Game Recap: Rays top Cubs to spoil Anthony Rizzo Day |
Dustin Riese
· · 7 hours ago
CHICAGO - In what was an emotional, yet exciting day at Wrigley Field, the Chicago Cubs (84-64) welcomed home one of the best Cubs ever to put on the pinstripes as Anthony Rizzo returned home. This wasn't a normal homecoming where Rizzo was getting set to play against the Cubs, but instead was immortalized in Cubs history as Rizzo officially announced his retirement from baseball on Thursday and retired as a Cub on Saturday.
Given how much Rizzo meant to this organization and Cubs fans around the world, you knew the excitement around the ballpark was going to be insane as the Cubs looked to make it two straight against the Tampa Bay Rays (73-75). Coming into this series, Saturday was the one game where you had to think the Rays had the advantage as they sent their Ace, Drew Rasmussen, and his 2.64 ERA to the mound as he took on Colin Rea. This was one of those starts where Rea was dialed in early as the Cubs opened up an early 3-0 lead off the Rays ' right-hander, putting themselves in a great spot to win this game. Given how well the Cubs pen has pitched over the past two weeks, anytime the Cubs can get a three-run lead, you have to like their chances, but this was the rare occurrence where the Cubs pen wasn't at their best. Not only did the Rays tie things up in the sixth inning off Drew Pomeranz and Porter Hodge, but they also managed to grab the lead in the ninth inning on a Nick Fortes homer, as that run proved to be the difference in a 5-4 Rays win. It was a disappointing result given what the day was actually about, but you can't take away the performance of Rea on the mound as he was off to another strong start. Rea allowed just one run through five innings before coming unraveled in the sixth, as he failed to get through the sixth before yielding to Pomeranz and the pen. Still, with 5 1/3 innings of three-run and five-strikeout baseball, Rea continues to do all that is asked of him as he has been just what the Cubs needed in place of Justin Steele. Rasmussen, on the other hand, didn't have his best stuff, as his command issues ultimately cost him, allowing three runs on four hits through five innings. He walked three and struck out five in what was one of his worst outings in a while. With neither team grabbing a run in the first, it was the Cubs who struck first in the second as Moises Ballesteros went the opposite way for his first career bomb, putting the Cubs on top 1-0. What made that home run even better was watching it land right in Rizzo's hand in the bleachers, although he didn't come away with the catch. With Rea allowing minimal contact through the first four innings, one run was starting to look like enough only to have the Cubs offense get back to work in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs in the fourth, Nico Hoerner kept things alive as his single was the beginning of a two-out Cubs rally. Following an intentional walk to Ballesteros, it was Dansby Swanson coming through in a big way as his RBI double cleared the bases and put the Cubs on top 3-0. It may have taken the Rays five innings to score a run, but once they did, their offense seemed to awaken as a leadoff triple from Bob Seymour set the Tampa Bay offense up before coming home on the Richie Palacios grounder to make this a 3-1 game. One inning later, it was the Rays' offense getting after Rea again, as you could see him starting to tire on the mound. With Yandy Diaz starting things off with a leadoff double, it was the Brandon Lowe double that made this a 3-2 game as Rea was on the ropes for the first time. Rea managed to face one more batter before giving way to Pomeranz, who came close to escaping the jam without further damage. That was until a Jake Magnum single made this a 3-3 game, and just like that, this was a brand new ballgame. With both bullpens now in charge of things the rest of the way, the Cubs had the clear advantage given their overall performance, but you started to see some cracks in their armor today as Caleb Thielbar was forced to pitch out of a mini-jam in the seventh, keeping things tied 3-3. With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, it was Michael Busch getting the best of left-hander Garrett Cleavinger as he went the opposite way for a solo shot, putting the Cubs back in front 4-3. This was the moment in the game when many felt it was over, but instead of seeing Brad Keller take the ball in the eighth, it was Porter Hodge getting the call, as he looked to keep his recent success rolling. Hodge did manage to come away with a pair of strikeouts, but with Junior Caminero taking him deep to begin the eighth, we were back to even once again, 4-4. Then came the ninth as Keller was called on to take care of business, only to allow a Fortes homer that gave the Rays the lead for good, 5-4. It was the first home run Keller allowed since the All-Star break and the first runs he allowed since an Aaron Judge homer in early July, as he has been one of the best relievers in all of baseball. Down to their final three outs and down by a run, the Cubs had one last chance to send the fans home happy, but it was going to have to come against hard-throwing righty Pete Fairbanks. Two batters into the ninth, and it was the Cubs threatening as both Swanson and Willi Castro worked a pair of walks to put runners on the corners with no outs. This was the golden opportunity the Cubs needed to win this game, but with Swanson being thrown out at home on a Matt Shaw fielders choice, things weren't looking good as the top of the order was set to come up and needing a big hit to get the job done. Unfortunately for them, that hit never came as Fairbanks bounced back to strike out both Busch and Ian Happ to end the game as the Rays spoiled the Cubs' celebratory party 5-4 to even up the series. Chicago was held to six hits in the game as Hoerner led the way with another multi-hit game. Chicago will aim for the series win tomorrow before heading out on their final road trip of 2025.
