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 "That was a good team win," San Diego starter James Shields said.
"We needed that one."
Shields pitched fine, but he didn't get the victory in a 4-3
decision over the Chicago Cubs.
"That was a close game," San Diego manager Bud Black said. "It
seemed like every at-bat was huge."
The same goes for what the triumph meant for the Padres, who snapped
a three-game skid and quieted the chatter about Black's future.
Catcher Derek Norris' eighth-inning, two-run, tiebreaking double was
the difference.
The Cubs gave up three unearned runs, which prevented them from
earning a seventh victory in eight games.
"We've been outstanding on defense, and to have three really
pedestrian plays beat us, it's tough," Chicago manager Joe Maddon
said.
Padres pinch hitter Clint Barmes reached in the eighth when second
baseman Addison Russell dropped his pop fly for the Cubs' third
error. Abraham Almonte, another pinch hitter, followed with a
two-strike bunt single. Barmes reached third on second baseman Cory
Spangenberg's sacrifice bunt.
Right-hander Pedro Strop relieved lefty James Russell (0-1), and
Norris greeted Strop with his go-ahead hit to left field.
Joaquin Benoit (4-1) pitched a scoreless eighth for the win. Craig
Kimbrel earned his 11th save in 12 chances despite allowing a solo
homer to Chris Coghlan, the left fielder's second of the night.
Cubs starter Jason Hammel was masterful through seven innings,
allowing two runs (both unearned) on three hits in his fifth
consecutive quality start. Hammel, who retired the first 12 batters
he faced, struck out eight without issuing a walk.
"Obviously, it was the errors that cost us the game," Hamnel said.
"There is no way we should have lost that game."
Shields, in trying to win his sixth straight decision as a Padre,
worked seven innings and was charged with two runs on six hits. He
struck out 11, walked one and yielded two home runs.
"I felt I had pretty good stuff out of the gate," said Shields, who
was one strikeout shy of a season high. "Hopefully, this can give us
a confidence boost."
The Padres tied the game 2-2 in the seventh when center fielder Will
Venable's single scored first baseman Yangervis Solarte. The inning
began with an error by Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro.
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Solarte drove in left fielder Justin Upton with an RBI single in the
fifth to slice the Padres' deficit to 2-1. Upton was the first Padre
to reach base, and it came on a two-base throwing error by third
baseman Kris Bryant.
Hammel set down the first 12 batters he faced as the Padres hit only
one ball out of the infield through four innings. That came on
Spangenberg's flyout to center in the first.
The Cubs struck for two home runs in the third, both solo shots, for
a 2-0 lead. Coghlan hit the inning's first pitch for his fifth homer
of the season, with the ball traveling 420 feet. Center fielder
Dexter Fowler then redirected a 91 mph Shields fastball for another
homer, his fourth.
The home runs were the team-high 13th and 14th allowed by Shields.
"It's a weird year, and I made two mistakes and they capitalized on
them," Shields said. "I think the only people that are mad are the
fantasy league owners. We got the win at the end of the day."
The Cubs, meanwhile, were kicking themselves for kicking the ball
around.
"Jason Hammel could not have pitched better than he did tonight,"
Maddon said. "Without the errors, he probably could have pitched a
complete game."
NOTES: The Cubs traded C Welington Castillo to the Mariners for RHP
Yoervis Medina. ... Cubs LHP Tsuyoshi Wada was activated from the
disabled list, and he will start Wednesday against the Padres. ...
Chicago called up OFs Junior Lake and Mike Baxter from Triple-A
Iowa. LHP Phil Coke was designated for assignment, and RHP Brian
Schlitter was optioned to Iowa. ... The Padres put OF Wil Myers
(wrist) on the disabled list retroactive to May 11. RHP Cory Mazzoni
was summoned from Triple-A El Paso. ... San Diego 1B Yonder Alonso
(shoulder) remains without a timetable for his return.
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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