The Chicago Cubs saw their lead slip away in the ninth inning, but David Bote and Javier Báez were there to save the day in a 2-1 walk-off victory at Wrigley Field on Sunday.
Báez opened up the inning with a double down the right field line, and he scored on a single by Bote to give the Cubs the victory and push their record back to the .500 mark for the season.
In a spot start, Tyler Chatwood was fantastic for the Cubs, giving up just two hits and striking out three batters in six innings of shutout work.
Pedro Strop ended up getting the win for the Cubs despite giving up the game-tying run to the Diamondbacks in the top of the ninth, his first victory of the season.
Both starting pitchers were dominant through the first five innings of the game, trading scoreless innings throughout. In the bottom of the sixth, the Cubs finally broke through, and it all started with Anthony Rizzo getting hit by a pitch with two outs in the inning. Báez then came up to bat and blasted an RBI triple into the gap in right-center field, scoring Rizzo to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead.
The Cubs’ bullpen managed to hold that lead until the ninth inning, when Strop gave up a one-out home run to Jarrod Dyson that knotted the game at a run apiece.
In the bottom of the inning, Báez led off the frame with a double off the right field side wall. When Adam Jones misplayed the ball, Báez took third base, and then after Archie Bradley intentionally walked Willson Contreras, Bote ripped a single through the right side of the infield, scoring Báez and setting off a celebration at the Friendly Confines.
Chicago Baseball
The Cubs will have a day off before welcoming the defending National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers to Wrigley Field on Tuesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m., and José Quintana will get the ball for the North Siders as he faces Kenta Maeda.
