Jon Lester threw six strong innings, and Javier Baez launched a pair of home runs as the Chicago Cubs beat the Texas Rangers 12-4 in an Opening Day blowout.
Baez became the first Cubs player to hit multiple home runs on Opening Day since Corey Patterson accomplished the feat in 2003, and just the seventh player all-time to do so in a Cubs uniform. He infielder drove in four runs and scored twice in the victory.
Other than a third inning home run, Lester was strong, giving up four hits and striking out three batters in six innings of work.
The Rangers got on the board first in the third inning when Elvis Andrus launched a two-run homer to give them a 2-0 lead, but from there the Cubs scored a staggering 12 unanswered runs. Baez’s solo home run in the fourth inning got Chicago on the board, and then a six-run fifth inning gave Chicago the lead.
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Jason Heyward drove in a run on an RBI infield single, and then Mark Zagunis hit an RBI double to make it a 3-2 game. After Kris Bryant hit an RBI groundout to shortstop, Baez unloaded on a three-run home run to right field to make it a 7-2 game.
The Cubs continued to add runs in unconventional ways in the later stages of the game, as Albert Almora Jr.’s infield single and Anthony Rizzo’s bases loaded walk both drove in runs. Bryant did hit his first home run of the season to right field to make it 12-2, and that was more than enough as the Cubs cruised to victory.
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The Cubs and Rangers will take a day off from their series before resuming hostilities on Saturday, as former Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish will take the hill for the second game of a three-game set.
