The 30-second hype video, released by the Cubs early Friday morning, captures loyal fans wearing and waving the team’s signature “W”. The Tigers, who trailed 5-2 in the fourth inning, pulled one game behind Toronto for the second AL wild card.
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(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh).
Johnny Cueto pitched a five-hitter and helped his own cause with a go-ahead sacrifice fly in the fourth inning, leading the San Francisco Giants to a 6-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a four-game series.
The Cubs took claim to the division despite losing 5-4 to the Milwaukee Brewers.
“The reserve guys, they’re good ballplayers”, Montero said.
With a celebration of the National League Central Division title already planned win or lose against the Milwaukee Brewers, the Cubs rallied for two runs in the ninth to tie, then won it 5-4 on Miguel Montero’s lead-off home run in the 10th inning to appropriately set the mood for the postgame celebration of the Cubs’ first division title since 2008.
Soaked in champagne with his official National League Central victor T-shirt pulled over a blue collared shirt, Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts took over and addressed the players.
Ian Kinsler had four hits, falling a homer short of the cycle, and drove in three runs while scoring two.
With two down in the top of the third, Braun also got into a pitch from Lackey, sending it out to dead center for his 28th home run of the season and a 2-0 lead. The celebration then transitioned to the team’s refurbished clubhouse, where players sprayed each other with champagne while a DJ played dance music. Baseball is unpredictable, for any team, regardless of how much talent they possess, can become suddenly hot or cold once playing in the postseason. I don’t know this first hand, but I’m told that in the Wrigley Field souvenir shop fans can by a jersey with the Cubs emblem on it and the legend: “Any team can have a bad century”.
BOSTON – Hanley Ramirez hit a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth inning to finish off a five-run rally as Boston came back to beat NY and open a two-game lead in the AL East.
Milwaukee counters with Chase Anderson. What happens if they’re down two games to none or three games to one? The Blue Jays also have a series remaining against NY. Miggy slugged a 1-1 fastball from Blaine Boyer just to the right of the cut in the left-field wall, the capacity Wrigley Field crowd tipping from tension into frenzy (+.369). He was replaced by Kirk Nieuwenhuis, who left in the seventh inning with an abdominal strain.
“It’s very disappointing”, Broxton said. “I can not even imagine us being in this position right now without him”.
DODGERS 2, YANKEES 0: Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw pitched five almost ideal innings before Justin Turner hit an RBI double off Dellin Betances in a two-run ninth.
The Cubs got one run back in the eighth.
Milwaukee at Chicago Cubs, 1:20 p.m.
“Resting guys that might have little dings, that would be No. 1 for me”, Maddon said. “This is only the beginning”.
Manager Joe Maddon, the ringmaster of this circus, started his B-team lineup Friday against the Brewers, letting his regulars sit back and enjoy. Jacob Barnes, Brent Suter and Jhan Marińez all saw action, with the last of the trio getting pinch-hitter David Ross to bounce into an inning-ending double play. Villar is batting.129 (4 for 31) with 11 strikeouts in his last nine games. Cubs players and coaches came out to the field prior to Friday’s first pitch to take a bow in front of cheering fans after clinching the NL Central title late Thursday night. It was unclear when the injury occurred.
RHPs Jake Arrieta of the Cubs and Zach Davies of the Brewers face off on Saturday.
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Rookie right-hander Daniel Mengden (2-7) held the Royals to three hits over seven scoreless innings.
