Game Eighty-Three – Cubs 5, Cardinals 3
WP – Travis Wood (5-3) LP – Seth Maness (3-1, BS 2) Save – Jason Motte (5)
The Cubs took advantage of Cardinals mistakes in the nightcap of the day-night doubleheader, scored three runs in the seventh inning and held on to beat the Cardinals to complete the doubleheader sweep on Tuesday at the old ballyard.
After knocking off the Cardinals in game one on Tuesday afternoon, the Cubs completed the long day of baseball with a win over the Redbirds in game two.
The Cubs took both ends of a twin bill from the Cardinals for the first time since June 8, 1992 … and Tuesday was the first time the Cubs won both games of a doubleheader against the Cardinals at Wrigley Field since October 5, 1991. The last time the Cubs swept a doubleheader at Wrigley was 2003.
Tuesday night’s win was a team effort. The Cubs did the little things the right way late in the game that ended up being the difference in the game.
With the Cubs down 2-1 in the seventh, Miguel Montero (0-for-0 with two walks and a run scored) hit for Taylor Teagarden (1-for-2 with a RBI) and worked a walk against Seth Maness. After switching batting helmets and ending up with Chris Coghlan’s, Jonathan Herrera (1-for-2 with a run scored) delivered a pinch-hit single. Addison Russell (1-for-3 with a RBI and a run scored) tied the game with a single down the first baseline. While the Cardinals were busy complaining about the call, Herrera went to third with one out.
After Mike Matheny had to go to Kevin Siegrist early because Maness was ejected from the game, Dexter Fowler (0-for-4 with a RBI) hit from the right side and bounced a 1-2 pitch to the mound. Siegrist’s throw to second went into center field. Herrera scored and Russell went to third on the error. Anthony Rizzo (0-for-2 with a sac fly RBI and a HBP) gave the Cubs a little breathing room with a sacrifice fly that plated Russell.
The Cubs manufactured a run in the eighth. Jorge Soler (1-for-4 with a double and a run scored) led off with a double, moved to third on a grounder to first by Chris Coghlan (0-for-2) and scored on a sacrifice fly by Starlin Castro (1-for-3 with a double, a sac fly RBI and a run scored).
The Cubs needed every one of those runs. Jason Motte nailed down the win in the ninth but not after the Cardinals scored a run and put the tying runs on base.
Dallas Beeler made his first big league start of the year and pitched better than his final line indicates. Beeler tossed five innings of shutout ball but left with two on and no outs in the sixth. The Cardinals scored two runs and both were charged to Beeler.
Dallas Beeler worked well with Taylor Teagarden, found a rhythm and threw quality strikes in what was his third start in the majors. Beeler gave up two runs on four hits with two walks and six strikeouts. Beeler threw 86 pitches, 51 for strikes, in five-plus innings. And he went 1-for-2 at the plate. Beeler doubled leading off the third inning.
James Russell replaced Beeler with two on and no outs in the sixth. The Cardinals tied the game on a ground out by Jason Heyward. But the Cubs failed to turn the double play. Justin Grimm followed James Russell and two wild pitches later, Heyward was on third and he scored the go ahead run on an infield single to the hole at short by Mark Reynolds.
Travis Wood pitched a scoreless seventh and Hector Rondon was perfect in the eighth.
Jason Motte picked up the save despite giving up a run on three hits in the ninth.
The Cubs managed six hits and three walks. But capitalized on Cardinals mistakes and won the game.
With Tuesday night’s win, the Cubs improved to 46-37 on the season.
Dallas Beeler retired all three batters he faced in the fifth. Beeler needed 79 pitches, 48 for strikes, to complete five innings.
Starlin Castro led off the fifth inning of a scoreless game. Castro pulled a 3-2 pitch into left and ended up at second with a double. Taylor Teagarden delivered a single to right. Castro scored, 1-0 Cubs. Dallas Beeler was caught looking at a 1-2 pitch. Addison Russell flied out to left and Dexter Fowler was called out on strikes to end the inning. Tim Cooney made 76 pitches, 45 for strikes, in five innings.
