CHICAGO -- Cubs manager Craig Counsell has not witnessed the entirety of Justin Steele’s journey from rookie reliever to experienced Cy Young Award contender. What Counsell has seen this season is a pitcher seizing his place as a leader and wanting to hoist the Cubs on his shoulders.

“There's a confidence that you sense,” Counsell said. “And when it's a starting pitcher, they know what they're capable of. And they also feel that responsibility of, ‘It's my job to do this.’ And that's where you try to get. That's where pitchers try to get. They take games unto themselves, really.”

In a 5-1 win over the Angels on Friday at Wrigley Field, Steele did just that for the North Siders, tossing his first career complete game. The left-hander finished seven strikeouts in the win, needing only four pitches in the ninth inning to set Los Angeles down in order. It marked Steele’s first win since Sept. 4 of last year, when he ended fifth in voting for the National League Cy Young.

Fresh off Thursday’s 10-run outburst against the Phillies, the Cubs’ offense struck quickly for Steele against the Angels.

In the first inning, Cody Bellinger delivered a two-out single up the middle off Los Angeles righty Griffin Canning and Seiya Suzuki followed with a two-run homer to center. Ian Happ -- who had two homers and six RBIs in a memorable Fourth of July performance -- delivered a run-scoring single in the third and fifth innings.

That was plenty for Steele, who gave the Cubs his sixth consecutive quality start.

The lefty’s lone setback arrived in the fifth inning, when Keston Hiura snapped the Angels’ 0-for-14 start to the game with a lined single that nicked the glove of diving second baseman Nico Hoerner. Two batters later, Taylor Ward singled to left field to bring Hiura home, but Chicago was on its way to a second straight win.