In the longest postseason game in the history of the Chicago Cubs, the San Francisco Giants ultimately won as Joe Panik hit a game-winning double in the bottom of the 13th inning to lead his team to a 6-5 victory on Monday night.
The Cubs' offense was in for a big challenge against Madison Bumgarner on Monday, but they got an early scoring chance thanks to a double by Kris Bryant. Bryant moved to third on a groundout by Anthony Rizzo, but a strikeout by Jorge Soler ended the threat.
Jake Arrieta responded to Bumgarner's inning with a strong one of his own, as he racked up three strikeouts in the bottom of the frame. He did allow a single to Buster Posey, but he erased it by punching out Hunter Pence to end the inning.
After Addison Russell and Javier Baez both reached base after lengthy at-bats, Arrieta helped his own cause. On a two-strike count, the pitcher blasted a three-run home run over the left field wall to give the Cubs a 3-0 lead.
The Cubs stranded a pair of runners in the top of the third inning, and the Giants took advantage as they got on the board in the bottom of the frame. Denard Span smacked a double into the right field corner, and Posey chased him home with an RBI single up the middle to make it a 3-1 game.
Arrieta was able to get out of the inning, inducing a long flyout from Pence to end the frame and keep the Cubs in front.
As the bottom of the fifth inning got underway, the Giants got a huge one-out triple from Span, and they trimmed even more off of the Cubs' lead. Brandon Belt socked a deep fly ball to right field, and although Ben Zobrist was able to haul it in, Span scored to cut Chicago's lead to 3-2.
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After the sacrifice fly, Posey reached first on another sharp single up the middle, and Pence then slashed a drive to right field, but Zobrist caught it and kept the Cubs in front.
The Cubs had an opportunity to extend their lead in the sixth inning as they had Baez on second base with one out, but they couldn't come through. Arrieta lined out hard to left field, and then Fowler struck out to end the inning and keep it a one-run game.
After Arrieta worked a one-two-three sixth inning, Pedro Strop came in to work in the bottom of the seventh. He got two quick outs, and then Travis Wood induced a flyout from Span to end the inning and keep the Cubs in front.
The bullpen magic ran out in the bottom of the eighth inning as the Giants took the lead. After Wood gave up a lead-off single, Hector Rondon walked Posey, and although Aroldis Chapman was able to strike out Pence, the Giants had one more ace up their sleeve.
Conor Gillaspie once again played hero for the Giants, blasting a triple deep into the right-center field gap to score two runs and give San Francisco their first lead of the series.
Brandon Crawford then extended the lead as he drove in Gillaspie with an RBI single off of Chapman to make it a 5-3 game.
The Giants' bullpen blew a ton of saves in the regular season, and they did it again in the top of the ninth inning. After Sergio Romo walked Fowler to lead off the inning, Bryant snuck a two-run home run over the left field wall and knotted the game at 5-5.
Mike Montgomery came into the game and got the first out of the inning, but with Belt on first base, he allowed a deep fly ball to Posey. Fortunately for the Cubs, Albert Almora Jr. made a diving catch and doubled Belt off at first base to end the inning and force extra innings.
The two teams exchanged zeroes in the 10th inning, and the 11th inning proceeded in a similar fashion. Bryant struck out to end the top of the frame, but there was a bit more drama in the 11th. Joe Panik reached second base on a sacrifice bunt, but he was stranded as Montgomery got two outs and retired the Giants in the frame.
In the bottom of the 13th, the Giants finally took home the victory. After Brandon Crawford led off the frame with a double, Panik drilled a shot to right-center field, and when it bounced off the wall, Crawford scored and gave his team a victory.
The Cubs will have another chance to clinch the series on Tuesday night when they take on the Giants again at AT&T Park. John Lackey will get the start for the Cubs, and first pitch is scheduled for 7:08 p.m.
