Christopher Morel made a memorable mark on Tuesday night, smashing his first career grand slam to lead the Chicago Cubs to a 5-1 victory over the San Diego Padres. Yan Gomes also contributed to the Cubs’ win with a homer of his own.
The win was a welcome change for the Cubs after a tough loss the night before, where they squandered an 8-0 lead and fell 9-8 to the Padres in the series opener.
Manager Craig Counsell acknowledged the importance of bouncing back, saying, “Look, it counts as one. But obviously last night’s a tough game so it’s good to bounce back and get the W.”
Ben Brown, making his first start in the big leagues, delivered a strong performance on the mound for the Cubs. He held the Padres scoreless for 4 2/3 innings before being pulled, allowing just three hits while striking out five and walking one.
Counsell praised Brown’s fastball, noting its effectiveness early in the game, which forced hitters to adjust. Cody Bellinger’s defensive prowess in center field also helped Brown settle in, making a crucial catch and throw to prevent the Padres from scoring.
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On the other side, Joe Musgrove, pitching on the anniversary of his historic no-hitter for the Padres, struggled against the Cubs. He was unable to record an out in the fifth inning, giving up a leadoff homer to Gomes before loading the bases.
Rookie pitcher Stephen Kolek then faced Morel, who wasted no time, launching a 431-foot grand slam. Morel’s impressive display was capped off with a stylish bat flip.
Counsell praised Morel’s approach at the plate, saying, “He laid off a couple sinkers to start the at-bat. Looks like he tried to throw a strike slider and he put a great swing on it. It was well-timed and a huge hit. One of those off the bat that you know it’s a homer.”
Musgrove finished the night allowing four runs and five hits over four innings, striking out five and walking three.
San Diego’s Eguy Rosario added a solo homer in the sixth inning, but it was not enough to spark a comeback.
Looking ahead, the Cubs will send Kyle Hendricks to the mound in the series finale against the Padres’ Dylan Cease. Hendricks will look to improve on his previous outing, where he struggled with an 11.74 ERA.
The win puts the Cubs in a positive position as they aim to build momentum for the rest of the season.
