Padres rally late to put away Cubs

[July 22, 2019]  Catcher Francisco Mejia homered to lead off the seventh inning to break a 1-1 tie and had a key bunt single as the San Diego Padres added three runs in the ninth for a 5-1 victory over the host Chicago Cubs.

Cal Quantrill (3-2) threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings in relief for the Padres, giving up two hits without issuing a walk. He struck out six, four of which came as he ended his outing by retiring 10 straight Cubs. Kirby Yates struck out three in the ninth in a non-save situation.

Quantrill followed Adrian Morejon, who allowed a run on three hits and a strikeout in 2 1/3 innings while making his major league debut as an opener at the age of 20 years and 144 days.

Mejia pulled a full-count pitch from Kyle Hendricks (7-8) into the right-field bleachers for a 2-1 lead in the seventh.

Hunter Renfroe began the Padres' ninth-inning rally by drawing a one-out walk from reliever Kyle Ryan. Mejia then perfectly placed a bunt down the third-base line for a single. After Wil Myers popped out, Cubs reliever Carl Edwards Jr. came on to walk Luis Urias and load the bases.

Renfroe scored when Edwards plunked pinch hitter Greg Garcia in the foot. Fernando Tatis Jr., who had earlier tied the game at 1 with an opposite-field single, again hit a line-drive single to right to drive in Mejia and Urias.

The Cubs took a 1-0 lead in the first against Morejon, a Cuban native who is the second-youngest pitcher to start a game for the Padres and the sixth-youngest player in franchise history.

Cubs starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks (28) delivers against the San Diego Padres in the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

Javier Baez singled with one out and moved to third on a bloop double by Kris Bryant that fell just inside the right-field foul line. Baez scored on Anthony Rizzo's ground out to first.

Three Padres rookies tied the game against Hendricks in the fifth. Urias drew a one-out walk, moved to second on Quantrill's sacrifice bunt and scored on Tatis' opposite-field single to right.

Hendricks gave up two runs on four hits and two walks with five strikeouts in seven innings.

--Field Level Media

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