Carlos Santana hit a three-run homer and an RBI double, Trevor Bauer pitched seven innings of four-hit ball, and the Cleveland Indians beat the Chicago Cubs 6-0 on Tuesday night.
Santana also walked twice and touted prospect Francisco Lindor contributed two hits in his first career start. Santana was just 3 for 28 with a home run and an RBI in his previous seven games.
The Cubs welcomed the Blackhawks and the Stanley Cup to Wrigley Field one night after Chicago beat Tampa Bay 2-0 in Game 6 for its third NHL title in the past six seasons. Cubs manager Joe Maddon hoisted the silver trophy over his head in front of the home dugout, Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews threw a ceremonial first pitch and the teams posed for a picture with the Cup on the pitcher's mound.
The opener of the abbreviated two-game series was rained out in time for Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo to catch the clinching game at the United Center. Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis, who is from the Chicago suburb of Northbrook, celebrated with fellow Blackhawks fans on a packed street in Wrigleyville.
Cubs right-hander Jake Arrieta (6-5) walked six in five innings, and two of them scored on Santana's drive that just cleared the wall in right in the third. Rizzo went 0 for 3 with a walk, extending his slump to 1 for 21 over the last six games.
Bauer (6-3) struck out seven and walked three, bouncing back quite nicely from a rough start in a 9-3 loss to Seattle last Wednesday. Zach McAllister pitched the eighth and Marc Rzepczynski finished the four-hitter.
Bauer also got his first career hit with a leadoff single in the fifth. He was promptly erased by a fielder's choice, but Kipnis stole second and scored when Lindor singled for his first RBI in the majors. Kipnis scored for the third time on Michael Brantley's double in the seventh.
Chicago Baseball
Kyle Schwarber, another hyped prospect from Chicago's rich minor league system, was promoted from Double-A Tennessee before the game, and made his major league debut after catcher Miguel Montero was ejected before the bottom of the eighth. Schwarber struck out looking in his first at-bat in the ninth.
Schwarber will serve as the designated hitter when the Cubs spend the next five days in American League ballparks, beginning with two games in Cleveland. Then the plan is for the fourth overall pick in last year's draft to go to Triple-A Iowa for more seasoning.
