Cubs pull ahead in ninth, beat Arizona 3-2
PHOENIX - Frank Schwindel hit a tiebreaking single in the ninth inning and the Cubs beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-2 on Sunday.
Patrick Wisdom and Rafael Ortega also homered for the Cubs, who have won four of six after a 3-14 stretch.
Ortega connected on his 31st birthday for his first homer of the season. Wisdom was the last Cub to homer on his birthday, hitting two on Aug. 27, 2021.
Wisdom doubled to deep center field to lead off the ninth against Ian Kennedy (2-2) and Schwindel reached out and hit a soft line drive over first base.
Scott Effross (1-1) gave up a single to open the ninth. Rowan Wick allowed a single to the first batter he faced before getting his fourth save in as many chances on a foulout and double-play grounder.
Cubs starter Justin Steele struck out a career-high 10 and gave up 1 earned run and 3 hits in 6 innings. It was his first appearance since being removed from last Sunday's start after 4 innings because of thumb soreness.
Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki was 1 for 3 with a double and a walk in his second straight start after missing three with an ankle injury.
Suzuki also made two outstanding plays in the field, a sliding catch on Christian Walker's line drive in front of him in the first inning and a backhanded, over-the-shoulder catch on Josh Rojas' flyball to the warning track in the seventh.
Arizona lost its first series in six. The Diamondbacks had won their previous last five 1-run games - they are 7-4 in 1-run games this season after going 10-31 in such games last season.
Ortega hit the second pitch of the game for a 428-foot homer and Wisdom led off the second with a 414-foot homer for a quick 2-0 lead off Humberto Castellanos.
Daulton Varsho had an RBI single and shortstop Ildemaro Vargas made a two-out error as the Diamondbacks tied it at 2-all in the fourth.
From the bottom of the second inning through the top of the fourth, 10 of the 12 batters struck out and none reached base. Steele struck out the side in the second inning and fanned two around a groundout in the third.
Castellanos struck out five in a row after getting Willson Contreras on a sharp groundout leading off the Cubs' third.
Cubs shortstop Andrelton Simmons (right shoulder) was activated from the injured list before the game and entered as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning, He had not played this season after feeling inflammation in spring training. Nico Hoerner (right ankle) was placed on the IL in a corresponding move. Hoerner left Wednesday's game in San Diego in the second inning when he collided with an umpire while attempting to position himself for a relay throw.