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 He didn't figure on finding the smallest hole imaginable.
A bloop shot to left by the Cubs catcher dropped and scored Kris
Bryant from third base with the winning run in Chicago's 2-1
walk-off victory over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday afternoon.
"Luckily I drove that ball in the gap right at the end there," said
a smiling Ross, who had the fifth game-ending hit of his career.
Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar sprinted into short left to try to
catch the rapidly sinking shot, but it fell in for a hit as Escobar
appeared to slip, allowing Bryant to score.
Left fielder Alex Gordon also arrived a step too late to make a
play.
"The ball landed between us; it was a good placed ball," Gordon
said. "I tried to grab it at the last second and try to throw home.
We were both reaching for it, (but) winds were all over the place.
"It was a tough play."
Cubs left-hander Zac Rosscup (2-1) pitched one-third of an inning
for the victory, while Royals right-hander Ryan Madson (0-1) worked
one full inning and took the loss.
The walk-off win was the major league leading sixth of the season
for Chicago.
Kansas City, which entered the weekend in first place in the
American League Central, slipped half-game behind Minnesota.
The Cubs split the abbreviated inter-league series after Saturday's
middle game was rained out. The game will be made up Sept. 28.
"Conditions were tough, (and) you knew offense was going to come at
a premium,"Royals manager Ned Yost said. "Both starting pitchers
threw the ball really well, and both bullpens did a nice job."
Royals right-handed starter Yordano Ventura and Cubs left-hander
Tsuyoshi Wada allowed just two runs between them but neither figured
in the final decision.
Wada worked 5 2/3 innings and allowed just two hits, struck out four
and walked a pair in his third start of the season before departing
for left-hander Travis Wood.
Wada walked center fielder Lorenzo Cain before leaving and was
charged with one earned run when Cain later scored on Gordon's base
hit to center for the 500th RBI of his career.
Ventura threw six shutout innings before allowing an RBI base hit to
left fielder Chris Coghlan. The hit scored pinch runner Jonathan
Herrera from second to force a 1-1 tie, but Coghlan was tagged at
second for an inning-ending out when trying to stretch the single.
Ventura allowed one run on four hits in seven innings. He struck out
six and walked one.
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The Cubs threatened in the ninth as first baseman Anthony Rizzo
tripled to the right field corner off right-handed reliever Wade
Davis with one out.
Davis then intentionally walked Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro, threw
out catcher David Ross after a sacrifice bunt in front of the plate
and struck out right fielder Jorge Soler on a 3-2 pitch to end the
threat.
First baseman Kendrys Morales walked with two out in the Royals
11th, and Gordon pushed him to third with a base hit. But Rosscup,
the eighth Chicago pitcher of the day, struck out catcher Salvador
Perez to close the inning.
The Cubs are now 5-2 in extra inning games and have played 21
one-run games.
"We're playing close games so we know we're good," Ross said. "I
think these guys believe in themselves night-in and night-out."
After a Saturday rainout, conditions were dry but cool Sunday. Game
time temperatures were 47 degrees with a 21 mile-per-hour wind from
the north.
NOTES: The Cubs and Royals saluted their 1915 Federal League
counterparts -- the Chicago Whales and the Kansas City Packers -- by
donning throwback uniforms honoring those franchises. ... Wrigley
Field was temporarily dubbed Weegham Park, the original name for the
park. ... Lennie Merullo, the oldest-living Cub and shortstop with
Chicago's 1945 World Series team, died Saturday at the age of 98.
... Saturday's rained out middle game in the series will be played
at 7:05 p.m. on Sept. 28. ... RHP Jason Hammel, Sunday's original
starter before the rainout, moved to Monday as the Cubs open a
three-game series at Miami. ... Royals RHP Jeremy Guthrie,
Saturday's originally scheduled starter, moved to a Tuesday
assignment at home against the Cleveland Indians and makes his 10th
start of the season. ... The Royals' only rainouts this season have
both occurred in Chicago. Kansas City has a makeup with the Chicago
White Sox scheduled for July 17 at U.S. Cellular Field.
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