LDN - Sports

Wild pitch gives Cubs walk-off win over Reds

[August 17, 2017] CHICAGO -- Anthony Rizzo said he was hoping for a break in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds were locked in a tie game Wednesday.

The Chicago first baseman got his wish as Javier Baez scored the winning run on a two-out wild pitch by Reds reliever Blake Wood, giving the Cubs a 7-6 walk-off victory on Wednesday night.

"(Cincinnati catcher) Tucker Barnhart was really good behind there this whole series so far, he's a really good blocker," Rizzo said. "I started throwing out there, 'Come on, just one little passed ball.' It didn't get fully by him, but it was a great read by Javier to score that run."

The Cubs (63-56) posted their fourth walk-off victory of the season and first on a wild pitch. The Reds (50-71) lost on a walk-off wild pitch for the second time on their current road trip.

Baez led off the ninth with a double against Reds reliever Wandy Peralta. Pinch hitter Jon Jay walked on four pitches, and Ben Zobrist advanced the runners to third and second with a fielder's choice grounder.

Wood entered and struck out Albert Almora Jr. on four pitches before he threw the wild pitch to Kris Bryant on a 1-0 count.

"There's not really any margin for error there," Wood said. "You've got to make pitches, and hopefully it works out. Tonight, I just pulled one a little bit too far, and that was it."

Chicago closer Wade Davis (3-1) worked one scoreless inning for the victory. Peralta (3-3) took the loss after yielding one run in 1 1/3 innings.

Rizzo went 2-for-4 with his third career grand slam, hit off Reds right-handed starter Homer Bailey. Rizzo's team-leading 28th home run of the season gave the Cubs a 4-1 first-inning lead.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto saw his bid to match a record held by Ted Williams fall short as he went 1-for-4. Votto had reached base at least twice in a game in 20 consecutive games until Wednesday.

Williams' record, set in 1948, is 21 games.

Neither starter factored into the decision.

Cubs right-hander John Lackey, seeking a win in his sixth straight start, was pulled in the sixth for pinch hitter Tommy La Stella, who doubled home Jason Heyward for a 6-1 lead.

After a shaky start, Lackey ended up allowing just one run and four hits while striking out six and walking three in six innings.

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Cubs starting pitcher John Lackey (41) pitches in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports

"I didn't have a good feel the first two innings, obviously," Lackey said. "I really had no breaking ball and kind of found that as we went along and got a little better."

Bailey departed after La Stella's hit. Bailey allowed six runs on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings, walking five and striking out 10 while throwing 109 pitches.

"I just didn't execute those (first-inning) pitches as well as I could have," Bailey said. "Tonight, just like they have all season, our offense did an outstanding job in coming back and showed their heart there. But tonight, our starting pitching lost us the game."

Cincinnati right fielder Phillip Ervin clubbed his first major league hit and home run on a first pitch from reliever Hector Rondon with two outs in the seventh inning.

Zack Cozart followed with a two-run homer to left, driving in Billy Hamilton to cut the margin to 6-4. Rondon was pulled in favor of Brian Duensing, who got Votto to ground out to end the inning.

With one out in the eighth, Reds pinch hitter Adam Duvall forced a 6-6 tie with a two-run homer off Carl Edwards Jr., also driving in Eugenio Suarez.

NOTES: Reds OF Scott Schebler went a combined 2-for-7 with an RBI on Tuesday and Wednesday in rehab appearances for Triple-A Louisville. He has been on the disabled list since Aug. 1 with a left shoulder strain. ... Reds 1B Joey Votto's consecutive game streak reaching base two or more times in a game included a 17-game hitting streak that was snapped Sunday at Milwaukee. ... Cincinnati RHP Scott Feldman (7-7, 4.43 ERA) opposes Cubs LHP Jon Lester (8-7, 3.99 ERA) on Thursday in the series finale. ... Chicago 1B Anthony Rizzo's grand slam was his first since Sept. 4, 2015, against Arizona. All three of his slams have come at Wrigley Field.

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