The Chicago Cubs picked up a 7-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners at Sloan Park on Thursday in spring training action. Chas McCormick paced the offense, going 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI, giving the coaching staff plenty to be encouraged about as the exhibition schedule continues. On the mound, Edward Cabrera turned in a solid outing, working 3.2 innings of 1-run ball with three strikeouts. The Cubs finished with 10 hits on the day while holding the Mariners to 6. The victory gives the Cubs positive momentum heading into the final stretch of spring training. The coaching staff will look to build on the strong showing in the games ahead.

Key Performers

Chas McCormick was the offensive highlight at the plate, going 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. His ability to drive the ball out of the park was the highlight of the afternoon. Performances like this give the Cubs confidence that the lineup is rounding into form.

Devin Ortiz also contributed, going 1-for-2 with a double and two RBI, Ian Happ chipped in, going 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI, and Michael Busch added to the attack, going 2-for-3. The depth of production throughout the lineup was encouraging to see.

On the other side of the diamond, Colin Davis led the Mariners offense with a 1-for-1 with a home run and three RBI day. Cole Young also contributed, going 1-for-3 with an RBI. Brendan Donovan added a 1-for-3 effort as well. Despite those contributions, the Cubs pitching staff did enough to limit the damage and secure the victory.

On the Mound

Edward Cabrera earned the win after putting together a workmanlike effort, working 3.2 innings while allowing 1 earned run on 4 hits with three strikeouts. He threw 60 pitches in the outing. It was a useful learning experience as the Cubs evaluate their pitching depth heading into the regular season.

The bullpen combined for 5.1 innings of work, allowing 3 earned runs while striking out six. Spring training gives the coaching staff a chance to evaluate bullpen depth, and today was an encouraging showing from the relievers. Each reliever is auditioning for a roster spot, and innings like these factor into those decisions. Vince Reilly recorded the save to close out the game.

Among the relievers, Corbin Martin stood out with 1.0 innings of scoreless work, striking out three. His performance was one of the day's bright spots from the bullpen.

How It Happened

Mariners got on the board first with a run in the third inning. The Cubs struck back with two runs in the third. The Cubs added a run in the fifth. The Cubs tacked on four runs in the seventh. Mariners countered with three runs in the eighth. The Cubs spread their scoring across three different innings, applying consistent pressure throughout the game. The Cubs out-hit Mariners 10-6 on the day, with both teams playing clean defense. A crowd of 14,717 was on hand to take in the action.

Looking Ahead

As the exhibition schedule nears its conclusion, the Cubs can point to this game as a step in the right direction. The combination of solid pitching and timely hitting is exactly what the coaching staff hopes to see at this stage of the spring. The focus now shifts to maintaining this level of play with the regular season just around the corner.