From A Distance: Newcomer Alexander Canario makes himself at home in Wrigleyville

Alexander Canario goes 2-for-4 with 5 RBIs, including grand slam, in Cubs triumph

You just had a feeling that when the plane landed at O’Hare Airport the Chicago Cubs were going to immediately wipe out the memory of a bad road trip.

And it was a rookie making his Major League debut who had the biggest impact in a much-needed laugher.

Alexander Canario went 2-for-4 and drove in five runs, including a grand slam that highlighted an eight-run eighth inning, leading the Cubs to a much-needed 14-1 rout of the Pittsburgh Pirates at the friendly confines of Wrigley Field Tuesday night.

The victory ended a five-game losing streak and a skid of eight losses in the last 10 games and pushed the Cubs another game closer to a postseason berth as the third and final wild card team in the National League.

The Cubs got it going behind the man who has provided a spark throughout the year, shortstop Dansby Swanson, who belted a two-run home run in the first, his 21st of the season.

Patrick Wisdom’s RBI double brought in Christopher Morel to make it 3-0, and after Ke’Bryan Hayes hit a home run in the third inning, it was Seiya Suzuki connecting for his 19th home run of the year to make it 4-1.

Then the Alexander Canario Show took place. He doubled over left fielder Bryan Reynolds head for a double — his first Major League hit — to bring in Morel and make it 5-1 in the sixth.

Two innings later, the Cubs exploded for their snowman inning and it was the 23-year-old Alexander Canario again who made the biggest impact with a grand slam to left-center field to make it 10-1. Soon after that, Cody Bellinger rocked his 26th home run of the season, a three-run shot to dead center field, to make it 13-1 and Jared Young tripled home Suzuki to round out the scoring.

Javier Assad (4-3) went the first five innings, allowing the Hayes home run on five hits and striking out eight. He turned it over to the bullpen as four relievers threw hitless ball the final four innings with two walks and eight more strikeouts, leaving the Pirates human windmills with 16 strikeouts on the evening.

More importantly, the Cubs remained by their lonesomes in the third wild card spot in the NL as the Miami Marlins beat the New York Mets, 4-3, on Tuesday.

Lefty Justin Steele (16-4) gets the start for the Cubs tonight against Pirates right-hander MItch Keller (12-9). Lets see if Alexander Canario can keep it going.