Cubs Give a Thumping to the Tigers with 10-2 Win

After Wednesday's ugly loss, the Chicago Cubs returned the favor with an impressive showing. The bats were out in full force and Justin Steele gave key bullpen arms some much-needed rest.

Jack Neely gave a solid inning of work to secure the win. With any rookie, there will be some growing pains. The Cubs appear to see it through and allow him to develop into a solid option in the bullpen.

Tale of the Tape

The Cubs had to win on Thursday. If they want any shot at the postseason, series wins are vital in achieving that goal. Justin Steele took the mound and fortunately understood the assignment.

Through seven innings, the lefty struck out 10 and allowed no walks. The Cubs need their homegrown ace to continue this type of performance the rest of the season. It goes a long way in resting the bullpen and giving the offense a fighting chance. 

With Miguel Amaya's grand slam, the Cubs were in the driver's seat early and never looked back. The catcher continues to improve during the second half with a better approach at the plate.

The offense was rolling and didn't miss a beat against Tigers' starter Kenta Maeda. To name a few, Cody Bellinger and Nico Hoerner brought RBIs to the hitting parade. It really took a team effort to end this game early. 

At 6-0, the Tigers finally got to Justin Steele. A two-run homer from Spencer Torkelson kept Detroit from leaving Wrigley Field with a goose egg. All the while, Pete Crow-Armstrong did his best at the plate to eliminate that effort.

Already leading 7-2, the young outfielder cleared the bases and extended the Cubs lead. With his approach at the plate, he's making it known that he can play at this level.

Pete Crow-Armstrong is developing into a solid everyday player. It's becoming clear that the Cubs finally have their centerfielder of the future. 

After his 3rd hit of the game, Miguel Amaya pushed the Cubs to a 10-2 lead. It brought home a fun day at the ballpark and many positives to takeaway. Rookie Jack Neely ended things quite well after a shaky debut.

Takeaways

The Cubs are playing an enjoyable brand of baseball. Granted, this should have been much earlier in the season, but at this point it's better late than never. If they're going to ultimately miss the playoffs they might as well make it fun.

An impressive bullpen has been the story for the team in the second half. With the likes of Tyson Miller and Jorge Lopez, the Cubs are finding production in all the right places.

Thanks to Justin Steele's dominance, an extra day of rest will provide them with max energy against the Miami Marlins. 

What's On Tap Next?

The Cubs are back at it again on Friday. This time, Kyle Hendricks takes the mound against the Miami Marlins and righty Max Meyer on the road. First pitch is at 6:10 PM CDT on Marquee Sports Network to kick off the weekend series.