It’s hard to say which team the Cubs would like to avoid most in the first-round of the postseason.
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He struck out 10 in six innings to outduel defending N.L. Cy Young Award victor Jake Arrieta, the Giants hustled to support him, their savvy infielders put their heads together to record a huge out in the ninth and their bullpen made the pitches under duress to protect a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Saturday. San Francisco doubled their lead in the fourth on a Eduardo Nunez RBI single.
Arrieta gave up three runs (two earned) with seven strikeouts in six innings, falling to 16-6 with a 2.86 ERA this year. Other than that, he was basically flawless as the Cubs move their record to 87-47.
After trailing 1-0, the Rangers got their major league-high 42nd come-from-behind win. Matt Szczur struck out with two runners on to end the inning.The Cubs left the bases loaded in the seventh when Russell flew outwith two out.A review overturned Baez getting on base in the eighth.
AL West-leading Texas is 13-2 against the second-place Astros this season and 37-19 against the division.
The Giants appeared on their way to the win in regulation despite managing two hits thanks to seven strong innings from Johnny Cueto and a perfectly executed suicide squeeze.
Every half inning featured five hitters or fewer, save the Cubs’ half of the third, in which the streaking Cubs plated both of their runs.
The Cubs used their own hustle to scratch a run off Bumgarner in the fifth inning.
The Cardinals lost 9-1 in Cincinnati.
Like a lot of teams, the Nationals came out running on Syndergaard (12-8), swiping four bases in the early innings.
ORIOLES 2, YANKEES 0: Kevin Gausman outpitched CC Sabathia for the second time in seven days, Adam Jones homered and Baltimore got its third straight shutout against visiting NY. For the second consecutive day, they registered three hits in a one-run loss to baseball’s best team. All it got him was another loss against the Orioles, the third in a row since mid-July. Arrieta’s second wild pitch of the game allowed Crawford to score before Belt struck out to end the inning.
The big outburst came against right-hander Marco Estrada (8-7), who had given up just two singles in the first five innings.
Toronto rallied for four runs in the ninth off Enny Romero before Alex Colome got the final out for his 30th save.
Asdrubal Cabrera homered for the sixth time in eight games, sending a drive over the right-center wall in the Mets’ fourth. It’s the third Pitcher of the Month award for a Cubs hurler this year (Arrieta won in April and Jon Lester won in June) and the first Player of the Month for a Cubs position player in 2016.
Lindor doubled in the first and third, singled in the fourth and added an RBI single in the sixth. Miami ace and former Alonso standout Jose Fernandez gave up a career-high 12 hits. However, they got a little help in the Wild Card race.
Kiermaier had a two-run home run off reliever Joe Blagini in the seventh to push the Rays’ lead to 7-1.
Suarez did a creditable job with flu-ridden backup catcher Trevor Brown, working four tidy innings out of five and minimizing the damage the one time the Cubs made a mess of things. He did, inducing a broken-bat pop-up that Crawford gloved as the Giants won for the first time in three tries here.
Pence has hit in 17 straight games at Wrigley Field, the longest active streak in the majors.
Pittsburgh’s Neftali Feliz (4-2) was charged with two runs, retiring only one of the three batters before leaving with right arm discomfort. The afternoon win allowed players to let loose a little.
Sergio Romo and his balky knees beat Baez to the bag on a force play in the eighth, though it took a replay review to reverse Cuzzi s safe call.
The hero of that contest is someone who has struggled for a majority of the year – outfielder Jason Heyward.
D-backs 9, Rockies 4 • Chris Owings had four hits and Jake Lamb homered to lead a 14-hit attack for visiting Arizona.
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Boston’s David Ortiz singled twice and drove in three runs as the Red Sox pounded Oakland 16-2. For the first six innings, Lester allowed a lonely baserunner in the form of a first-inning walk to after-school special All-Star Buster Posey.
