Wild day goes Cubs’ way

We’re not sure the old baseball adage of “hitting is contagious” has any validity.

But enough Cubs have been contagious the last few days, with a nasty virus running rampant through the clubhouse.

Besides that, about the only other contagion Sunday afternoon into Sunday night at Wrigley Field was craziness.

In a game delayed 2 hours and 41 minutes at the start by rain, the Cubs overcame their own haplessness at the plate to score a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in 11 innings.

With the Cubs going only 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position, it was only fitting that the winning run scored on a walk to David DeJesus with the bases loaded.

Right before that, the Cubs sent pitcher Jeff Samardzija up as a pinch hitter with runners on first and second and nobody out. Samardzija, a good bunter, was up there to sacrifice, but Dodgers pitcher Jamey Wright hit him on the right arm with a pitch.

Dodgers manager Don Mattingly then employed a five-man infield, but it didn’t matter as Wright walked DeJesus.

“That was interesting, an interesting game,” said Cubs manager Dale Sveum, whose team won two of three and improved to 11-17. “It took all 25 guys to do it, let alone the sick guys coming off the couch and doing the job, too. It was a nice little team effort there.”

Sveum was talking about third baseman Ian Stewart, whom he described as “down and out” before the game with that flu-like virus.

But with the Cubs down 3-2 with one out in the bottom of the ninth, Sveum called on a woozy Stewart to pinch hit.

Stewart promptly lined a single to right. After DeJesus walked, Tony Campana doubled sharply to right-center to score Stewart with the tying run. DeJesus was thrown out at the plate, but the Cubs were back in business.

“I hit that one pretty hard,” said Campana, known more for his small-ball skills. “I felt pretty good. Stew and DeJesus had pretty good at-bats … I figured he (pitcher Javy Guerra) was going to throw one right down the middle, and he did. I was able to hit it hard.”

Perhaps forgotten by the end of this long day was the pitching of Cubs starter Travis Wood. The lefty was called up to start for the recovering Matt Garza (same virus).

It looked like it might be a short day for Wood, as he threw 71 pitches over the first 3 innings and trailed 3-0. But he settled down, managing to last 6 innings and 100 pitches to give the Cubs a chance.

“I felt good, didn’t feel like I was nervous or anything,” said Wood. “I was able to get some quick outs toward the end of the game, and we came back and won it.”

The bullpen also did a nice job, with Shawn Camp, James Russell and Rafael Dolis (2-2) pitching shutout, 3-hit ball over the last 5 innings.

The other member of sick bay, Jeff Baker, would have hit in the 11th, but he was spared by Samardzija in the bunt situation. A little earlier, it was all Sveum could do to get Stewart up.

“I asked Stew if he could go in the game, and he said, ‘I’m a little dizzy and can’t really see straight right now,’” the manager related. “That’s what you deal with as much as anything.

“They’re pretty much good enough to go up there and give you an at-bat. To spend a few innings in the field, they’re just not strong enough.”

So, Dale, did Stewart prove hitting is contagious?

“The other stuff is, but Stew has been swinging the ball good all year,” Sveum replied.

bmiles@dailyherald.com