Bryant's blast sends Cubs to win over Marlins

[May 08, 2019]  Kris Bryant blasted a three-run, walk-off homer in the ninth inning to lead the Chicago Cubs to a 5-2 win over the visiting Miami Marlins on Tuesday night.

This marks the first time in Bryant's career that he has homered in three straight games. He has six homers this season.

The blast to left-center came on a 98 mph fastball from lefty reliever Adam Conley (1-4).

Former Marlins reliever Steve Cishek (1-1) earned the win, pitching one scoreless inning.

Neither starting pitcher came away with a decision despite good efforts.

Miami's Caleb Smith posted a career-high 11 strikeouts -- including nine on sliders -- while allowing five hits, three walks and two runs in 6 2/3 innings. Of Smith's career-high 112 pitches, 72 were strikes and 20 were swings and misses. His ERA this year is 2.11.

Chicago's Jon Lester struck out six in six innings, allowing eight hits, no walks and two runs, none earned. His ERA is 1.41.

The Cubs opened the scoring in the first. Bryant tripled on a high drive to the right-field corner and scored on Javier Baez's sacrifice fly.

Miami took a 2-1 lead in the third thanks to a couple of balls that deflected off Cubs players' gloves.

With one out, Curtis Granderson hit a drive that was knocked down by the wind. Left fielder Kyle Schwarber started back and then came forward, with the ball bouncing in and out of his glove for a two-base error. Martin Prado then drove an RBI double to right-center, and Jorge Alfaro's run-scoring single glanced off the glove of Baez, who made a leaping stab at shortstop.

Cubs starting pitcher Jon Lester (34) throws a pitch against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Chicago's Albert Almora, who is from the Miami area, tied the score at 2 in the bottom of the third with his second homer of the year. His line drive cut through the wind as he yanked an outside fastball to center with an exit velocity of 108 mph.

Miami nearly took the lead back in the fifth. Granderson doubled off the top of the wall -- missing a homer by a couple of inches -- and took third when right fielder Jason Heyward bobbled the ball. But Granderson was stranded after a shallow fly by Prado, a pop-up by Brian Anderson and an Alfaro groundout to first base.

On the latter play, first baseman Anthony Rizzo bobbled the ball, but Alfaro slowed down, allowing the Cubs to escape.

That led to the drama in the bottom of the ninth, when Conley walked one batter, hit another and then gave up the big fly by Bryant.

--Field Level Media

[© 2019 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2019 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.