So the Cubs had yet another rainout giving me the night off but we go with the same two men in the rotation. John Lester would take on young right hander Ceasar Vargas. Both men would easy 1st innings and Lester would carry that into the 2nd. Vargas would get Rizzo to ground out to leadoff the inning. Zobrist would send a line drive to to right landing the first hit of the game. Javier Baez would lay down a surprise perfect bunt advancing Ben to second. Addison Russell would send a line drive over the right fielder getting himself a double but on the throw home Russell would try to get to third not realizing that Baez was still on third. He would slide into third but the throw and questionable tag would make two outs. David Ross would walk but Lester would end the inning on a fielders choice.
Lester would start the inning with a pop out but would walk former White Sox, Alexi Ramirez. Then with two outs, he would hit John Jay but get Will Myers to strike out. Dexter Fowler would lead off with a smack up the middle for a single. With the shift on, Heyward would take the pitch and put in play with nobody at third. With no men out and a slight shift in the outfield, Chris Bryant would pull a double down the line in left, scoring both runners. Rizzo would send one right back at the pitcher but with Ramirez covering second, he stops a possible single and another run scored but Kris would advance to third. Zobrist would squeeze one right in between 1st and 2cd scoring Bryant. With one out, Baez would send a line drive to left in an inning that looks more like batting practice. The Padres would intentionally walk Russell. With bases loaded, David Ross would send Matt Kemp through the warning track making the grab but Zobrist would tag and score. Lester would fly out to end the inning. Cubs after 3, 5-0.
With two outs in the top of the fourth, Melvin Upton, Jr would not only get the first hit but also the first run with a solo shot to left field. Fowler would lead off the bottom half with a walk but would be out on Heyward’s fielders choice scored 4-6. Rizzo would get his first hit of the game pushing Jason the third base. Zobrist would make it 3-3 for the night knocking in Heyward, Rizzo to third. Baez woul fly out to Kemp to end the inning. Cubs, 6-1
Top of 5, Lester goes in with a solid lead, giving up a first pitch single to Jose Pirela. Ramirez would double to center scoring Jose thier second run of the night. However, after reaching second, Ramirez would be taken out of the game. John Jay would double to right scoring pinch runner Adam Rosales. Lester would get Myers to fly out and get Matt Kemp to watch strike three go by. Cubs 6, Padres 3.
Luis Perdomo would come into the fifth and get Addison Russell to strikeout. Ross would send a bouncer back to the pitcher and Lester would end the inning with a ground out. In the top of the sixth, Lester would have an easy 1-2-3. Fowler would lead off with a walk but get caught up in Heyward’s double play and Bryant would strikeout to end the inning.
Trevor Cahill would come into the 7th and strike out his first batter, walk his next, then get a called third strike. Clayton Richard would come in for Cahill and give up a single to John Jay, prompting another pitching change for the Cubs. Pedro Strop would come in and we finally got an update on Alexi who left with an injured leg. First pitch Will Myers sends a shot screaming to Baez and would reach on an error to load the bases for Matt Kemp who would fly out to end the inning. Rizzo would leadoff with a walk and Zobrist with his fourth hit of the night. With one out Russell would finally hit that triple to right field scoring two. Cubs add to thier lead 8-3.
Top of the eighth coming up. Justin Grimm would come in and walk Derek Norris and give up a single to Melvin. No outs two men on, he gets Brett Wallace swinging on strike three. Pirela would single to load the bases and that would be all for Grimm. Adam Warren would come in and strikeout Adam Rosales but gives up a monster grand slam to Alex Dickerson, his first home run of the season. John Jaynwould ground out to end the inning. Cubs 8, Padres 7. Bottom of the eighth just one run separates the two. Mike Quackenbush comes into the bottom of the eighth and has a 1-2-3 inning.
Padres will get there last chance to tie or take the lead otherwise this game is over and we play two tomorrow. Hector Rondon comes into the game and gets Will Myers looking. Then gets Matt Kemp swinging. Derek Norris steps into the box and grounds out to short to end the game! Eight in a row! “Go Cubs Go!”
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