Chicago Cubs Score and Recap (5/2/26): Cubs 2, D-Backs 0 – Happ Slugs, Shōta Shines in Shutout
The Cubs continued their dominance at Wrigley Field with a 10th consecutive home victory on Saturday afternoon. This win came in a low-scoring affair that featured a dominant starting pitching performance and a couple of big swings by Ian Happ.
The Gold Glove left fielder put Chicago on top with a solo home run off of Ryne Nelson in the bottom of the 2nd inning. That would turn out to be enough for starter Shōta Imanaga, who threw seven shutout frames.
The North Siders added an insurance run in the bottom of the 8th against hard-throwing Juan Morillo when Happ tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Seiya Suzuki. Ben Brown relieved Imanaga and covered the final two innings with no problem to save the 2-0 victory. (Box score)
Key Moment
The insurance run in the 8th gave the Cubs a bit of breathing room in the final inning that they didn’t end up needing.
Why the Cubs Won
Brilliant work by the two pitchers assured the shutout win.
Stats That Matter
- Imanaga returned to his stellar form after a hiccup in Los Angeles: 7 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 5 K, and 1 BB.
- Happ also had a double and had three of the Cubs’ five hits.
Bottom Line
One of the benefits of the rash of injuries suffered by the bullpen is the emergence of Brown as an option in high-leverage situations. Going into the season, it was unclear whether Imanaga would be able to turn around after a rough end to 2025. He has not only rebounded through the first month of the season, but he might be pitching better than ever.
On Deck
The Cubs go for the sweep on Sunday afternoon at 1:20pm CT. Matthew Boyd goes against Merrill Kelly in a game broadcast on Marquee with a radio feed on The Score.
