The Marlins reclaimed the lead in the seventh with Mathis’ one-out, two-run homer off Lackey for a 3-1 lead. The winning pitcher in Tuesday’s 3-2 triumph over the Marlins, Hammel is only the fourth Cubs pitcher to emerge victorious in his first four post-All Star starts with an ERA of 1.50.
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Miguel Montero led off with a double and went to third base on Javier Baez’s single.
“The bigger the situation, the more you have to be selective”, said Rizzo, who drew a walk in the eighth and was walked intentionally in the ninth to bring up Ben Zobrist, who drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the game. Dexter Fowler made it 4-3 with a sacrifice fly, and all the runners advanced. Wednesday’s victory was just as dramatic as Sunday’s 7-6 comeback against the Mariners in 12 innings whenthey overcame a 6-0 deficit to score the tying run in the ninth on a wild pitch and then the game victor on pitcher Jon Lester’s pinch squeeze bunt.
Philadelphia’s Maikel Franco drove home the winning run in the 12th inning to lift the Phillies past struggling San Francisco 5-4.
The Nationals put the game away with a four-run rally with two outs in the ninth inning.
It marked the second time this season – and first since April – that the Marlins were swept in a three-game series.
Over his entire 11-year career, Hammel has an ERA a whole run higher in the second half than the first part of the season.
St. Louis sent nine batters to the plate against Cody Reed (0-6) in the first inning, with Moss and Greg Garcia each driving in a pair of runs with singles. Stephen Piscotty added a solo homer, the Cardinals’ fifth in two games.
ORIOLES 3, RANGERS 2 Kevin Gausman outpitched Cole Hamels, and host Baltimore rode a three-run first inning to a victory over Texas.
Not that it mattered by the time the Cubs boarded their charter Wednesday night for this weekend’s series in Oakland – with nobody in apparent need of a haircut.
Justin Grimm (1-0) pitched the ninth inning for the win. Iwakuma struck out seven and walked none, leaving with one out in the eighth after Benintendi’s second hit.
Justin Morneau homered for Chicago. Tom Koehler will oppose John Lackey in the pitching matchup this afternoon. The righthander from Highland has not given up a run in 20 2/3 innings over the three-start stretch. Enny Romero and Ryan Garton completed a two-hitter. Miller made it 5-0 during the third on his 18th homer. He took a no-decision Wednesday, going seven innings and allowing three runs. But the Cubs are 77-36 in their last 113 games following a win, are 61-27 in their last 88 home games, and are 45-17 in their last 62 home games when facing an opposition that is throwing a right-handed starter.
AL Central-leading Cleveland fell to 4-8 against last-place Minnesota.
Chicago has won seven of its past eight games and is back to playing solid all-around baseball again.
Braves 8, Pirates 4 – At Atlanta: Ender Inciarte broke a tie with an RBI single in the fifth inning and offensively challenged Atlanta had 15 hits to beat Pittsburgh.
The comeback victory was a fitting way to cap a long, successful “home” stand for the front-running Cubs. It’s the longest streak by a Reds player since Brandon Phillips hit in 22 in a row in 2007.
Fowler led off the first with a triple and scored on catcher Willson Contreras’ single. Diamondbacks starter Zack Godley (3-2) allowed 4 runs on 8 hits with 7 strikeouts and 1 walk in 6 innings.
YANKEES 9, METS 5 Mark Teixeira hit a tiebreaking, three-run drive off Steven Matz in the second inning of the New York Yankees’ victory over the visiting New York Mets.
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Angels 8, A’s 6 • Albert Pujols’ two-run homer won in the bottom of the ninth won the game for Los Angeles.
