Chicago Cubs vs Tampa Bay Rays Match Player Stats

The chicago cubs vs tampa bay rays match player stats tell the story of a game controlled by Chicago from the middle innings onward. The Cubs defeated the Rays 9-2 at Tropicana Field, collecting 16 hits while holding Tampa Bay to only six. Javier Assad delivered 5.2 scoreless innings, Pete Crow-Armstrong produced three hits and three runs, and Moisés Ballesteros added three RBIs, including a two-run home run in the ninth inning.

For anyone looking beyond the final score, this game offers several useful statistical lessons. Chicago did not rely on one isolated performance. The Cubs combined efficient starting pitching, consistent contact, extra-base hits, timely baserunning, and pressure on Tampa Bay’s defense. The result was nine runs from 41 at-bats, compared with only two runs from 32 at-bats for the Rays.

The official MLB game coverage also records the 9-2 Cubs victory, Assad’s 5.2 scoreless innings, and home runs from Crow-Armstrong and Ballesteros. MLB’s official game coverage

Chicago Cubs vs Tampa Bay Rays Match Player Stats at a Glance

Category	Chicago Cubs	Tampa Bay Rays
Final Score	9	2
Hits	16	6
Runs	9	2
Errors	0	1
At-Bats	41	32
RBIs	8	2
Home Runs	2	0
Walks	3	3
Strikeouts	5	5
RISP	5-for-13	2-for-10
Left on Base	9	7
Winning Pitcher	Javier Assad
Losing Pitcher		Mason Englert
Game Time	2:47	2:47
Attendance	21,377	21,377

The numbers immediately show why Chicago won. The Cubs recorded 10 more hits, scored seven more runs, hit two home runs, committed no errors, and converted five of 13 opportunities with runners in scoring position.

Tampa Bay, by comparison, went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position. That difference mattered because both clubs left runners on base. Chicago left nine, while Tampa Bay left seven, but the Cubs consistently did more damage when opportunities appeared.

How the Game Developed

The game was not a nine-inning offensive explosion from the opening pitch. Chicago built its advantage gradually.

The Cubs scored twice in the second inning, added two more in the third, another run in the sixth, one in the seventh, one in the eighth, and two in the ninth. Tampa Bay did not score until the eighth inning.

That scoring pattern is important because it shows sustained offensive pressure rather than a single lucky inning.

Chicago’s offense repeatedly forced Tampa Bay to make decisions with runners aboard. The Cubs produced doubles from Alex Bregman, Dansby Swanson, and Matt Shaw. Crow-Armstrong and Ballesteros supplied the two home runs.

Tampa Bay’s two runs came in the eighth inning, when Jonathan Aranda delivered an RBI double and Ryan Vilade followed with an RBI single.

By then, however, Chicago had already established a seven-run advantage.

Cubs Offensive Performance

Alex Bregman Sets the Tone

Alex Bregman was one of Chicago’s most productive hitters, collecting three hits.

His performance included a double, giving him one of Chicago’s five extra-base hits in the game. He also scored a run after reaching safely in the third inning.

Three hits in one game are significant because they increase pressure throughout the lineup. When a hitter consistently reaches base, the following batters receive more opportunities to drive in runs.

Bregman’s production was particularly useful because the Cubs did not have to depend exclusively on their home-run hitters.

His three-hit performance also illustrates why a box score should be read beyond batting average. A player who reaches base multiple times can influence the game even when he does not hit a home run.

Pete Crow-Armstrong Produces a Complete Offensive Game

Pete Crow-Armstrong was one of the most noticeable players in the matchup.

His line included:

• 3 hits
• 3 runs scored
• 1 home run
• 1 RBI
• 1 stolen base
• 1 caught stealing

Crow-Armstrong’s value came from several parts of the game rather than one category.

He reached base, advanced aggressively, scored three times, and provided a home run in the seventh inning. His three runs were the most scored by any player in the game.

The stolen base also demonstrated his ability to create pressure without waiting for a teammate to drive him in.

