|
 "It's a situation where I know that all I need to do is hit a fly
ball," the Chicago Cubs' pinch-hitting outfielder said. "I tried to
just take a deep breath and not try to do too much -- just get a
ball that was up in the zone and get the bottom half of it."
On a 1-2 pitch, Denorfia sent a long fly to center that allowed Matt
Szczur to bolt home from third as the Cubs claimed a 1-0 walk-off
victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in 10 innings.
But the situation for Denorfia was a more complicated than simply
making contact.
Denorfia faced top Dodgers right-handed closer Kenley Jansen with
one out plus two outfielders playing shallow and five infielders
seeking to scoop up anything on the ground.
"I knew it wasn't anywhere near a home run. I just knew as soon as
it hit it was a fly ball, (and) I put my head down and got to first
base."
The Cubs (39-30) claimed their fourth straight victory and their
major-league-leading ninth walk-off triumph of the season as
right-hander Jason Motte (5-1) pitched one inning of relief for the
win.
Right-hander Joel Peralta (1-1) took the loss as Los Angeles (39-33)
dropped its second straight and fourth in five games.
Peralta, the Dodgers' fifth pitcher of the night, loaded the bases
with none out in the 10th in his first appearance since coming off
the disabled list.
It was the seventh game in the last 11 that the Dodgers have scored
two or fewer runs.
"Not scoring runs is frustrating for sure," first baseman Adrian
Gonzalez said. "If we could pinpoint it, we would fix it. We're all
working hard, we're all putting in the effort. The results just
aren't there. ... You always see team slumps -- it happens."
The Dodgers threatened in the sixth when right fielder Yasiel Puig
tripled to right with two outs. But starter Jason Hammel got center
fielder Joc Pederson to pop up to short left to end the threat.
Dodgers right-handed starter Zack Greinke had no decision after
working six shutout innings. He threw 111 pitches, gave up three
hits and walked two while striking out five.
Greinke, who remains at 5-2, had his sixth no decision in his last
seven starts and eighth of the season.
"Nothing was lights out, but I didn't leave too many balls over the
middle," said Greinke, who has his second straight no-run outing and
fourth this season. "One I remember that I got lucky was that Kris
Bryant popped up on a 3-2 slider. He was right on it and just barely
missed it.
"I got away with that one and not many mistakes besides that."
Los Angeles left fielder Andre Ethier walked to open the eighth,
reached second on third baseman Alberto Callaspo's sacrifice bunt
and landed on third thanks to shortstop Jimmy Rollins' fielder's
choice grounder.
Hammel then walked pinch hitter Justin Turner with two outs and
departed in favor of right-hander Hector Rondon.
But the inning ended when Puig hit a high popup on Rondon's first
pitch that was chased by four Cubs before being hauled in by left
fielder Chris Coghlan.
[to top of second column] |
Hammel, who also had no decision and remained at 5-2, worked 7 2/3
innings and threw 107 pitches while allowing two hits, walking a
pair and striking out six.
In the ninth, Cubs reliever Pedro Strop allowed a two-out single to
Gonzalez and walked catcher Yasmani Grandal but got Ethier to ground
out to second.
Each team had at least one baserunner in scoring position in the
early innings but neither managed a run in dueling shutouts through
five innings.
The early highlight instead belonged to an unidentified fan who made
a one-handed catch of Hammel's foul ball while holding a 7-month-old
baby in his left arm. With two outs in the second inning, the fan
reached above the outstretched glove of Gonzalez along the
first-base line and made a catch.
After a replay review, umpires ruled interference to end the inning.
"They've got every right to stick their hand out," Gonzalez said.
"(But) it would have been more impressive if the baby would have
caught it."
NOTES: OF Joc Pederson's 19th homer of the season on Monday is the
most by a Dodgers rookie before the All-Star break. He came into
Tuesday tied for fourth in the NL homers, third in walks (50) and
sixth in on-base percentage (.393). ... RHP Pedro Baez (right
pectoral strain) and LHP Paco Rodriguez (left elbow strain) were
both expected to make rehab appearances on Tuesday at Triple-A
Oklahoma City. ... Los Angeles led the National League in homers
(93), walks (253), extra base hits (227) and slugging percentage
(.439) entering Tuesday. ... The Dodgers send RHP Mike Bollinger
(4-2, 2.87 ERA) against Cubs RHP Kyle Hendricks (2-3, 4.28 ERA) on
Wednesday. ... Cubs LHP Tsuyoshi Wada, who left Monday's game with a
left shoulder strain, apparently felt better on Tuesday and could
make his next regularly scheduled start on Saturday. ... The
National League's three best winning percentages were in the
National League Central coming into Tuesday: Cardinals (.652),
Pirates (.565) and Cubs (.559). ... Monday's Cubs victory marked the
first game in which neither team recorded an at-bat with runners in
scoring position since Sept. 5, 2013, when the Phillies hosted the
Braves. The last such game involving the Cubs was in 2002 vs. St.
Louis, a 2-1 Chicago victory.
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
