The Chicago Cubs defeated the Milwaukee Brewers 4-0 and 4-1 in their day-night doubleheader on Tuesday, and they did so with a little bit of sacrificing on both the offensive and defensive ends.
All four of the Cubs’ runs in the opener scored without the benefit of a hit. The team had two run-scoring sacrifice flies and a run-scoring sacrifice bunt, and the other run scored on a wild pitch. The four runs tied for the most scored by any team without the benefit of a hit in a single game this season.
The Cubs' four runs also tied for the most such runs by the Cubs in a single game in the past eight seasons (as far back as our automated database goes for this information). They scored four runs without the benefit of a hit on May 16, 2015, in a 4-1 win against the Pirates.
It was the second time this season that the Cubs won a game in which none of their runs scored off a hit. The other game was a 2-1 win over the Brewers on May 18.
The Cubs activated Trevor Cahill from the disabled list prior to today's games to make his first start of the season. He delivered with five scoreless innings, his first scoreless start since 2013.
In the nightcap, first baseman Anthony Rizzo made one of the most amazing catches of the season by standing on the barrier separating the field from the stands to catch a popup.
That Rizzo made the catch isn't that surprising. He's tied for third among first basemen with seven defensive runs saved, one behind Brandon Belt and Chris Davis. His 23 runs saved over the past three seasons are the most in the majors at the position.