There was one negative element in the baserunning numbers. Crow-Armstrong was also caught stealing. That makes his overall baserunning line more interesting because it shows both the benefit and risk of aggressive running.

A three-run performance does not require three RBIs from the same player. Crow-Armstrong’s contribution shows how runs can be created through a combination of hitting, speed, and lineup context.

Moisés Ballesteros Drives in Three Runs

Moisés Ballesteros led the Cubs with three RBIs.

His contributions came in two important moments.

In the third inning, his sacrifice fly helped Chicago extend its lead. In the ninth, he hit a two-run home run that completed the Cubs’ scoring.

That combination is especially valuable because it demonstrates two different forms of offensive production.

A sacrifice fly can create a run without counting as a hit. A home run can immediately generate multiple runs while also providing extra-base value.

Ballesteros finished with one of the game’s most important offensive lines because his three RBIs directly accounted for a substantial portion of Chicago’s nine runs.

Michael Conforto and Matt Shaw Add Early Damage

Chicago’s second-inning attack began with Michael Conforto’s RBI single.

Matt Shaw then added an RBI double.

The sequence gave Chicago an early 2-0 advantage and established the pattern for the rest of the night.

The Cubs did not need to wait for a late comeback situation. They built an advantage early and then continued adding to it.

Shaw’s double was also one of three Cubs doubles in the game.

Nico Hoerner Contributes in Multiple Ways

Nico Hoerner contributed an RBI through a fielder’s choice in the sixth inning and added an RBI single in the eighth.

His production highlights another important part of evaluating offensive performance.

Not every productive plate appearance results in a home run or extra-base hit. A fielder’s choice that brings home a runner can be strategically important, particularly when it extends an existing lead.

Hoerner also stole a base, adding another dimension to Chicago’s offensive pressure.

Tampa Bay Rays Offensive Performance

The Rays recorded six hits and scored two runs.

Jonathan Aranda and Curtis Simpson each recorded two hits, making them Tampa Bay’s leading hitters by hit total.

Aranda also drove in one run with a double in the eighth inning. Ryan Vilade provided Tampa Bay’s other RBI with a single later in the same inning.

The biggest issue for Tampa Bay was not a complete lack of offensive opportunities. Instead, the Rays struggled to turn enough opportunities into runs.

They went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

That means Tampa Bay did collect some timely hits, but Chicago’s pitching prevented those opportunities from becoming a sustained rally.

Jonathan Aranda

Aranda finished with two hits and one RBI.

His eighth-inning double represented one of Tampa Bay’s most productive offensive moments. The Rays finally broke through against the Cubs pitching staff, but the rally came after Chicago had already created a substantial lead.

Curtis Simpson

Simpson also collected two hits.

His two-hit performance helped account for part of Tampa Bay’s six-hit total, although the Rays could not consistently convert those baserunners into runs.

That distinction matters when examining player stats. A two-hit game can be individually productive while still occurring inside an offense that struggles to score.

Javier Assad’s Dominant Start

The pitching story begins with Javier Assad.

His line:

• 5.2 innings
• 1 hit allowed
• 0 earned runs
• 3 strikeouts
• 2 walks
• Game Score: 68

Assad’s performance was the foundation of Chicago’s victory.

Allowing only one hit through 5.2 innings meant Tampa Bay rarely had a chance to build a sustained inning against him.

The most important number may actually be the zero in the earned-run column.

Chicago’s offense eventually produced nine runs, but Assad made sure the Rays could not match that production during his time on the mound.

The official MLB coverage also notes that Assad carried a perfect game into the fifth inning before allowing an infield single.

Why Assad’s Efficiency Mattered

A starter does not need to throw a complete game to influence the result.

Assad gave Chicago nearly six innings of scoreless work and allowed only one hit. That reduced pressure on the bullpen and gave the offense time to build a comfortable lead.

His three strikeouts were useful, but the overall line shows that he did not need a huge strikeout total to dominate.

Contact management and limiting baserunners were enough.

