CHICAGO -- The Cubs spent the first couple weeks of this season searching for consistency within their offense. From manager Craig Counsell to the players, there was a repeated mantra that things were bound to turn around soon, given the list of notable names throughout Chicago’s lineup.
Over the past several days, things have turned.
On Friday afternoon, the North Siders had production up and down the order en route to a 12-4 victory over the Mets at Wrigley Field. Nico Hoerner kept his hot start going, Moisés Ballesteros launched a three-run home run and the Cubs moved above the break-even mark (10-9) for the first time this season.
The output gave Chicago its fifth consecutive game with at least seven runs scored, marking the 13th time since 1900 that the ballclub has managed at least that many runs in five or more straight games. It is the first time the Cubs have done so since a five-game streak from July 22-27, 2023. Chicago has not had a six-game run of this kind since 1930.
Following a 10-4 win on Tuesday and an 11-2 romp on Wednesday against the Phillies, the Cubs reached 10 or more runs for a third game in a row. The North Siders had not achieved that feat since September 2019, and have only hit double digits in four or more games twice. There was a four-game run between June-July 2018 and a five-game stretch in June 1930.
The wealth of support was more than sufficient for Cubs starter Edward Cabrera, who was charged with three runs over six innings.
Facing Mets righty Kodai Senga, the Cubs jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning, when Seiya Suzuki got things rolling with an RBI single and Ballesteros followed with his third homer of the year. Hoerner -- coming off a 5-for-11 showing with eight RBIs in the previous two games -- then belted a two-run homer in the second.
The Cubs tacked on a run in the fourth and then created three more in the seventh to spread the game open. In the latter flurry, Matt Shaw delivered a run-scoring double and came across the plate on a wild pitch from lefty Sean Manaea. Dansby Swanson added a sacrifice fly in the seventh and Ian Happ connected for a two-run homer in the eighth.