Also watching the play is umpire Marty Foster as the Cubs won 5-4.
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The Cubs continue to look like the team to beat in the National League as they take down competitor after competitor on a nightly basis and find new ways to win with each passing game which is a very good sign for them as the playoffs fast approach.
CHICAGO (AP) – The Chicago Cubs rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning – capped by a bases-loaded walk for a tie and a wild pitch to score the winning run – for a 5-4 victory over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday and a sweep of the three-game series. Chicago’s winning run crossed the plate on a wild pitch with the bases loaded.
Cubs starter John Lackey allowed seven hits and three runs in seven innings while striking out eight. “We did it a lot last year, but not a lot this year”.
SAN DIEGO – Yangervis Solarte and rookie Jabari Blash homered to lead Sn Diego’s 14-hit attack in the rubber match of a three-game series at Petco Park.
“Two in four days”, said Anthony Rizzo, summing up two of the Cubs’ four consecutive victories in which they rallied from a ninth-inning deficit. “So, you’ve got to maintain your composure and get some big outs to get us back in the dugout”.
It was Ramos’ second blown save in 33 chances this season.
Miguel Montero started the rally with a lead-off double to right and went to third on a single by Javier Baez. Baez singled him to third and Szczur walked to load the bases. Dexter Fowler sacrificed to right-center to score Montero. The strategy backfired when Ramos, who threw just 13 strikes in 35 pitches, walked Zobrist and then unloaded a game-ending wild pitch with Willson Contreras at the plate.
“The last couple of innings there, everybody did a good job of taking tough pitches and doing something with the good one”, Zobrist said. “I was trying to go for the strikeout or get some weak contact”. “You don’t really want to get to Zobrist”. Rodney escaped the eighth after allowing just one run, and then that disaster happened in the ninth.
Hammel has varied his mix of pitches from start to start, going fastball-heavy against the Marlins and Brewers (at least 60 percent fastballs in each), but using his curve and slider more against the Braves, White Sox and Rangers (at least 46 percent against each).
Nationals 8, Diamondbacks 3 – At Phoenix: Max Scherzer struck out 11 in eight innings and delivered a two-run single to help his cause in Washington’s win over Arizona. Now they’ve got three, and after seeing them frustrated by a mediocre Tom Koehler most of Wednesday afternoon, this one was particularly gratifying.
TIGERS 2, WHITE SOX 1: J.D. Martinez broke an eighth-inning tie with a pinch-hit homer on the first pitch he faced since June and Detroit beat Chicago for its eighth straight victory. When asked what the team’s goals are now, with the stretch drive in sight, Lackey offered what might become the Cubs’ slogan. “I didn’t come here for a haircut, you know what I mean? I came here for the jewelry”. Szczur was safe, and that was a key baserunning move, because it took away any force play, and a base hit would win the game. Suzuki remained at 2,998 career hits, two shy of becoming the 30th player to reach 3,000.
Marlins: 1B Justin Bour (ankle) went 0 for 3 with Triple-A New Orleans and was expected to play one more minor league rehab game Wednesday before returning Friday at Colorado.
Angels 8, A’s 6 • Albert Pujols’ two-run homer won in the bottom of the ninth won the game for Los Angeles.
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Moss and Jhonny Peralta returned from the disabled list at the start of the series and have contributed as the teams split the first two games.