He also allowed two walks, which prevented the outing from being completely flawless. However, Tampa Bay could not turn those walks into meaningful scoring opportunities.

Mason Englert’s Difficult Outing

Mason Englert took the loss after allowing:

• 3.2 innings
• 7 hits
• 3 earned runs
• 2 strikeouts
• 1 walk
• Game Score: 34

The most important issue was the volume of contact.

Englert allowed seven hits in fewer than four innings. Chicago repeatedly put the ball in play and kept extending opportunities.

The Cubs did not need to wait for walks to create traffic. Their ability to collect hits produced enough baserunners to keep pressure on Tampa Bay.

Englert was charged with three earned runs, but Tampa Bay’s pitching staff eventually allowed nine runs overall.

That distinction matters. The final score reflects the performance of the entire pitching staff, not only the starting pitcher.

Chicago’s Bullpen Finishes the Job

After Assad exited, Chicago used Héctor Milner, Phil Maton, Caleb Thielbar, and Jacob Webb.

Together, the Cubs pitching staff completed the nine-inning game with:

• 6 hits allowed
• 2 runs
• 2 earned runs
• 3 walks
• 5 strikeouts
• 0 home runs allowed

The bullpen’s main responsibility was preserving the advantage.

Once Chicago established a 5-0 lead, the relief pitchers did not need to dominate every at-bat. They needed to prevent Tampa Bay from creating a large rally.

They accomplished that.

The Rays scored twice in the eighth, but Chicago answered with two runs of its own in the ninth.

That response prevented Tampa Bay’s late offense from changing the overall outcome.

Comparing the Team Batting Numbers

The clearest offensive difference was the hit total.

Chicago: 16 hits

Tampa Bay: 6 hits

That is a difference of 10 hits in a single game.

Chicago also recorded two home runs compared with none for Tampa Bay.

The Cubs’ extra-base hits were:

• Alex Bregman double
• Dansby Swanson double
• Matt Shaw double
• Pete Crow-Armstrong home run
• Moisés Ballesteros home run

Tampa Bay had one double from Jonathan Aranda and no home runs.

This is a major reason the Cubs were able to score nine runs.

The offense combined contact with power. That is usually more difficult for a defense to contain than an offense that depends entirely on one type of hit.

Situational Hitting Was Another Difference

Chicago went 5-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

Tampa Bay went 2-for-10.

Chicago therefore produced a hit in approximately 38.5 percent of its RISP opportunities, while Tampa Bay converted approximately 20 percent.

These figures should not be treated as permanent indicators of either team’s offensive ability. RISP performance can vary significantly from game to game.

For this particular matchup, however, the difference was meaningful.

Chicago was better at turning opportunities into runs.

Baserunning Added Another Layer

The Cubs stole three bases:

• Dansby Swanson
• Nico Hoerner
• Pete Crow-Armstrong

Crow-Armstrong was also caught stealing.

Aggressive baserunning can create scoring opportunities without requiring a hit from the next batter.

A stolen base moves a runner into better scoring position and can change how a pitcher approaches the next hitter.

At the same time, the caught stealing shows why aggressive baserunning always carries risk.

The Cubs ultimately benefited from their willingness to pressure Tampa Bay on the bases.

Defensive Performance

Chicago committed zero errors.

Tampa Bay committed one error, a throwing error by Nick Fortes.

That error contributed to Chicago’s third-inning scoring.

Defensive errors do not always lead directly to runs, but they can extend innings and create additional pressure.

In this game, Tampa Bay’s mistake came during an inning in which Chicago was already producing offensive momentum.

Chicago’s clean defensive game was equally important.

A team that scores nine runs has plenty of offensive margin, but avoiding defensive mistakes reduces the possibility of giving the opposing lineup extra opportunities.

Inning-by-Inning Scoring Breakdown

Second Inning

Chicago opened the scoring with two runs.

Michael Conforto delivered an RBI single, followed by Matt Shaw’s RBI double.

The inning established the early advantage.

Third Inning

Chicago added two more runs.

