Nico Hoerner on Monday scored the tying run from second base on a wild pitch in the ninth inning, then delivered the go-ahead single in the 11th as the Chicago Cubs rallied past the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-2.
“His baserunning play in the ninth was spectacular,” Chicago manager Craig Counsell said. “We’ve seen him have some baserunning plays like that, so it was a huge play, and the big hit obviously in the 11th.”
Michael Busch homered for the Cubs leading off the second inning on an 0-2 pitch from Merrill Kelly. It was the rookie’s sixth of the season and a fifth straight game with a home run, equaling the franchise record.
Photo: Joe Camporeale-USA Today
Hack Wilson, Ryne Sandberg, Sammy Sosa and teammate Christopher Morel also homered in five consecutive games for the Cubs. Morel did it last year.
Busch walked in the 11th inning and Garrett Cooper singled, moving automatic runner Nick Madrigal to third against Kevin Jarvis (0-1) and loading the bases. Hoerner followed with a single to right field, advancing all three runners one base.
Chicago were unable to tack on, but Keegan Thompson (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings for the win, walking one and striking out three. He fanned Christian Walker with the potential tying run on third to end it.
Arizona were held to just three hits.
Corbin Carroll’s two-out RBI single off reliever Drew Smyly in the eighth inning gave the Diamondbacks a 2-1 lead, but the Cubs tied it in the ninth against Kevin Ginkel.
Hoerner and Mike Tauchman singled with one out. After a strikeout, Ginkel bounced a pitch that rolled away from catcher Gabriel Moreno and Hoerner raced all the way around from second.
“I was definitely thinking, especially with two outs, [about] scoring and I was going to run until somebody stopped me in that situation,” Hoerner said. “Glad it worked out.”
Ginkel, who spotted where the ball rolled to before Moreno did, took the blame for the wild pitch and the hits that preceded it.
“I feel terrible for not getting out of that spot. It bounced off Gabby and went to the farthest spot from the plate,” Ginkel said. “I just needed to make better pitches.”
Cubs rookie Ben Brown, making his second career start and fourth appearance, retired his final 13 batters and gave up only one hit in six innings, but it was an RBI single by Jake McCarthy that followed two walks in the second. Brown struck out four.
“Ben Brown was excellent. It’s pretty exciting to see what he’s done,” Counsell said. “One hit through six innings is really good stuff.”
Kelly lasted five innings, throwing 95 pitches. He gave up five hits, walked two and struck out five.
Arizona could not score in either extra inning, despite starting them with the automatic runner on second.
“There were some opportunities for us, but we didn’t capitalize,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “These are tough games to digest.”
Elsewhere, the Royals blanked the White Sox 2-0, the Braves battered the Astros 6-1, the Guardians routed the Red Sox 6-0, the Nationals downed the Dodgers 6-4, the Rangers tamed the Tigers 1-0, the Orioles overcame the Twins 7-4 and the Giants mastered the Marlins 4-3.
The Angels stung the Rays 7-3, the Mets sank the Pirates 6-3, the Blue Jays beat the Yankees 3-1, the Padres defeated the Brewers 7-3, the Mariners routed the Reds 9-3, the Cardinals cruised past the Athletics 3-1 and the Phillies edged the Rockies 2-1 in 10 innings.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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