Daring play helps Cubs get past Mets
The Cubs practiced a risky baserunning play during spring training, one that requires optimal conditions to execute successfully. That situation presented itself in the seventh inning Sunday, and manager Joe Maddon’s club didn’t hesitate to act.
Jon Lester dominated for seven innings and Javier Baez stole home to break a scoreless tie as Chicago blanked the New York Mets 2-0, completing a four-game sweep and winning for the seventh time in eight games.
“It’s the best week of the year for us,” Maddon said.
The Mets have lost four straight and nine of 11, dropping three games under .500 for the first time this season. They scored just six runs in this series.
The two clubs were back at it on Sunday following a rainy, 14-inning marathon that took almost five hours to complete the night before.
On an unseasonably cool afternoon, both starting pitchers matched zeroes until the seventh, when the Cubs scored twice thanks to some very aggressive baserunning.
Baez and Willson Contreras led off with back-to-back singles, putting runners at the corners. With Ian Happ at the plate, Chicago pulled off a daring double steal.
“This is the stuff you work on in spring training and it doesn’t happen often that the world is set up the proper way for it to occur,” Maddon said. “When it does pop, you’ve got to be prepared for it mentally.”
Mets starter Steven Matz (2-4) was unaware that Baez was breaking for the plate, stepping off and throwing to first baseman Adrian Gonzalez in an attempt to pick off Contreras instead.
“When I was on first base and Javy gave me a sign to take a bigger lead, at that point I knew exactly what he was thinking,” Contreras said through a translator. “So on the first pitch I did a fake steal, which I think prompted the throw over on the second pitch and it worked out.”
Said Matz: “That’s my fault.”
“I should have been more aware of that, especially with a guy like Baez,” he said.
Gonzalez threw home, but it was too late to catch the sliding Baez, who scored easily while Contreras advanced to second.
“As soon as I got to third, I was trying to get Willson’s attention so he can get a big lead,” Baez said.
L.A. Dodgers 10, Colorado 7: Max Muncy homered twice, Yasmani Grandal also went deep in a three-run ninth inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Colorado Rockies 10-7.
Arizona 6, Florida 1: Matt Koch allowed three hits over seven scoreless innings and the Arizona Diamondbacks completed a three-game sweep, beating Miami 6-1 and extending the Marlins’ losing streak to a season-long six games.
Atlanta 4, Washington 2: Charlie Culberson broke a tie with a two-run, pinch-hit homer in the bottom of the ninth inning, Dansby Swanson went deep for the tying run in the seventh and the Atlanta Braves beat the Washington Nationals 4-2.
Minnesota 7, Cleveland 5: Eddie Rosario hit his third homer of the game, launching a two-run shot in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Minnesota Twins over the Cleveland Indians 7-5.
Rosario began the day with 10 home runs this season. He helped the Twins beat the AL Central-leading Indians for the third straight day.
Toronto 8, Detroit 4: Justin Smoak’s sixth-inning homer broke a scoreless tie and the Toronto Blue Jays ended their five-game losing streak with an 8-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers.
Oakland 5, Kansas City 1: Matt Olson hit a three-run homer in the eighth as the Oakland Athletics defeated the Kansas City Royals 5-1 to win the series. Olson went 5 for 11 with three home runs, eight RBI and scored five times in the series.
L.A. Angels 3, Texas 1: Tyler Skaggs pitched six scoreless innings of four-hit ball and Justin Upton homered in the Angels’ 3-1 victory over the Rangers.
Yankees-Orioles ppd.: The series finale between the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles has been postponed because of the threat of all-day rain. That leaves both teams with yet another doubleheader down the road.