Alex Bregman scored on Fortes’ throwing error, and Ballesteros produced a sacrifice fly.

The Cubs now led 4-0.

Sixth Inning

Nico Hoerner’s fielder’s choice brought Ballesteros home.

Chicago extended the lead to 5-0.

Seventh Inning

Crow-Armstrong hit his home run.

The solo shot made it 6-0.

Eighth Inning

The eighth was the most active inning for both teams.

Chicago added a run on Hoerner’s RBI single.

Tampa Bay finally responded with two runs, coming from Aranda’s RBI double and Vilade’s RBI single.

The score moved to 7-2.

Ninth Inning

Ballesteros finished the scoring with a two-run home run.

The Cubs won 9-2.

The inning-by-inning pattern demonstrates an important characteristic of the game. Chicago kept adding runs even after building a large lead.

Key Statistical Takeaways

1. The Cubs Won the Hit Battle Decisively

Sixteen hits against six is the most obvious statistical difference.

Chicago’s offense consistently created baserunners.

2. Assad Limited the Rays Before They Could Build Momentum

Five and two-thirds scoreless innings with only one hit allowed gave Chicago control of the game.

3. Chicago Had More Power

The Cubs hit two home runs and three doubles.

Tampa Bay had one double and no home runs.

4. Situational Hitting Favored Chicago

The Cubs went 5-for-13 with runners in scoring position.

The Rays went 2-for-10.

5. Chicago Played Clean Defense

The Cubs committed no errors.

Tampa Bay made one throwing error.

6. The Cubs Used Speed Effectively

Three stolen bases added pressure, although Crow-Armstrong was also caught stealing.

What the Player Stats Say About the Game

Looking at the matchup through only the final score misses some of the most useful information.

Chicago’s victory came from several connected advantages.

Assad limited the Rays’ offense.

The Cubs then produced 16 hits.

• Their hitters created five extra-base hits.
• Their runners stole three bases.
• Their defense committed no errors.
• Their hitters converted five of 13 RISP opportunities.

These numbers explain why the game became a comfortable nine-run victory.

The most interesting part is that no single statistic explains everything.

Crow-Armstrong was the leading run scorer.

Ballesteros was the leading RBI producer.

Bregman was the hit leader.

Assad was the pitching leader.

Hoerner contributed with both his bat and his legs.

That distribution of production is usually a sign of a game in which multiple parts of a roster contributed.

Understanding the Difference Between Hits, Runs, and RBIs

Readers searching for player statistics often focus on hits, runs, and RBIs.

Those numbers answer different questions.

A hit measures whether the batter reached safely because of a hit.

A run measures whether that player eventually crossed home plate.

An RBI measures whether a batter was credited with driving in a run under the official scoring rules.

Crow-Armstrong is a useful example.

He recorded three hits and scored three runs, but he had one RBI.

Ballesteros had one home run and three RBIs, while his sacrifice fly also contributed to Chicago’s scoring.

This shows why a complete player-stat analysis should never rely on only one category.

Why the 16-Hit Total Matters

Sixteen hits is not simply a large number in isolation.

The Cubs spread those hits across several players.

Bregman had three.

Crow-Armstrong produced three.

Other Chicago hitters supplied doubles, singles, and home runs.

That distribution makes an offense harder to neutralize because the opposing pitching staff cannot focus exclusively on one batter.

A lineup with multiple contributors can continue producing even when one hitter has a quiet night.

Why Tampa Bay’s Six Hits Were Not Enough

Six hits can be enough to win a baseball game.

The problem for Tampa Bay was what happened around those hits.

The Rays had three walks, but their overall run production remained low.

They also went only 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

This means the Rays did reach base at times, but their opportunities did not consistently become productive innings.

Against a pitcher such as Assad, limited opportunities become even more important.

When a starter allows only one hit through 5.2 innings, an opposing lineup has very little margin for missed chances.

The Importance of the Ninth-Inning Home Run

Ballesteros’ ninth-inning home run was more than an additional two runs.

