Mifflin/KU’s Swarmer gets 1st MLB win
CHICAGO » Matt Swarmer earned his first big league win and Frank Schwindel homered in a three-hit showing to lead the Chicago Cubs over the St. Louis Cardinals 6-1 Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader.
Swarmer (1-0), a Gov. Mifflin and Kutztown University product, allowed two hits and one earned run in six innings, striking out six and walking two. The right-hander made his first start Monday, getting a no-decision while giving up one earned run in six innings against Milwaukee.
Swarmer helped snap Paul Goldschmidt’s 25game hitting streak. The Cardinals star went 0-for-2 with a strikeout, a groundout and two walks, and fell one game short of the longest hitting streak in his career.
Drafted in the 19th round in 2016, the 28-year-old Swarmer stifled St. Louis with firm control of his fastball and slider. With his father, sister and agent in attendance, he retired nine straight between the second and fourth innings.
“I’m just locked into the glove,” Swarmer said. “I was going off (catcher) Willson Contreras’ (calls) and then not trying to think about the hitters as much. I know (St. Louis) has some bigname guys. It’s definitely hard. You’re like, ‘Wow, he’s actually in the box with me.’”
Swarmer is the first Cub pitcher since Gene Lillard (1939) to start his big league career by allowing one run or fewer in consecutive starts of at least six innings.
Schwindel hit his eighth homer, connecting against Johan Oviedo for a drive that nearly cleared the bleachers in left-center field for a 2-0 lead in the fifth.
Rafael Ortega hit an RBI double later in the inning.
Schwindel added two more hits, including an RBI single in the sixth that extended Chicago’s lead to 5-1. He is batting .298 since May 11 and leads Chicago with six homers and 20 RBIs in the stretch.
Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols made his 3,000th major league appearance after Corey Dickerson left the game early with left calf discomfort. Pujols went 0-for-3 with a walk.
The only other active player with at least 2,500 major league appearances is Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera.
Swarmer tried not to let the occasion get to his head.
“I always watched those guys on TV,” Swarmer said. “Now, to have a chance to face them, it’s really special in that moment. I have to soak it all in.”
Chicago manager David Ross liked what he saw from Swarmer in his first week as a major leaguer.
“Very impressive, never really in trouble,” Ross said. “I don’t know the stat, but it felt like maybe one guy got on second. It wasn’t many. Had both the slider and fastball working up and out.”
Cubs rookie Christopher Morel had the first three-hit game of his career. He has reached base in all 18 of his major league games.
Oviedo (0-1) allowed three earned runs in five innings in his first big league start this season. He dropped to 0-9 in his career as a major league starter.