Baez homer lifts empty Cubs offense to victory
Maybe the Cubs had a legitimate complaint about the umpiring behind home plate Sunday.
But when they managed just 1 hit and 2 baserunners in eight innings against 39-year-old St. Louis starter Adam Wainwright, it's tough to put much blame on anything but their bats.
The Cubs didn't have a runner in scoring position until Willson Contreras trotted out to second base as the automatic runner to open the 10th inning. Two batters later, the Cubs offensive struggles came to a loud end.
Javy Baez belted a 2-run homer off reliever Alex Reyes to break a scoreless tie and the Cubs beat the Cardinals 2-1. By taking two out of three in this series, the Cubs closed within 2 games of first place in the NL Central.
"I was kind of in between with the fastball and curveball, but I just decided to cover one pitch," Baez said. "I was going back and forth the whole game. Hitting against Yaddy (Molina) and Wainwright. I sit on a curveball a few times with Wainwright and they knew it, so I didn't get that pitch."
Cubs manager David Ross was ejected early in the game for arguing ball and strikes calls. The Cubs felt home plate umpire Erich Bacchus was giving Wainwright a generous outside corner.
"I saw the zone on TV like you guys did," Ross said after the game. "You know if you've got a guy that can execute pitches like Wainwright and you're giving him an extra inches on balls off the plate, it's going to be a tough night. I knew that going in, saw that trend early on and felt like I needed to voice my opinion and get him on the plate.
"Because I knew a guy his caliber with a guy behind the plate (catcher Yadier Molina) of his caliber and the way he can execute pitches and manipulate the baseball it was going to be a tough night and it turned out it was."
Craig Kimbrel came on to get the final out in the ninth inning, then went to the plate for just the second at-bat of his 12-year major league career. The Cardinals scored in the bottom of the 10th on a sacrifice fly before Kimbrel ended it with 2 strikeouts.
The Cubs had 1 hit and two baserunners against Wainwright in eight innings. The second batter of the game, Kris Bryant, got the single, then Contreras walked in the fourth. Cubs starter Zach Davies gave up four doubles, but managed to get through 5 innings without allowing a run.
Ryan Tepera pulled off an impressive save in the seventh inning. The Cardinals loaded the bases with nobody out on a swinging bunt single by Edmundo Sosa and walk.
At that point, Ryan Tepera replaced Tommy Nance on the mound. When Wainwright bunted, Tepera tried to force the runner at third, but his throw was off the mark and Sosa was called safe.
When looking at the replay it seemed obvious that Sosa was actually out, not once, but twice. David Bote's foot was still on the base as he lunged to make the catch and then he reached out and tagged Sosa on the foot before he got to the base. But there was no challenge and the call stood.
Tepera came back to coax fielder's choice grounder by Tommy Edman, with a force out at the plate, then a foul out to the catcher and strikeout of Nolan Arenado to end the inning.
Dan Winkler extended his run of scoreless appearances to 17 straight in the eighth inning.
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