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Olt powers Cubs past Diamondbacks

Apr 23, 2014 - 4:44 AM Chicago, IL (SportsNetwork.com) - Mike Olt had a three-run home run and Jason Hammel held Arizona to just one run on four hits in the Chicago Cubs' 9-2 rout of the Diamondbacks in the second test of a four-game set from Wrigley Field.

Hammel (3-1) went seven innings for the third straight start and added four strikeouts to help Chicago to its first two-game winning streak of the season. The Cubs have won three of four overall.

"It's simple math, if you don't let any body on base you don't have to worry about giving up runs," Hammel said of keep Arizona off the basepaths for much of his outing.

Justin Ruggiano and Nate Schierholtz had two RBI apiece while Luis Valbuena recorded two hits, an RBI and three runs scored in the triumph.

Brandon McCarthy (0-4) remained winless on the season after striking out six in five frames. Four of the five runs charged to McCarthy were unearned.

Tuffy Gosewisch's first hit of the season left the ballpark to supply Arizona with its first run in the sixth inning, and Paul Goldschmidt added an RBI single in the ninth.

The Diamondbacks own the worst record in the majors at 5-18.

"This is just a different animal right now," McCarthy said of his team's struggles. "Everybody has their answers and I don't know what the right one is. Everybody's looking and searching and doing everything they can do, but it just keeps happening and happening."

Schierholtz made it 1-0 with his RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the third inning. Valbuena doubled earlier in the frame and scored the first run.

Chicago opened it up with four runs in the fifth. Valbuena started the rally with a single, Anthony Rizzo reached on Martin Prado's error and Schierholtz plated the game's second run with a sacrifice fly to right. After Starlin Castro's single put two on, Olt took a 3-1 pitch out to right-center for his fourth homer of the season.

Gosewisch opened the sixth with his first career longball to put Arizona on the board, but Chicago pushed four more across in the eighth. Castro was on second with two outs when Jeff Baker walked and Ryan Kalish reached on an infield single to load the bases. J.J. Putz walked Valbuena to force in a run and Ruggiano plated two with his single to right. Rizzo's RBI single made it 9-1.

Game Notes

Prado's error was his fifth of the season ... Chicago went 5-for-14 with runners in scoring position ... The Cubs will look to win their third straight on Wednesday when they send Opening Day starter Jeff Samardzija to the hill to oppose Wade Miley.