Rivera had the go-ahead RBI single in the ninth and also made a nice play at the plate to help NY to a 2-1 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
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TIGERS 1, TWINS 0: At Detroit, Matt Boyd allowed three hits in six outstanding innings, and the Tigers beat Minnesota to hand the last-place Twins another loss just hours after they announced the firing of general manager Terry Ryan.
“And that’s what we did”.
Familia pulled a magic act to escape without allowing the tying run as the Mets (50-43) defeated the Cubs (56-37) in 2-1 thriller.
New York’s closer escaped a bases-loaded jam with a game-ending double play after Rene Rivera drove in the tiebreaking run with two outs in the top of the ninth, lifting NY over the Chicago Cubs 2-1 on Tuesday night.
New York Mets relief pitcher Jeurys Familia celebrates the Mets’ 2-1 win over the Chicago Cubs after a baseball game Tuesday, July 19, 2016, in Chicago.
“I went out there knowing that he likes to throw fastballs”, Rivera said. “He was making good pitches and I was just fighting them off. And thank God I did”.
The Mets won 2-1. Maybe that’s why the Cubs had Michael Jackson’s “Rock With You” playing on the clubhouse sound system after a 2-1 loss.
The victory evened the series at a game apiece heading into the finale Wednesday afternoon.
Chicago Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta went into the all-star struggling with his control, and overall performance.
Neither figured in decisions, but both pitched well, especially Arrieta, who bounced back from recent poor outings.
“That was a little more like it”, Arrieta said. “I expect to pitch more like this, as far as the aggressiveness and keeping the ball down in the strike zone with everything”. “Just try to grind at-bats, that’s what we’re so good at doing”. “He’s a tough one to hit”.
With one out and two on in the third inning, Rizzo fouled off five straight 2-2 pitches from Steven Matz before driving a changeup deep into the right-center bleachers for his 22nd homer of the season. With runners on first and second and two outs, he struck out Alejandro De Aza to end the inning.
While he threw hard throughout the night, Syndergaard lacked his typical sharpness and needed 102 pitches to get through 5 2/3 innings.
Arrieta lasted seven innings for the first time since June 11, retiring 12 consecutive batters during one stretch and allowing only five hits and finishing with eight strikeouts against one walk.
Like Arrieta, Syndergaard had not pitched since July 8.
BRAVES 5, REDS 4: Atlanta’s bullpen blew a two-run lead in the ninth inning, but Ender Inciarte hit a sacrifice fly in the 11th and Atlanta prevailed at Cincinnati.
“To be able to compete in games like that when you go out there and you don’t necessarily have your best command, they’re fun to be able to compete in, because it really shows your true colors and your competitiveness”, Syndergaard said. “I’ve been trying to use the whole field like I did last year and earlier in the year”. He bent but didn’t break during Chicago’s onslaught at the beginning of the game.
The Cubs finally got on the board in the third on a throwing error by catcher Rivera. Contreras then came home with the game’s first run as Rivera’s throw to catch the runner at third sailed into left field.
Arrieta lined a double into left-center with two outs in the fourth and bolted around third on Tommy La Stella’s single.
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In Anaheim, Mike Trout hit a three-run homer to help Los Angeles rally from four runs down and beat Texas.
