|
 And yet he might have been the most important player in the Cubs'
2-1 victory.
Ross caught two runners stealing, then picked pinch hitter Clint
Robinson off of first base for the game's final out as the Cubs
moved to 2-2 on their nine-game road trip.
"He does so many good things on the field that you cannot overlook
that and just reduce it to three strikeouts," said Cubs manager Joe
Maddon. "I really wanted him in the game late today. I thought he
had a great feel for the game."
Jake Arrieta allowed one run in six innings, and the Cubs'
first-inning small ball proved enough against a Nationals team that
has lost six of its last seven.
Arrieta (5-4) struck out eight, walked none and gave up six hits.
The right-hander earned his first win since May 12.
Nationals left-hander Gio Gonzalez allowed two runs in six innings
as Washington lost its third straight and sixth of seven.
Gonzalez (4-3) allowed four hits and four walks, two of each during
a first inning when he threw 32 pitches and the Cubs scored on a
bases-loaded walk and a run-scoring double play.
"Six innings, two runs, even with all that storm in the first
inning, I'll take it any day of the week," Gonzalez said. "It's
keeping your team in the game as much as possible."
Hector Rondon worked the ninth for his 10th save, but it was dicey
until Ross and first baseman Anthony Rizzo intervened with their
pickoff play.
"I absolutely love it," Maddon said of the play. "If he actually had
thrown that ball down the right field corner, I would've been fine.
I would've been absolutely fine with the whole play because it was
the right thing to do. They saw something, they went with it, it was
all them. Spectacular."
In the inning, left fielder Michael Taylor hit a one-out single, his
third of the game, and then got to second when Rondon walked
Robinson.
Center fielder Denard Span flew out to center for the second out.
Then with infielder Anthony Rendon at the plate, Ross threw back to
first following a 2-1 pitch, easily nabbing Robinson.
"That's just on me, that can't happen," Robinson said. "I really
can't explain it. I wasn't really trying to go anywhere. I just
couldn't get back fast enough."
The right-handed hitting Ross was making his third consecutive start
behind the plate for the first time since early September of 2012,
with the Cubs facing their second lefty in that stretch.
The victory moved Chicago to 15-10 in one-run games. In this latest
tight contest, Rizzo said he felt comfortable calling the pickoff
play.
"I'm always looking for that," Rizzo said. "He's the (go-ahead) run
so he's getting a big aggressive secondary lead. Rossy gave me a
look and confirmed the signs, and made a good throw."
[to top of second column] |
Right fielder Bryce Harper drove in Washington's run on a
sixth-inning, bases-loaded groundout that replays appeared to show
he beat out. Washington already had used its challenge on second
baseman Danny Espinosa's fourth-inning steal attempt.
After Harper's chopper, Arrieta then hit first baseman Ryan
Zimmerman to load the bases again, but shortstop Ian Desmond popped
to short to end the inning.
Rendon struck out against reliever Jason Motte to strand runners on
first and second in the seventh. He had a single and a double in his
return from the disabled list, but infield teammate Yunel Escobar
departed after failing to check his swing on a first-inning
strikeout.
The Cubs took a 2-0 lead in the first. Right fielder Junior Lake
drew a bases-loaded walk, and shortstop Starlin Castro grounded into
a run-scoring double play.
Rendon singled in his first at-bat in the bottom of first, but he
was caught stealing to end the inning after Escobar struck out
trying to check his swing.
Escobar left with an apparent injury on the play. Rendon moved to
third base to begin the second inning, and Espinosa entered at
second base.
NOTES: The Nationals recalled Rendon (knee, oblique) from the 15-day
disabled list after he missed the first 53 games of the season.
Rendon batted .287 with 21 homers and 83 RBIs in 2014, his second in
the majors. ... Washington also recalled RHP A.J. Cole from Triple-A
Syracuse and optioned RHP Taylor Jordan to Syracuse and INF Wilmer
Difo to Double-A Harrisburg. ... Nationals RHP Tanner Roark (1-2,
2.59 ERA) goes against Cubs LHP Tsuyoshi Wada (0-0, 2.30) in the
second of the four-game series on Friday. Roark has allowed three
runs in two starts (11 innings) since moving from the bullpen to the
rotation. Wada has allowed four runs in three starts (15 2/3
innings) since returning from the disabled list (groin).
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
