrigley Field losing streak and is now 19-14 at the park since 2007. ... The Phillies finished April with a plus-6 run differential for the month, the first time since 2011 that Philadelphia had a positive figure after 23 games. The Phillies scored 106 runs while allowing 100. ... Philadelphia sends RHP Jeremy Hellickson (4-0, 1.80 ERA) against Cubs LHP Jon Lester (0-1, 3.68) in Tuesday's second game. ... RHPs Wade Davis and Carl Edwards Jr. are the first Cubs relief pitchers to not allow an earned run in the season's first month among pitchers who threw at least 10 innings. ... The next appearance by Cubs RHP Koji Uehara will be the 400th of his career. ... Chicago's Joe Maddon needs six victories to reach 1,000 for his big league managerial career that has included stops with the Angels, Tampa Bay and the Cubs. He's 994-864. ... The Cubs did not arrive in Chicago until 5 a.m. Monday after a Sunday night game in Boston.

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