Game Recap: Suzuki delivers late as Cubs top Pirates |
Dustin Riese
· · 2 hours ago
CHICAGO - It didn't come easy, but a win is a win, and the Chicago Cubs (69-53) will take any win they can get. No matter how bad things look, and they are bad right now, this is a team that refuses to lose three straight games, as they are the only team in baseball that can make that claim.
In what was supposed to be an easy series against the Pittsburgh Pirates (52-72) at Wrigley Field this weekend, with a chance for the offense to wake up, things have been anything but easy as the Cubs' lifeless offense continues to struggle. For seven innings, that was once again the case as the Cubs had opportunities only to let them get away. The one time they were able to cash in on a great opportunity came in the eighth inning, and it proved to be the difference as the Cubs pushed across two eighth-inning runs to secure the 3-1 win. This is one of those games where you would've loved Shota Imanaga to get a win, but regardless, he gave the Cubs a chance as he continues to dominate on the mound. Imanaga had the Pirates guessing most of the game, allowing just one run on three hits in seven innings to lower his ERA to 3.06. He walked two and struck out six, as those were the first walks he allowed since July 19th. The only run Imanaga allowed came on the first hit he allowed as Tommy Pham unloaded for a long solo shot in the fourth to put the Pirates on top 1-0. Given the recent theme for the Cubs and losing 18 straight games when they have trailed at any point, this was the moment when you started to shake your head, as once again the Cubs had their opportunities against Mike Burrows, who allowed one run over five innings. Although the chances were limited, the Cubs did have a pair of leadoff singles to begin the first and third innings, only to have double plays put an end to those threats. It was in the fourth when the Cubs had their best opportunity of the day as a one-out single from Kyle Tucker put a runner on base and seemed to be the sigh of relief the right fielder needed. Tucker was still standing on second with two outs in the inning, only to have a Pete Crow-Armstrong walk keep the inning alive. In what has been a rare occurrence over the past month, Carson Kelly was able to capitalize on that walk as his RBI single made this a 1-1 game. Ian Happ followed suit with another walk to load the bases, but it was Burrows finding a way to limit the damage and kept things at 1-1. Those were the final runs of the game until late, although both teams had chances to take the lead in the middle innings. What started with a Jared Triolo two-out double for the Pirates' second hit in the sixth was followed by a walk, and suddenly Imanaga found himself in a jam, only to escape without damage. The same can be said for the Cubs in their half of the sixth as Seiya Suzuki led the inning off with a single before advancing to second on a Crow-Armstrong single that gave the Cubs two runners with no outs. Once again, it was the Cubs failing to get a big hit as Kyle Nicolas escaped trouble and kept things tied 1-1. One inning later, and it was the same story as the Pirates once again put a pair of runners on base only to have Imanaga finish the job as things remained tied entering the eighth. Looking for their first comeback win over their last 18 games, the Cubs were going to have to figure out a way to get things done against Evan Sisk, who took over for Nicolas in the eighth. Two batters into the eighth, and it was the Cubs on top for the first time as Tucker led things off with a single before coming home on another Suzuki single to make this a 2-1 game. SEIYA SUZUKI GIVES THE CUBS THE LEAD! pic.twitter.com/kuPHVct47L Things only got worse from there for the Pirates as Crow-Armstrong dropped down a bunt to move Suzuki to third, but with two outs, the Cubs were on the verge of squandering a massive run at third. Leave Nico Hoerner to take care of that as the Cubs' best hitter with runners in scoring position came through, using an RBI double to put the Cubs in front 3-1 with only three outs to go. NICO HOERNER. After giving up a homer on Friday to give the Pirates the win, Daniel Palencia wasn't chosen for the ninth, and instead Craig Counsell called on Brad Keller. Although Keller allowed a leadoff single to Nick Gonzalez to bring the winning run to the plate, Keller did what he had to do as he struck out the next three hitters he faced to pick up his first save and gave the Cubs a much-needed 3-1 win. Brad Keller's 3Ks in the 9th. pic.twitter.com/Jar9QugsZ5 "If there is such a thing as an unsung hero for this team so far, I would nominate Brad for that," Craig Counsell told reporters after the game. Chicago had nine hits in the win, six coming from three players as Tucker, Suzuki, and Hoerner delivered two-hit games.
MR. RISP. pic.twitter.com/YB4CDSeqOU
