Heyward and McCann power Braves past Cubs
Jason Heyward started his job using a three-run homer and Yunel Escobar made a career-best five-RBI performance that permitted the Braves to cruise toward a 16-5 Opening Day win more than the Cubs at Turner Field on Monday afternoon.
With the first swing of his Main League career, Heyward drilled Carlos Zambrano’s 2-0 sinking fastball deep over the right-center-field wall. The three-run shot highlighted the six-run first inning the Braves produced right after Derek Lowe permitted the Cubs to obtain an early lead with Marlon Byrd’s two-out, three-run homer in the top half with the inning.
As Heyward created his way back towards the dugout following providing his club a 6-3 lead, he was greeted by Chipper Jones, who stretched his arms out and hugged the young outfielder, who became just the fifth player within the franchise’s history to homer in his first plate appearance.
On the solution to winning his 2nd consecutive Opening Day commence for that Braves, Lowe overcame his earlier struggles and received some more cushion throughout a two-run second inning that was capped with Brian McCann’s solo shot off Zambrano, who was charged with eight earned runs and six hits in just 1 1/3 innings.
McCann’s third career Opening Day homer capped the early scoring barrage made by the Braves, who saw four of their first six hitters tally singles against Zambrano. Right after Escobar snuck a game-tying two-run single through the middle of the infield, Heyward strolled toward the plate to a thunderous ovation and Yankee Stadium-like chants of “Ja-son Hey-ward.”
Moments later, the 6-foot-5, 240-pound correct fielder became the 11th player in Braves history to homer in his Major League debut and in the method supplied Lowe a lead that he wouldn’t squander. The veteran sinkerballer, who was charged with 5 earned runs and 5 hits in six innings, authorized the Cubs to cut the deficit to three runs with Aramis Ramirez’s two-run, third-inning homer.
But Escobar blew the game open inside the seventh inning with his three-run double off Jeff Samardzija, who had walked every with the three previous batters.
Mark Bowman is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Adapted from:
[...] Jason Heyward started his job using a three-run homer and Yunel Escobar made a career-best five-RBI performance that permitted the Braves to cruise toward a.Continue Reading… [...]