ST. PETERSBURG -- The Cubs’ starting rotation definitely has some questions to answer right now -- no one is debating that.
But it’s hard to argue with the recent results.
For the second straight night, the North Siders got a strong effort from a starter pushed into action because of an injury. One game after Javier Assad filled in brilliantly for the injured Matthew Boyd, Colin Rea started in place of the injured Cade Horton on Wednesday against the Rays and delivered five innings of one-run ball as part of a 6-2 win at Tropicana Field.
The Cubs are back to .500 on the year after winning consecutive games for the first time this season.
Rea allowed only two hits and one hard-hit ball. Only one Rays baserunner got past second base against him.
Since Boyd’s Opening Day outing when he gave up six earned runs, Cubs starting pitchers have largely been on point. Their 1.93 ERA and .508 opponents’ OPS since their second game of the season (March 28) is the best in MLB.
Rea got some support before he even hit the mound as Nico Hoerner led off the game with his first homer of the season. It was the second baseman’s fourth career leadoff dinger. Two of them have come against the division-rival Brewers, but the other two, oddly enough, have come against the Rays. Hoerner hit a leadoff dinger against Rays ace Shane McClanahan on May 30, 2023.
Hoerner finished a triple shy of the cycle on the night, has 10 hits in 25 at-bats this month and is batting .333 on the season.
Chicago broke the game open with a five-run fifth inning, which tied its third inning against the Angels on April 1 as the club’s highest-scoring frame of 2026. Outfielder Michael Conforto delivered the big blow with the bases loaded as he jumped on a first-pitch fastball from Rays starter Joe Boyle and sent it to the deepest part in right-center field, a projected 414 feet away. The ball stayed in the yard but cleared the bases. Conforto was credited with a two-run double while the third run scored thanks to a pair of Rays throwing errors.
Two batters later, Hoerner slapped a double down the right-field line to bring home Conforto. Hoerner then scored the fifth run of the inning on Michael Busch’s swinging bunt that was fielded by Rays catcher Hunter Feduccia and promptly spiked past first base, giving Tampa Bay its third error of the inning.