Chicago Cubs Score and Recap (6/12/26): Cubs 5, Giants 1 – Assad Outstanding in W
The Cubs started their series against the Giants off on a winning note Friday night. They got a terrific starting pitching performance and a big home run to roll to victory.
Javier Assad was very sharp for a second consecutive outing, putting up six shutout frames with almost no traffic on the bases. Chicago broke through against starter Landen Roupp in the top of the 4th with an RBI double by Seiya Suzuki and then a sacrifice fly by Nico Hoerner to make it 2-0.
Michael Busch landed the big blow for the North Siders in the top of the 5th when he hit a three-run homer into McCovey Cove against lefty Erik Miller that increased the lead to 5-0. San Francisco spoiled the shutout when Bryce Eldridge had a solo shot against believer Trent Thornton in the bottom of the 9th, but that would be it in a 5-1 win. (Box score)
Key Moment
The home run by Busch gave the Cubs a lot of breathing room and made the rest of the night much more comfortable for the bullpen.
Why the Cubs Won
A quality start and a couple of big extra-base hits provided the winning formula.
Stats That Matter
- Assad was fantastic in this one: 6 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 5 K, and 1 BB.
- Suzuki had a pair of doubles after the grand slam on Thursday.
Bottom Line
Just getting two wins in a row feels like a big deal for the Cubs right now, and the way they got this one is also important. The starting pitching has been so bad lately that getting someone like Assad to have back-to-back good performances is a revelation. They now have two chances to win the series and break even for the road trip.
On Deck
Game two of the series is Saturday night at 9:05pm CT. Ben Brown takes on Trevor McDonald in a contest available on Marquee with a radio broadcast on The Score.
