Photo credit: @Cubs

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Chicago Cubs blasted three home runs on Wednesday afternoon to defeat the A’s 10-1 at Wrigley Field. Chicago won the series 2-1.

The A’s are off on Thursday. They are staying in Chicago to face the White Sox for three games starting Friday afternoon.

A’s starter Homer Bailey did not fare well on Wednesday. Bailey, who had faced the Cubs many times when he was with the Cincinnati Reds, was knocked around by the Cubs. The big hit came in the fourth inning with the score tied at one. With the bases loaded, Cubs second baseman Ian Happ blasted an opposite-field grand slam to put the Cubs ahead 5-1. The Cubs’ starter, Jose Quintana stifled the A’s bats on Wednesday. Quintana went seven innings and allowed one run and two hits. He struck out seven A’s.

The A’s drew first blood in the top of the fourth. Marcus Semien led off the frame with a double down the left-field line. He tagged and went to third when Matt Chapman flew out to right. Semien scored on Matt Olson’s sacrifice fly to center. The Cubs tallied five times in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant singled. Bailey hit Anthony Rizzo with a pitch to put two men on. Cubs’ shortstop Javy Baez singled to drive in Bryant to tie the game 1-1. Bailey walked Kyle Scharber to load the bases. Happ hit the grand slam to make it 5-1. It was Happ’s second homer of the year and second career grand slam.

The Cubs put four more runs on the board in the fifth. Nick Castellanos continued to torment the A’s when he doubled with one out. He went to third on Rizzo’s infield single. A’s manager Bob Melvin brought in Lou Trivino to pitch. Trivino gave up a single to Baez for the Cubs’ sixth run of the afternoon. Trivino then had to face the left-handed hitter Schwarber. Trivino, who has not been effective lately, gave up a gopher ball to Schwarber. The ball made it into the stands in left field, and the Cubs now led 9-1 after five complete.

There was no more scoring until the bottom of the eighth. Blake Treinen was now pitching for Oakland. Treinen retired the first two hitters he faced. He could not get by the Cubs catcher Victor Caratini. Caratini blasted his sixth big fly of the season to make it 10-1.

Game Notes: Bailey saw his record drop to 9-8. The A’s are now 65-50 for the year. They remain 1/2 game behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the race for the second Wild Card slot. The Rays lost to the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 on Wednesday in Tampa.

Jose Quintana improved to 10-7 for the year. Quintana is 6-0 in his last seven starts for Chicago. The Cubs improved to 62-52. The Cubs’ home record is 41-19 at Wrigley. They do not play well on the road.

The A’s line score was one run, three hits, and no errors. Marcus Semien had two of the three A’s hits in the game. The Cubs’ line was 10 runs, eleven hits, and no errors.

Time of game was two hours and 37 minutes. 41,179 fans jammed the friendly confines of Wrigley Field to see their beloved Cubs down the A’s.

Up Next: The A’s meet the Chicago White Sox Friday afternoon in Chicago. Game time is set for 12:10 pm PT.