Cubs Cruise Past Phillies Behind Imanaga, Hoerner

Chicago heads home with momentum after dominant 11-2 win to close out series

Apr. 16, 2026 at 2:05pm

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A cubist-style painting depicting a baseball game in a fractured, multi-perspective manner, with sharp, overlapping geometric planes representing the action on the field.A cubist interpretation of the Cubs' dominant victory over the Phillies, capturing the energy and intensity of the game through a fragmented, geometric lens.Chicago Today

The Chicago Cubs capped off their series against the Philadelphia Phillies with an 11-2 victory on April 15. Shota Imanaga struck out 11 over six strong innings on the mound, while Nico Hoerner drove in a career-high five runs to power the Cubs' offense to a 15-hit attack.

Why it matters

The win gives the Cubs (9-9) some much-needed momentum as they return home to face the New York Mets. With key relievers still on the injured list, the ability of the starting pitching and lineup to carry the load is crucial for the Cubs to stay competitive in the NL Central.

The details

Imanaga used his split-finger fastball and high heater to keep Phillies hitters off balance all night, throwing 67 of his 97 pitches for strikes. Hoerner led the offensive charge, recording a career-high five RBIs to fuel the Cubs' 15-hit outburst. Michael Busch and Ian Happ were the only Cubs starters without a hit, but the rest of the lineup more than made up for it.

  • The Cubs finished off the Phillies with the 11-2 win on April 15.
  • Chicago heads home to face the Mets on Friday, April 18.

The players

Shota Imanaga

The Cubs starting pitcher struck out 11 over six strong innings, allowing just two runs and throwing 67 of his 97 pitches for strikes to earn his first win of the season.

Nico Hoerner

The Cubs shortstop drove in a career-high five runs to power the team's 15-hit attack and dominant 11-2 win over the Phillies.

Michael Busch

The Cubs infielder was the only starter without a hit in the team's 15-hit performance, going 0-for-4 on the night.

Ian Happ

The Cubs outfielder also failed to record a hit, going 0-for-4 as the only other Cubs starter without a hit in the 11-2 win.

Craig Counsell

The Cubs manager praised Imanaga's command and confidence, as well as the production from Hoerner, Dansby Swanson, and Matt Shaw, who combined for nine RBIs.

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What they’re saying

“Shota's command and confidence were key factors tonight. The balance we got from the lineup, with Nico, Dansby, and Matt all driving in runs, was huge.”

— Craig Counsell, Cubs Manager

What’s next

The Cubs open a series against the Mets at Wrigley Field on Friday, April 18. Edward Cabrera is the expected starter for Chicago, while Kodai Senga is lined up for New York.

The takeaway

When the Cubs get this kind of dominant starting pitching performance combined with a deep, balanced offensive attack, they have shown they can quickly stack up wins and stay competitive in the NL Central race.