It completed Chicago’s offensive performance and demonstrated that the Cubs continued attacking after Tampa Bay had scored twice in the eighth.

Late-game scoring can matter from a momentum and roster-management perspective.

A larger lead can allow a manager to use specific bullpen options differently and reduce the pressure of the final defensive innings.

In this game, the ninth-inning homer made the final score 9-2.

What the Matchup Reveals About Pitching and Offense

This game provides a useful example of how offense and pitching interact.

Chicago did not need to score nine runs immediately.

Assad created an early pitching advantage.

The offense gradually expanded it.

The bullpen then protected it.

That sequence is more informative than simply saying the Cubs had a strong offense.

The Cubs scored in six different innings.

That means Tampa Bay’s pitchers had to deal with repeated scoring threats throughout the game.

A Closer Look at Game Score

Javier Assad received a Game Score of 68.

Mason Englert received a Game Score of 34.

Game Score is designed to summarize a starting pitcher’s performance using several components such as innings, strikeouts, hits, walks, and runs.

It should not be treated as a complete evaluation of a pitcher.

Still, the difference between 68 and 34 fits the underlying numbers.

Assad worked deeper, allowed only one hit, and gave up no earned runs.

Englert worked fewer than four innings while allowing seven hits and three earned runs.

The metric therefore aligns with the broader story shown by the box score.

How to Read This Box Score Properly

For readers trying to analyze baseball games more effectively, a useful process is:

1. Start with the final score.
2. Compare total hits.
3. Check starting-pitcher lines.
4. Look at runs with runners in scoring position.
5. Review home runs and extra-base hits.
6. Check errors.
7. Examine baserunning.
8. Look at how the scoring developed inning by inning.

Following these steps gives more context than looking at batting average alone.

For this matchup, every step points toward the same basic conclusion: Chicago created more opportunities and converted more of them.

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the final score of the Chicago Cubs and Tampa Bay Rays game?

The Cubs defeated the Rays 9-2. Chicago recorded 16 hits and Tampa Bay recorded six.

Who was the winning pitcher?

Javier Assad earned the win. He pitched 5.2 innings, allowed one hit, gave up no earned runs, walked two, and struck out three.

Who led the Cubs in hits?

Alex Bregman led Chicago with three hits. Pete Crow-Armstrong also recorded three hits.

Who led the Cubs in RBIs?

Moisés Ballesteros led the Cubs with three RBIs. He also hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning.

How many home runs did the Cubs hit?

Chicago hit two home runs. Pete Crow-Armstrong hit one in the seventh inning, while Moisés Ballesteros hit one in the ninth.

How did Tampa Bay score its two runs?

The Rays scored both of their runs in the eighth inning. Jonathan Aranda produced an RBI double, and Ryan Vilade followed with an RBI single.

Conclusion

The chicago cubs vs tampa bay rays match player stats show a complete Chicago performance rather than a victory based on one isolated statistic.

The Cubs collected 16 hits, scored nine runs, hit two home runs, stole three bases, went 5-for-13 with runners in scoring position, and committed no errors. Tampa Bay managed six hits, two runs, one double, and no home runs while going 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position.

Javier Assad provided the foundation with 5.2 scoreless innings and only one hit allowed. Crow-Armstrong created three runs and added a home run and stolen base. Ballesteros supplied three RBIs and a late two-run homer. Bregman contributed three hits, while Hoerner added both offensive and baserunning production.

The biggest lesson from the box score is that Chicago consistently won the small statistical battles. More hits created more opportunities. Better situational hitting turned those opportunities into runs. Clean defense prevented extra chances. Assad’s pitching kept Tampa Bay from responding until the Cubs had already established control.

For readers studying individual performances, the game also demonstrates why baseball statistics work best when viewed together. Hits, runs, RBIs, pitching innings, earned runs, RISP performance, extra-base hits, stolen bases, and defensive errors each describe a different part of the same game.

Taken together, those numbers provide a much clearer picture of how the Cubs built their 9-2 victory.