Bats aid Javier Assad's strong start as Cubs thump Rays

Field Level Media|published: Tue 7th April, 21:47 2026

Apr 7, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Chicago Cubs centerfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (4) celebrates with designated hitter Moises Ballesteros (25) after hitting a solo home run in the seventh inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

Javier Assad threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings and Pete Crow-Armstrong and Moises Ballesteros hit late-inning home runs to seal the Chicago Cubs' 9-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Seven Cubs, including Crow-Armstrong and Ballesteros, had two or more hits as part of a 16-hit output. Nico Hoerner went 2-4 with two RBIs. Further down the order, there was an RBI apiece for Michael Conforto and Matt Shaw as the Cubs evened the three-game series.

Assad (1-0), making his season debut after beginning the year in Triple-A Iowa, retired the first 12 Rays in order. He allowed just one hit and two walks, striking out three.

Mason Englert (0-1) was a spot starter for Tampa Bay after Drew Rasmussen was a late scratch for personal reasons. Englert took the loss, giving up four runs (three earned) on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings.

A two-out Dansby Swanson double sparked a Chicago rally in the second. Conforto followed up with an RBI single before Shaw brought home Conforto with a double to give the Cubs a 2-0 lead.

An error by Rays catcher Nick Fortes resulted in another Cubs run the next inning, when Alex Bregman scored on Fortes' wayward throw made while attempting to catch Crow-Amstrong stealing second. With one out, Ballesteros then hit a sacrifice fly to complete Crow-Armstrong's trip around the bases.

It was Ballesteros' turn to cross home plate in the sixth when he scored on a bases-loaded fielder's choice by Hoerner. Crow-Armstrong's blast off reliever Yoendrys Gomez an inning later snuck out just inside the right field foul pole for a 6-0 lead.

The Cubs loaded the bases again in the eighth and Hoerner knocked in his second run with an RBI single.

Jonathan Aranda ended the shutout bid with an RBI double off Phil Maton in the bottom of the inning. Ryan Vilade followed with an infield single which scored Yandy Diaz.

Ballesteros completed his standout night at the plate with a two-run home run to right off Gomez in the final frame.

--Field Level Media

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