Game 2 of the 9 game road trip for out East started in Philly with Jon Lester going up against Adam Morgan. Dexter Fowler is the first one to see Morgan and sends a line drive to left field for a lead off double, making that his 16th of the year. Heyward would pop out for the firs. Up next is Kris Bryant sends a 3-1 pitch deep to right field what appears to be a Home Run but is in the field of play making it a triple. The play would be looked at and overturned due to fan interference scoring it as a double but would still get the RBI. Anthony Rizzo and Jorge Soler would hit back to back singles to load the bases but Morgan would strike out Baez and Russell. Lester would come out in the bottom half and Ceasar Hernandez would challenge Lester with a bunt but David Ross would pick it up and throw him out. Freddy Galvis would strike out and Tommy Joseph would fly out to end the inning.
Morgan would have somewhat of a better second inning but he’d give up a single to Fowler and hit Heyward but get out of the inning with out adding any runs. Lester would give up a lead off single to Maikel Franco but would double him up with Cameron Rupp at the plate for the old strike’em out, throw’em out double play. Lester would then give up back to back singles to Goeddel and Bourjos but get Jimmy Paredes to fly out to left to end the inning. Jorge Soler would get the only hit of the top half of the third but would suffer the old hamstring issue and be replaced by Matt Szczur. Morgan gets Baez and Russell to fly out to end the top half of the third. Lester comes in and gets a ground out and two strikeouts to end the inning.
In the top of the 4th with one out, Lester steps in the box and sends a line drive to right field for his second double of the season and would remain there until with two outs , Jason Heyward cranks his third home run of the season to right field. Bryant flies out to end the inning but the Cubs are up 3-0. Jon would continue the fourth with a strike out, fly out and groundout. Morgan eases down a bit and throws his first perfect inning. Lester would almost exactly mirror the 1-2-3 inning that Morgan had. The top of the sixth is another 1-2-3 inning for Morgan and would be his last as he is pulled for a pinch hitter, Cody Asche, who would strikeout to start the inning. Lester would get a line out and another strikeout to end the sixth.
Elvis Araujo enters the game for the Phills givin up a lead off single to Fowler but gets Heyward to line out. Kris Bryant gets a single sending Fowler to third. Rizzo would send one to the opposite field for a single that would score Fowler adding to the Cubs lead. Matt Szczur would step into the box and lay down a bunt, which was scored as a sac bunt, but what still confuses me, is that he reached first base with out being tagged out; hence he did not sacrifice an out for a run. Baez and Russell would continue their in game streak of ending the inning with the last two outs. Lester would give up a single to start the inning but gets Franco to ground into a 5-4-3 double play. Rupp flys out to end the inning.
Andrew Bailey enters the 8th getting the first two batters out, hits Fowler, but gets Heyward to ground out to the first baseman. Lester remains in the game just dominating the Phillies getting another 1-2-3inning. We go into the ninth with the Cubs looking to add to their lead.
Brett Oberholtzer comes into the top of the ninth to hold the Cubs to 5 but gives up a lead off double left-center that just misses being a home run. Rizzo sends a line drive single just out of the reach for the shortstop scoring Bryant. Szczur would fly out to right for the first out. Baez really trying to get his first hit of the game strikes out losing his bat just into right field. Russell would fly out to right to end the ninth. Justin Grimm comes into the bottom half of the ninth to finish the game for Lester giving up a lead off single to Andres Blanco, pinch hitting for Brett. Hernandez sends a slow bouncer to Rizzo which should have been the first out but with his speed, he turns it into a single. Two on, no outs Freddy Galvis swings on the first pitch sending high and deep to right field for his sixth home run of the season, prompting Maddon (the look on his face) regretting pulling Lester but forcing him to bring in Hector Rondon for the now save situation. Tommy Joseph would send one deep to center field just over Fowler’s head his 5th home run of the season. Rondon strikes out Rupp for the second out of the inning. Odubel Herrera would swing on the first pitch sending a bloop single just into left field for a single. Ryan Howard would enter the game pinch hitting for Bourjos. Howard swings on the first pitch pulling a line ground ball straight to Rizzo, he would tag first base to end the game. Cubs bullpen almost blows the game but they win 6-5 putting them 10 games ahead of the Pirates in the standings.
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