BASEBALL: Cubs' big hits back up Edward Cabrera in winning team debut vs. Angels

Edward Cabrera pitched six innings of one-hit ball, and Ian Happ homered for the third consecutive game as the Chicago Cubs defeated the visiting Los Angeles Angels 7-2 on Monday.

Carson Kelly and Moises Ballesteros each contributed two-run singles as the Cubs out-hit the Angels 9-5.

Los Angeles has now dropped three straight after winning its first two games. Yoan Moncada homered for the Angels, and Nolan Schanuel had two hits, including a single in the ninth inning that helped put two runners on with one out. But Cubs reliever Colin Rea struck out Jorge Soler and Moncada to close out a three-inning save.

Cabrera (1-0) retired 10 of the first 11 batters he faced in a scoreless major-league debut. By that time, Chicago had built an early lead that proved enough.

After Angels starter Ryan Johnson loaded the bases with one out in the first inning, Nico Hoerner opened the scoring with an RBI sacrifice fly. Kelly followed with a two-run bloop single that was pushed by the wind toward short right-center field.

The Cubs added three more runs in the third inning. Happ hit an opposite-field solo homer to left with one out, and a defensive miscue by Moncada at third base extended the inning. With runners on second and third, Kelly lined sharply to second baseman Oswald Peraza. Moncada tried to tag the runner instead of staying on the bag to complete a double play, allowing Chicago to capitalize. Ballesteros then hit a two-run single to right field.

Cabrera, acquired from Miami in a January trade, finished with one hit, one walk, and five strikeouts over six innings.

Johnson (0-1) allowed six runs on seven hits over 3 1/3 innings, walking four and striking out two.

Los Angeles avoided a shutout after Cabrera exited, with Moncada connecting for a two-run homer against Rea in the seventh. That was the Angels’ only extra-base hit of the night. Dansby Swanson added an RBI single for Chicago in the bottom half of the inning.

Joey Lucchesi and Shaun Anderson combined for 4 2/3 innings of two-hit, one-run relief for the Angels.

—Field Level Media/Reuters