Maybin's pain is Cubs' gain in walk-off win over Indians

[September 16, 2020]  Pinch-hitter Cameron Maybin was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, bringing home the winning run and giving the Chicago Cubs a 6-5 win over the visiting Cleveland Indians on Tuesday night.

Maybin was the second consecutive Cubs batter to be drilled by Indians reliever Nick Wittgren, who also plunked Willson Contreras to load the bases. Kris Bryant trotted home for the game-winning run after Maybin was hit.

Chicago (29-20) has won three in a row, four of five and six of eight. The Cubs improved to 17-12 at Wrigley Field, and reliever Jeremy Jeffress (4-1) got the victory despite a ninth-inning meltdown.

Cleveland (26-22) lost its seventh game in a row. The Indians have been outscored 46-22 during the skid.

Indians reliever Oliver Perez (1-1) took the loss after giving up one run in one-third of an inning.

The Cubs opened the scoring on Javier Baez's solo shot in the bottom of the second inning. He crushed an 87 mph slider an estimated 450 feet over the wall in center field for his seventh homer.

Cleveland responded with two runs in the third. Josh Naylor hit a leadoff double and scored on the next play as Bryant made a throwing error on a bunt single by Delino DeShields. Moments later, Francisco Lindor doubled to drive in DeShields.

Lindor struck again in the fifth to give Cleveland a 3-1 advantage. He singled to drive in DeShields.

The Cubs rallied to even the score at 3-3 in the bottom of the fifth. Bryant hit an RBI single to left field before Anthony Rizzo doubled off the ivy-covered wall in center field to drive in Bryant and tie the game.

Cubs starting pitcher Yu Darvish (11) delivers against the Cleveland Indians during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Contreras gave Chicago a 4-3 lead in the seventh with a sacrifice fly to right field.

Baez made it 5-3 for the Cubs in the eighth with a terrific baserunning play. He swiped second base, and as he watched catcher Sandy Leon's throw bounce into center field, he took off running immediately and rounded third base for home plate. He beat the throw from the outfield with a foot-first slide as his teammates cheered from the dugout.

Cleveland was down to its final two outs in the ninth when Lindor evened the score at 5-5 on a two-run homer to left field, scoring Naylor who opened the inning with a walk off Jeffress. The opposite-field blast was his eighth homer of the season.

--Field Level Media

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