The Cubs led 1-0 after five innings.
Dallas Beeler started the sixth with a lead that soon went away. Beeler walked Matt Carpenter. Jhonny Peralta smoked a 0-1 pitch over Soler’s head in right. Peralta watched the ball, did not run and ended up with a long single. With runners on the corners and no outs, Maddon went to his bullpen.
James Russell replaced Beeler and induced the grounder he needed off the bat of Jason Heyward. Russell could not get the ball out of his glove. The Cubs made only one out, forced Peralta at second, but did not turn the double play. Carpenter scored and game tied at one.
Maddon made another pitching change. Justin Grimm replaced James Russell and a wild pitch on a 1-2 offering to Molina allowed Heyward to take second base. Molina grounded out to third. Mark Reynolds stepped in with Heyward at second and the game tied at one. A 1-1 pitch to Reynolds bounced past Teagarden and Grimm’s second wild pitch of the inning allowed Heyward to move up 90 feet … and it cost the Cubs a run. Reynolds pulled a 3-2 pitch to the hole at short. Starlin Castro got a glove on the ball in the outfield grass. Heyward scored, 2-1 Cardinals. Grimm caught Xavier Scruggs looking at a 2-2 pitch to end the inning.
After Rizzo led off the sixth with a flyout to left, Kris Bryant walked and Matheny decided that was enough for Cooney. Seth Maness jogged in from the pen and Soler grounded out to third. Bryant ended up at second with two down. Chris Coghlan hit for Denorfia and was ruled to swung at a 3-2 pitch to end the inning.
The Cubs trailed 2-1 after six innings.
Travis Wood struck out Bourjos swinging to start the seventh. Pete Kozma blooped a single into right. Wood walked Tommy Pham. With runners on first and second and one down, Matt Carpenter flied out to left. Kris Bryant took away a hit from Peralta with an excellent diving stop toward the hole. And Bryant forced Pham at second to end the inning.
Starlin Castro grounded out to short for the first out in the seventh. Miguel Montero hit for Teagarden and walked. With Seth Maness on the hill, Maddon sent Jonathan Herrera up to hit for Wood. Herrera singled to right (1-2 pitch) and the Cubs had two on with one out.
Addison Russell poked a 0-2 pitch down the first baseline. The ball hit the chalk. As the Cardinals argued it was a foul ball, Montero scored and tied the game at two. During the confusion it was determined Seth Maness had been ejected. Once Matheny realized it, lefty Kevin Siegrist was summoned with runners on corners and one down.
Dexter Fowler bounced a 1-2 pitch back to the mound. Siegrist fielded the ball, turned to start a double play, but he threw the ball into center. Herrera scored, 3-2 Cubs. Russell advanced to third on the play.
Anthony Rizzo lifted a 1-2 to center. Bourjos caught the ball, Russell tagged and scored from third … 4-2 Cubs. With Fowler at first and two outs, Bryant struck out swinging to end the inning.
The Cubs had a 4-2 lead after seven innings.
Hector Rondon pitched a perfect eighth.
Jorge Soler led off the eighth with a double to right center (3-2 pitch) off Carlos Villanueva. Coghlan grounded out to first and advanced Soler to third with one out.
Starlin Castro drove a 1-0 pitch out to right center. Bourjos caught the ball going away and Soler trotted in, 5-2 Cubs. After Montero walked, Herrera flied out to left center to end the inning.
Jason Motte took the mound in the ninth with the Cubs leading 5-2.
Randal Grichuk singled to left and Peter Bourjos blooped a single into center to start the ninth. With runners on first and second with no outs, Pete Kozma flied out to right. Both runners held. Tony Cruz hit for Villanueva and singled to left (1-2 pitch) just out of the reach of Kris Bryant. Grichuk scored, 5-3 Cubs.
Matt Carpenter fouled out to Bryant for the second out. Jhonny Peralta grounded out to Castro to end the game.
The Cubs completed the sweep of the day-night doubleheader over the Cardinals.
The Cubs and Cardinals wrap up the series on Wednesday night (7:05pm CDT) … Jason Hammel and Michael Wacha in the finale.