Frank Schwindel's go-ahead RBI helps Cubs edge D-backs

[May 16, 2022] Patrick Wisdom homered and doubled and Frank Schwindel drove in the winning run in the ninth inning with a single as the Chicago Cubs defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-2 in the rubber game of their three-game series on Sunday afternoon in Phoenix.

Rafael Ortega also homered for Chicago, which won its second straight series and finished 4-2 on its six-game Western road trip.

Scott Effross (1-1) picked up the win with an inning-plus of scoreless relief while Rowan Wick earned his fourth save. Left-hander Justin Steele started for the Cubs and allowed one earned run on three hits over six innings. He walked two and struck out a career-high 10.

Christian Walker had two hits and a run scored and Cooper Hummel tripled for Arizona, which lost its second straight game. Ian Kennedy (2-2) suffered the loss.

Chicago needed just two pitches to take a 1-0 lead when Ortega, celebrating his 31st birthday, smashed a 428-foot homer into the bleachers down the right field line off Arizona starter Humberto Castellanos, his first home run of the season.

Wisdom made it 2-0 when he led off the second inning with his sixth homer of the season, a 414-foot line drive to left.
 

Chicago Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki (27) bats against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the first inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Arizona sent eight batters to the plate in the fourth and pushed across two runs to tie it, 2-2. Jordan Luplow led off with a walk and advanced to second one out later on a single by Walker. After Pavin Smith struck out, Daulton Varsho singled to right to drive in Luplow with Walker advancing to third. Walker then scored on a fielding error by shortstop Ildemaro Vargas.

Chicago then took a 3-2 lead in the ninth off Kennedy. Wisdom led off with a line double that one-hopped the fence in left-center and came around to score on Schwindel's soft liner down the right field line.

Walker led off the bottom of the ninth with a line single to left. After Wick replaced Effross, Smith blooped a single to left. Varsho popped out to third and David Peralta, pinch-hitting for Nick Ahmed, then grounded into a game-ending double play.

--Field Level Media

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