Jeurys Familia worked out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the ninth by inducing a double play from Kris Bryant and the Mets held on for a 2-1 win over the Cubs on Tuesday night.
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The Cubs’ ace wasn’t able to do much about Noah Syndergaard and the Mets, who beat the Cubs 2-1 Tuesday night at Wrigley Field in another game tinged with playoff-like buzz.
“And that’s what we did”.
MARLINS 2, PHILLIES 1: Christian Yelich homered and drove in the winning run with a single in the 10th inning to lead Miami to victory at Philadelphia. Bryant, whom Familia fanned during that save June 30, had hit into just one double play in his first 348 at-bats before that.
Rivera had the third single in the ninth – following hits by Loney and Asdrubal Cabrera – off Hector Rondon (1-2) as the Mets beat the Cubs for the fifth time in six games after sweeping them in last year’s NL Championship Series. With runners on first and second and two out, he struck out Alejandro De Aza to end the inning.
“It really would pick him up a lot”, Maddon said. “I just try to believe and think I can do it”. “And thank God I did”.
Reliever Hansel Robles (4-3) pitched the seventh and eighth innings for the win.
The victory evened the series at a game apiece heading into the finale Wednesday afternoon.
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jake Arrieta is greeted at the dugout by his teammates at the end of the sixth inning during a baseball game against the New York Mets, Tuesday, July 19, 2016, in Chicago. Nelson Cruz walked and Dae-Ho Lee struck out.
“I feel like it’s all kind of coming together a little bit”, Leake said. “I was really aggressive in the strike zone”.
The Mets are 2-6 in their last 8 road games and the under is 19-7-1 in their last 27 overall while going 19-7-1 in their last 27 on grass. The other guys over there are good, too. We had some opportunities, but he made some good pitches. One hit is all it would have taken to flip that script.
Syndergaard maintained his velocity throughout the game, allowing seven hits and striking out eight.
Against the Mets, Arrieta was in rhythm, throwing just two balls in the first three innings.
The 23-year-old righty proceeded to strike out eight batters while allowing only one run (unearned) on seven hits and two walks, though he did need 105 pitches to make it through just 5.2 innings-which is perfectly excusable when facing a notoriously patient Cubs lineup that leads the majors in walk rate (10.7 percent).
Like Arrieta, Syndergaard had not pitched since July 8.
NY put runners on first and second with none out in the second, but Asdrubal Cabrera grounded to third to start a double play and Juan Laggers bounced out to shortstop Addison Russell to end the inning.
“It felt good. I felt better”.
Oakland has won three of four since the All-Star break. NY (50-43) has won three of its last five.
With Jason Heyward at the plate, Syndergaard threw a wild pitch past catcher Rivera as Contreras sprinted for third. Rene Rivera attempted to throw him out on that play, but his throw sailed into left field, and Contreras scored easily.
Rivera made up for his mistake in the next inning with a fantastic tag to nail Arrieta when he tried to score on a single to right with two outs. Harrison chugged to third then popped up and strolled home when the relay throw from second baseman Scooter Gennett went by Perez. The only offense the defending NL champs could generate against Arrieta came in the sixth inning, when Jose Reyes drove a ball into the right-field corner for a leadoff triple and scored Curtis Granderson’s sacrifice fly.
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But because Arrieta rediscovered the command and punching power that made him a Cy Young victor, he spent seven innings suggesting what he might be able to do for the Cubs as they chase another deep October run.
