Game Recap: Swanson drives in six to power Cubs past Rockies

Isaiah Downing - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese · Senior Writer · 7 hours ago

DENVER - When the Chicago Cubs (77-58) embarked on the crucial nine-game West Coast swing, the goal was for at worst to come away with a 6-3 record and even find a way to finish 7-2. However, after being swept by the San Francisco Giants over the weekend and falling to 3-3, the best they can do at this point is 6-3, which needs to happen.

Fortunately for them, they face the MLB-worst Colorado Rockies (38-97) to close out this road trip, and if there was ever a time to secure another sweep, the time is now. Record aside, the Rockies have always given the Cubs trouble at Coors Field, as Chicago hasn't won a series in Colorado in almost a decade.

Behind a massive two-homer, six-RBI night from Dansby Swanson to power the Cubs offense, it was the Cubs doing what they had to do as they took down the Rockies 11-7. It's been a long time coming for the Cubs to have a breakout offensive series, and this is the place and the team for it to happen against.

As has been the case for a while now, Cade Horton took the ball for the Cubs as the Rookie of the Year front-runner continues to deliver. Horton may have only lasted five innings, but he didn't have to last long as he walked two and struck out four across his outing. Horton also allowed two runs on six hits to improve to 9-4 on the season with his ERA falling to 2.92.

Opposing him is someone the Cubs are all too familiar with: German Marquez, who has been known to have some solid games against the Cubs in the past. It was trending in that direction once again in the early innings with Swanson connecting for the first of his two homers in the second to put the Cubs on top for good, 2-0.

Those were the only runs Marquez would allow until his final two innings on the mound as he got lit up for eight runs in just 4 1/3. Despite an early lead for Horton, the Cubs righty found out how difficult it can be to pitch in Coors as the Rockies had plenty of traffic in the early innings, including several situations with a runner in scoring position. To his credit, Horton found ways to escape without significant damage, but you started to see the elevation taking a toll on him.

Still holding their 2-0 lead in the fourth, it was the long ball that got the Cubs back on the board with Ian Happ taking his turn at a home run to make this a 3-0 game. That was followed by a Nico Hoerner double to set the Cubs offense for more, but it was Marquez keeping things right there as he once again was able to limit the damage.

Both of the runs charged to Horton came in the bottom of the fourth, and that was when it was starting to feel as if the Cubs would let another winnable game get away. It all started with a leadoff walk to Breton Doyle to put a runner on, but with two outs, Horton came close to stranding what felt like the 20th runner of the day. Yanquiel Fernandez changed all that with one swing as his two-run shot pulled the Rockies within 3-2 and made this a brand new ballgame.

It was in that moment that the Cubs took it upon themselves to break things open as their offense came to life, scoring six runs in the fifth to begin creating some separation from the Rockies. Three batters into the fifth, and the Cubs had the bases loaded with no outs as this was their best scoring opportunity of the day.

Pete Crow-Armstrong manufactured a run with a sacrifice fly, only to have Happ follow suit with a ground rule double to put the Cubs in front 5-2. Chicago was just getting started as another walk to Hoerner once again loaded the bases setting the table for Swanson who cleared the bases with one swing as his triple broke things open 8-2. Swanson would come in to score on the Matt Shaw single as the Cubs capped off a six-run fifth with a 9-2 lead.

After watching Orlando Arcia pick up an RBI double off Ben Brown in the sixth, the Cubs continued to flex their muscles in the seventh as Swanson and Michael Busch closed out the scoring for the Cubs with a pair of solo shots that made this an 11-3 game. As big a lead as that was, this is Colorado, and no lead is ever safe in the Rockies, which the Cubs started to see late.

Brown had one of those outings that every young pitcher has at Coors, as his breaking stuff didn't break like it typically does. That led to not only the Arcia double in the sixth, but with Ezequiel Tovar and Hunter Goodman starting the seventh off with a pair of singles, it was the Rockies' offense continuing to threaten.

Doyle kept the line moving with an RBI double that made this an 11-4 game, while the Kyle Karros sacrifice fly pulled the Rockies within 11-5. One inning later, and it was the same story for the Cubs and their pen as it was Drew Pomeranz struggling to find his footing on the mound. Pomeranz allowed a leadoff double to Fernandez to start the inning, but responded with back-to-back soft contact outs to put himself on the verge of a scoreless inning.

That was until Kyle Farmer took it upon himself to make things even closer as he took Pomeranz deep to make this an 11-7 game as the comeback bid was on. Those were the final runs of the night for either side as Brad Keller and Andrew Kittredge came in to slam the door shut to give the Cubs a much-needed win.