Written by Brett Parsons,
WHEW!!! CUBS HANG ON & WIN IT IN THE 11TH!!JEFFRESS EXPRESS MOWS EM DOWN!!HAPP & SCHWARBS FLEX THEIR MUSCLES!! After a Cubs 6-1 lead, the Bucs found a way to comeback & after about an hour rain delay in the 8th, Pirates rookie Ke’Bryan Hayes making his MLB debut, hits a game tying HR off of Winkler. More on that later.
KB & Souza are back & Martinez, Maybin, & Osich make their Cubs debut. Happ leads off the game with an historic HR! Happ now becomes the Cubs all time leader in HR’s as a switch hitter with 60! Cubs add to their lead in the 2nd. With the bases loaded & 1 out, Kipnis walked scoring Willie. But Happ strikes out & KB grounded out to 3B ending a huge scoring chance! Cubs add another run to go up 3-1 in the 4th. Willie walked, JHey singled, Martinez grounded into a DP & Willie goes to 3B. Kipnis drives in Willie on a single to RF. Cubs put up a 3 spot in the 5th. KB led off with a single. Bucs made a pitching change, Bashlor replaced starter Kuhl. Riz flied out to RF.
Baez ripped a double down the LF line scoring KB from 1B. Schwarbino followed with a 2 run SCHWARBOMB!!! EXTRA INNINGS- both teams scored a run each in the 10th. With Baez starting the inning at 2B, Schwarbs grounded out to 1B advancing Baez to 3B. JHey with a sac fly to RF scoring Baez. 11th- Nico starts the inning at 2B. Happ drives him in with the GW single to CF. Was hoping Big Jon would’ve got the win, instead he got the no decision. He struggled, but made the right pitches to get out of it. 5.1IP, 3K, 3BB, 5ER, 8H, 93 Pitches.
Lester gave up a run in the 2nd & then the Bucs put up 4 on the board in the 6th. Lester would leave with a 6-4 lead. Rea comes in & gave up a sac fly to CF. Happ made a HUGE diving catch. If he doesn’t catch it, this recap would be about a Cubs loss! Bucs had runners on 3B & 2B & both would’ve scored easily. Rea got Tucker to ground out to Riz to end the inning, 6-5 Cubs. Then the rains came in the 8th. Winkler comes in to start the 8th & blows it. Wick replaced Winkler to get the 3rd out. Osich made his Cubs debut & did well!
The Professor tries to extend the Cubs win streak to 3 games & tries to end his 3 game losing streak. Game Time: 6:10pm CT
