Game Forty-Eight – Cubs 2, Royals 1 – 11 innings
WP – Zac Rosscup (2-1) LP – Ryan Madson (0-1) Save – None
David Ross delivered the game-winner, a bloop single with the bases loaded in the 11th inning as the Cubs topped the Royals on Sunday afternoon at Weeghman Park.
Dexter Fowler (0-for-4 with a walk) and Kris Bryant (1-for-4 with a walk and a run score) worked back-to-back walks off Ryan Madson to start the 11th inning. Ned Yost made a pitching change and went with Jason Frasor to face Anthony Rizzo (2-for-5 with a triple). Rizzo appeared to deliver the game winner, a single to left. But Fowler was thrown out at the plate, and after further review, the call stood. Starlin Castro (0-for-3 with two walks) was intentionally walked and loaded the bases with one out.
David Ross (1-for-2 with a RBI) blooped a 0-1 pitch into shallow left just out of the reach of Alcides Escobar. The ball fell in between Escobar and Alex Gordon, Kris Bryant scored and the Cubs celebrated their sixth walk-off win of the season.
The Cubs patience really paid off Sunday as the team made the most of two of the three unintentional walks. Two of the Cubs’ five walks scored.
The Cubs found a way to beat the Royals and earn a split of the two-game series on a cold day at Wrigley Field. With the wind howling in on a pitcher’s day at the old ballyard, the Cubs and Royals combined on just 11 hits in 11 innings.
Chris Coghlan (3-for-4 with a RBI) had a big day at the plate. Coghlan collected three of the Cubs hits and drove in the tying run with a single in the seventh inning. Jonathan Herrera ran for Miguel Montero (0-for-2 with a walk), who worked the only free pass issued by Yordano Ventura in seven innings of work, and scored the Cubs’ lone run until the 11th inning.
Anthony Rizzo had two more hits and put his team in position to win the game with a one-out triple in the ninth, but the Cubs were unable to push across the winning run in regulation.
Tsuyoshi Wada had a good outing Sunday afternoon. Wada retired 17 of the 21 batters he faced and the only run he was charged with scored after he left the game. Wada threw strikes and challenged the Royals on a pitcher-friendly day at Wrigley Field. Wada did not appear to be running out of gas when Maddon pulled him out of the game after issuing a two-out walk to Lorenzo Cain.
Travis Wood replaced Wada, walked Kendrys Morales and gave up a single to Alex Gordon on a 2-0 pitch that closed the book on Wada.
Tsuyoshi Wada received a no decision after being charged with one run on two hits with two walks and four strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. Wada made 96 pitches, 66 for strikes, in his third start of the season.
Outside of Travis Wood, the bullpen had a good day. Six relievers combined on 5 1/3 innings of scoreless ball. Justin Grimm, Pedro Strop, Hector Rondon, James Russell, Jason Motte and Zac Rosscup allowed three baserunners (one hit and two walks) while striking out seven batters.
With Sunday’s win (3-6 on Sundays in 2015), the Cubs improved to 22-22 on the season and finished May with a 14-14 record.
Neither team did much over the first five innings Sunday. Tsuyoshi Wada allowed just two hits and a walk on 81 pitches, 57 for strikes, in five innings. Wada retired Alcides Escobar on a flyout to center and Omar Infante on a grounder to third for the first two outs in the sixth. Wada issued a walk to Lorenzo Cain and Joe Maddon went to his pen.
Travis Wood replaced Wada and walked Kendrys Morales. Cain advanced to second and scored when Alex Gordon singled to left on a 2-0 pitch. Joe Maddon went back to his pen and summoned Justin Grimm to face Perez with two on and two down. Grimm struck out Salvador Perez to end the inning.
The Cubs went down in order in the sixth. Yordano Ventura threw 87 pitches, 56 for strikes, in six innings. And after six complete, the Cubs trailed 1-0.
Justin Grimm pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning with two strikeouts.
Miguel Montero worked a one-out walk in the seventh. A wild pitch on a 0-1 offering to Soler allowed Montero to take second base. Joe Maddon sent in Jonathan Herrera to run for Montero. Jorge Soler looked at a 1-2 pitch for the second out.
Chris Coghlan singled to right center. Herrera scored and tied the game at one. But Coghlan was thrown out at second to end the inning.
The game went to the eighth all tied at one.
Pedro Strop and Hector Rondon put zeros on the board in the eighth and ninth innings.
After Kris Bryant struck out swinging for the first out in the ninth, Anthony Rizzo pulled a 2-1 pitch from Wade Davis into the right field corner. Alex Rios went too far in the corner, the ball skipped past him and Rizzo slid in safe at third with a triple. Starlin Castro was intentionally walked.
With runners on the corners and one out, David Ross was unsuccessful on his first bunt attempt and tried again. Ross bunted too hard back to Davis. He fielded the ball, looked Rizzo back to third and threw out Ross at first. Joe Maddon had the umps review the call, it stood. With runners on second and third, Jorge Soler struck out swinging (3-2 pitch) to end the inning.
And the game went to extra innings tied at one.
Hector Rondon, James Russell and Jason Motte combined on a scoreless 10th and the Cubs did nothing against Ryan Madson in the bottom of the inning.
Jason Motte stayed in for the 11th. Motte retired Infante (grounder to second) and Cain (grounder to short) for the first two outs. But he walked Kendrys Morales. Maddon replaced Motte with Zac Rosscup.
Rosscup gave up a single to Alex Gordon on a 3-2 pitch. With runners on the corners and two out, Salvador Perez struck out swinging on a 3-2 pitch to end the inning.
Dexter Fowler led off the 11th with a walk and jogged to second when Kris Bryant went from 0-2 to 4-2. Back-to-back walks from Ryan Madson put the go ahead run in scoring position.
Ned Yost made the slow walk and replaced Madson with Jason Frasor.
Anthony Rizzo singled to left. Alex Gordon threw a strike to Perez at the plate. Fowler was called out. The umpires took a look at the very close play, the call stood and Starlin Castro was intentionally walked for the second time in as many at bats.
With the bases loaded and one out, David Ross blooped a 0-1 pitch into shallow left just out of the reach of Alcides Escobar. Bryant scampered in and scored the game winner.
The Cubs open a nine-game road trip on Monday night (6:10pm CDT) in Miami with the first of three against the Marlins. Jason Hammel is scheduled to face rookie right hander Jose Urena in the opener.