Kyle Schwarber hit home runs on the first two pitches he saw, and he robbed Ryan Howard of extra bases -- all within the first two innings -- as the Chicago Cubs (82-58) completed a double-header sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies (54-88) with a 7-3 win in Game 2.
Schwarber hit the first pitch of his first at bat well over the 409-foot sign and onto the pavilion in center field for a solo home run (14) that gave the Cubs an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first. In the second, Schwarber lined pitch #1 just over the 374-foot mark in left for a two-run shot (15) that scored Dexter Fowler ahead of him. Despite his stumbling after rounding first base, Schwarber put the Cubs up 3-0.
In the bottom of the second, Howard appeared to have a double over Schwarber's head, but the young rookie showed that he can flash the leather as well as he can swing the big stick.
Schwarber has played in 51 games and is hitting .267/.362/.570 with 15 home runs and 41 RBI, making it to the big club to stay on July 17. If he had played more games, he would have a great chance at winning the National League Rookie of the Year award.
The Cubs got more power from certain Rookie of the Year candidate Kris Bryant when he launched a two-run home run (24) into the shrubs behind the center-field fence.
Chris Coghlan was on second after an RBI double and scored on the blast. Bryant later drove home Anthony Rizzo with an RBI single in the seventh. Bryant was 5 for 10 in the double-header (2 for 5 and 3 for 5). In Game 1, Bryant set a new Cubs rookie record for RBI in a season with 87. He now has 90.
The Phillies tallied single runs in the bottoms of the fourth, fifth, and seventh. In the fourth, Andres Blanco brought in Odubel Herrera with a ground out. Cody Asche doubled home Brian Bogusevic with a double in the fifth, and Bogusevic drove in Howard with a single in the seventh.
Kyle Hendricks (W: 7-6, 4.08) provided a quality start with 6 2/3 innings in which he allowed three earned runs (video). Hendricks gave up four hits while walking two and striking out five. Four Cubs relievers finished the job with Hector Rondon (S: 28) getting the final three outs (two strikeouts) after taking over with two men on and nobody out in the ninth.
Alec Asher (L: 0-3, 10.67), making his third Major League start, gave up the first six Cub runs on seven hits in his five innings of work. He walked three and struck out two. The bullpen was good for the final four innings: one run on five hits.
With the sweep, the Cubs picked up a half game on the Pittsburgh Pirates, who defeated the Milwaukee Brewers Friday night. Pittsburgh now leads the Cubs by two games for the top N.L. Wild Card position. The Cubs are nine games in front for N.L. Wild Card spot #2. The Cubs and Pirates play four in Pittsburgh next week beginning with a double-header on Tuesday, September 15. They will play three more times in Chicago from September 25-27.
On Saturday, the Cubs send Dan Haren (9-9, 3.73) to the mound. The Phillies will pitch rookie Jerad Eickhoff (1-3, 4.70). The game begins at 7:05 p.m. EDT.