Red-hot Rizzo leads Cubs past Phillies, 4-3

[June 08, 2018]  Chicago first baseman Anthony Rizzo homered and drove in two runs, and the Cubs moved within a half-game of first place in the National League Central with a 4-3 victory over the visiting Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday at Wrigley Field.

Rizzo homered in the fourth inning to break a scoreless tie and was credited with a sacrifice fly that capped a three-run fifth inning when a scoring play at the plate was reversed after a replay review.

Rizzo has 19 RBIs in his past 18 games and has nine homers and 33 RBIs in his past 32 games.

The Cubs have won nine of 11 to close in on Milwaukee in a division in which four teams are .500 or better.

Scott Kingery had a two-run double and Carlos Santana had an RBI single for Philadelphia, which lost the final two games of the three-game series and has dropped five of six.

Brandon Morrow, the sixth Cubs pitcher, worked around a two-out walk in the ninth inning for his 15th save in 16 chances. Starter Tyler Chatwood gave up four hits and one run in 4 2/3 innings, with six strikeouts. He tied a season high with seven walks.

Phillies right-hander Nick Pivetta (4-5) gave up six hits and four runs in five innings, with six strikeouts and one walk.

Rizzo hit his 10th homer of the season with one out in the fourth inning for a 1-0 lead.

The Phillies tied it in the fifth inning when Odubel Herrera walked, took second on a groundout and scored on Santana's single. Santana extended his hitting streak to five games.

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo (44) reacts to the dugout after hitting a home run during the fourth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports

The Cubs took a 4-1 lead in the last of the fifth. Chris Gimenez hit a single that Pivetta could not handle and took second on Pivetta's throwing error before reliever and winning pitcher Brian Duensing (2-0) walked and Albert Almora Jr. singled to load the bases.

Tommy La Stella and Kris Bryant singled in runs before Rizzo hit a fly to left field. Almora slid head-first into home and was called out before the call was reversed as catcher Andrew Knapp was ruled to have blocked the plate before catching the ball.

In the Philadelphia sixth, Jesmuel Valentin singled and Cesar Hernandez reached on third baseman Bryant's fielding error before Kingery's double drove in both to make it 4-3.

--Field Level Media

[© 2018 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2018 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.