Arizona 3, Chi. Cubs 2
When: 2:20 PM ET, Saturday, September 9, 2023
Where: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois
Temperature:
70°
Umpires:
Home -
Stu Scheurwater, 1B -
Mark Wegner, 2B -
Malachi Moore, 3B -
Bruce Dreckman
Attendance:
40391
By Field Level Media
Tommy Pham hit what proved to be the game-winning, run-scoring single in the 10th inning and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Cubs 3-2 on Saturday to take their second one-run road decision from Chicago in as many days.
Arizona (75-68) managed just one run in seven innings against Chicago starter Justin Steele, a Cy Young contender. Steele struck out six and walked none.
But Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly limited Chicago to one run over 5 2/3 innings, and relievers Ryan Thompson, Andrew Saalfrank and Kevin Ginkel combined to hold the Cubs scoreless over 3 1/3 innings to force extras. Ginkel (8-0) picked up the win.
After scoring just two runs through the series' previous 18 innings, including the one run that made the difference in Arizona's 1-0 win on Friday, the Diamondbacks struck for two in the 10th.
Gabriel Moreno scored on Daniel Palencia's wild pitch, giving Arizona a 2-1 lead. Pham then singled to left, scoring Jordan Lawlar for a 3-1 lead.
The two-run cushion proved necessary, as Chicago (76-67) halved the deficit on Cody Bellinger's two-out RBI single that scored Mike Tauchman. But D-backs closer Paul Sewald got Dansby Swanson to pop out on the ensuing at-bat to end the rally. Sewald picked up his 32nd save.
Palencia (5-1) took the loss.
Bellinger went 2-for-5 in the loss and drove in both Cubs runs, also driving in Nico Hoerner on an infield single in the third inning. Swanson finished 2-for-5.
Corbin Carroll went 2-for-4 for the Diamondbacks and scored on a Moreno groundout in the fifth. Moreno went 1-for-4.
Arizona heads into Sunday's finale looking for a sweep in the four-game set. The three-game skid has sliced the Cubs' lead over the Diamondbacks in the wild-card race to one game.
Arizona occupies the last wild-card spot in the National League.
--Field Level Media
Top Game Performances
Team Stats Summary
Team |
Hits |
HR |
TB |
Avg |
LOB |
K |
RBI |
BB |
SB |
Errors |
Arizona
|
8 |
0 |
9 |
.229 |
18 |
9 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
Chi. Cubs
|
8 |
0 |
9 |
.222 |
21 |
7 |
2 |
5 |
2 |
1 |