SAN DIEGO – When the Cubs staggered out of Milwaukee Sunday night, the only thing they needed more than a shortstop was a win.
That’s about the time Nico Hoerner got off his couch at his family’s house in Oakland and started packing.
And about 30 hours later, the Cubs had both – Hoerner delivering one of most eye-popping debuts in Cubs history in a 10-2 victory over the Padres that the reeling Cubs desperately needed.
Making the jump from Class AA to the majors after the Cubs lost both their shortstops in a matter of days, Hoerner delivered hits to all three fields, drove in four runs and was responsible for five of the Cubs’ first nine outs defensively at short in the opener of a four-game series.