Cubs drop Rockies after Bryant beaned in first

[April 23, 2018]  Javier Baez homered, starter Jose Quintana reached a career milestone, and the visiting Chicago Cubs overcame a major injury scare to Kris Bryant and beat the Colorado Rockies 9-7 on Sunday.

Bryant was hit in the helmet on a 96 mph pitch from Rockies starter German Marquez in the first inning. The ball knocked his helmet and sunglasses loose, and he walked toward the Cubs dugout as manager Joe Maddon rushed out to meet him.

Bryant appeared groggy and walked to the clubhouse with the help of the training staff.

The Cubs (10-9) later released a statement saying Bryant had passed all tests and there were no signs of a concussion. He suffered a small laceration above his left eye, the Cubs said.

Bryant's absence didn't slow down Chicago's offense. After Bryant was replaced by David Bote, the Cubs had four consecutive singles to take a 3-0 lead.

Baez hit his seventh homer run in the second and Jason Heyward had a two-run single in the third to give Chicago a 6-0 lead.

It was enough for Quintana, who recorded his 1,000th career strikeout when he fanned David Dahl in the second inning, to get the win despite Steve Cishek giving up three runs in the seventh. Quintana (2-1) allowed four earned runs, struck out seven and walked one in 5 1/3 innings.

Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant (17) is tended to after being hit by a pitch in the first inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Brandon Morrow pitched the ninth for his fourth save.

The Rockies rallied to make it close. In the third, Trevor Story hit a two-run triple to right that Heyward lost in the sun and Charlie Blackmon and Nolan Arenado hit back-to-back homers in the fifth to make it 6-4.

Baez's two-run double capped a three-run seventh inning for Chicago but the Rockies rallied for three in the bottom of the inning to keep it close.

The game was interrupted in the top of the sixth inning when a fan jumped the wall along the third-base line and ran into the outfield. Security personnel tackled him on the infield grass between home and third and escorted him off the field.

--Field Level Media

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