PHOENIX (AP) — Nico Hoerner scored the tying run from second base on a wild pitch in the ninth inning, then delivered the go-ahead single in the 11th as the Chicago Cubs rallied past the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-2 on Monday night.
“His baserunning play in the ninth was spectacular,” Chicago manager Craig Counsell said. “We’ve seen him have some baserunning plays like that, so it was a huge play, and the big hit obviously in the 11th.”
Michael Busch homered for the Cubs leading off the second on an 0-2 pitch from Merrill Kelly. It was the rookie’s sixth of the season and fifth straight game with a home run, equaling the franchise record.
Hack Wilson, Ryne Sandberg, Sammy Sosa and teammate Christopher Morel also homered in five consecutive games for the Cubs. Morel did it last year.
Busch walked in the 11th and Garrett Cooper singled, moving automatic runner Nick Madrigal to third against Kevin Jarvis (0-1) and loading the bases. Hoerner followed with a single to right field, advancing all three runners one base.
Chicago was unable to tack on, but Keegan Thompson (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings for the win, walking one and striking out three. He fanned Christian Walker with the potential tying run on third to end it.
Arizona was held to just three hits.
Corbin Carroll’s two-out RBI single off reliever Drew Smyly in the eighth gave the Diamondbacks a 2-1 lead, but the Cubs tied it in the ninth against Kevin Ginkel. Hoerner and Mike Tauchman singled with one out. After a strikeout, Ginkel bounced a pitch that rolled away from Gold Glove catcher Gabriel Moreno, and Hoerner raced all the way around from second.
“I was definitely thinking, especially with two outs, (about) scoring and I was going to run until somebody stopped me in that situation,” Hoerner said. “Glad it worked out.”
Ginkel, who spotted where the ball rolled to before Moreno did, took the blame for the wild pitch and the hits that preceded it.
“I feel terrible for not getting out of that spot. It bounced off Gabby and went to the farthest spot from the plate,” Ginkel said. “I just needed to make better pitches.”
Cubs rookie Ben Brown, making his second career start and fourth appearance, retired his last 13 batters and gave up only one hit in six innings. But it was an RBI single by Jake McCarthy that followed two walks in the second. Brown struck out four.
“Ben Brown was excellent. It’s pretty exciting to see what he’s done,” Counsell said. “One hit through six innings is really good stuff.”
Kelly lasted five innings, throwing 95 pitches. He gave up five hits, walked two and struck out five.
Arizona couldn’t score in either extra inning despite starting them with the automatic runner on second.
“There were some opportunities for us but we didn’t capitalize,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “These are tough games to digest.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cubs: Before the game, the Cubs placed OF Seiya Suzuki on the 10-day injured list with a right oblique strain, which occurred Sunday while running to first base in Seattle. Chicago recalled OF Alexander Canario from Triple-A Iowa to replace him.
Diamondbacks: Lovullo said Carroll was OK after nearly colliding with McCarthy on Sunday. Carroll tripped and fell hard on the warning track in right field as McCarthy caught the ball. They nearly collided again Monday in right-center on Dansby Swanson’s fifth-inning flyball, with center fielder Carroll catching the ball. Both remained upright this time.
UP NEXT
Cubs RHP Kyle Hendricks (0-2, 12.08 ERA) faces Diamondbacks LHP Tommy Henry (0-1, 5.79) on Tuesday.
