Braves tag Cubs' Hendricks for 4 HRs in 1st inning
Kyle Hendricks waited all day for Sunday night, and then he served up a whole bunch of meatballs.
The Chicago Cubs starter barely made it out of the first inning against the Atlanta Braves, who smashed four home runs off him in the opening frame at Wrigley Field.
Freddie Freeman got the party started with a titanic blast that landed on Sheffield Avenue.
This ball should be landing sometime next week.#ForTheA pic.twitter.com/p7FxmzLhvP
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) April 18, 2021
Travis d'Arnaud followed that up with a two-run shot, Ehire Adrianza added a solo homer, and Guillermo Heredia launched the Braves' fourth round-tripper of the first to give starter Bryse Wilson a 6-0 lead before taking the mound.
Source: The top of the 1st inning was fun.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) April 18, 2021
Club confirms.#ForTheA pic.twitter.com/xjXLqMQr9Z
It was the first time in Hendricks' eight-year career that he's allowed four home runs in a single game, let alone one inning.
Until tonight, Kyle Hendricks had never given up four home runs in a Cubs game before. Combined estimated distance of Atlanta’s four homers in the first inning at Wrigley Field: 1,599 feet.
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) April 18, 2021
The right-hander made some dubious history while becoming the ninth pitcher to surrender four long balls in the first inning of a game, according to Sarah Langs of MLB.com. He's also the first Cubs pitcher to do it.
For the Braves, it was the eighth time in their history hitting four homers in an inning, according to Langs.
Chicago earned two runs back for Hendricks in the bottom of the first, including Anthony Rizzo's solo homer.