Padres' late splurge gains split with Cubs

[August 06, 2018]  Cory Spangenberg doubled home the tiebreaking run with a two-out double in the eighth inning and Hunter Renfroe triggered a four-run ninth with a two-run homer on Sunday as the San Diego Padres defeated the Chicago Cubs 10-6 at Wrigley Field to gain a split of the four-game series.

Travis Jankowski drew a two-out walk from Cubs reliever Carl Edwards Jr. in the eighth and stole second ahead of Spangenberg's double.

Renfroe's ninth homer of the season immediately followed Eric Hosmer's one-out single. The Padres added two more runs on a two-run single by Jankowski off Rosario.

Ben Zobrist homered in the bottom of the ninth off Padres closer Kirby Yates.

Craig Stammen (5-1) earned the win for the Padres. Edwards (3-2) took the loss for the Cubs.

The Cubs had rallied to tie the game at 5 after the Padres built up leads of 4-0 and 5-1 against Cubs starter Jon Lester, who failed to gain his 13th win for the fourth straight start.

Leadoff man Manuel Margot helped the Padres manufacture a 1-0 lead in the first. He singled, moved to second on a ground out to the right side, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Renfroe's sacrifice fly to right.

Freddy Galvis opened the second with a home run to left center off Lester and Hosmer turned it into a three-run inning with a two-out, two-run triple.

The teams then traded homers. Javier Baez connected for No. 24 in the bottom of the third against Padres left-handed rookie starter Joey Lucchesi. Padres rookie right fielder Franmil Reyes countered in the top of the fourth with a 477-foot blast to center off Lester. The homer was the longest of the 6-foot-5, 270-pound Reyes' seven career homers.

Cubs starting pitcher Jon Lester (34) pitches against the San Diego Padres during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Jim Young-USA TODAY Sports

The Cubs then went to work with Padres defensive miscues.

Pinch-hitter Tommy La Stella reached on catcher's interference by Austin Hedges with one out in the fifth. Albert Almora Jr. singled La Stella to third and left fielder Renfroe's throwing error allowed La Stella to score and Almora to take third. Baez doubled home Almora to cut the deficit to 5-3.

Three straight one-out singles by pinch-hitter Ben Zobist (off second baseman's Carlos Asuaje's glove), Ian Happ (on a pop fly mis-played by Asuaje) and Almora off reliever Jose Castillo cut the lead to 5-4. Anthony Rizzo then tied the game, driving in Happ on a pop-fly single down the line in left off Stammen.

Lucchesi allowed three runs (two earned) on seven hits and no walks with nine strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. Lester allowed five runs on eight hits and two walks with one strikeout in five innings.

--Field Level Media

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