NEWSLETTER
Back and forth, back and forth – I’ve written and re-written this thing so many times I don’t know if it’ll even make sense. The important thing up front is that the Cubs won another one in extras, with Anthony Rizzo walking them off over the Dodgers for the series sweep!
The Cubs went down 2-0, 3-2, 4-3, and 5-4 in this one at various times, tying it up each time, including on a two-out Matt Duffy single in the 11th. A stolen base and a walk later, Rizzo got to play hero on a day he didn’t even start. Kudos to Alec Mills for doing the extra innings work as best he could, and to the Cubs bullpen (outside of Kyle Ryan) pitching very well.
I’m still laughing about Joc Pederson hitting one in the 10th that he absolutely thought was a walk-off homer – turned, flipped the bat to the dugout, celebrated a bit – and it was actually just a sac fly that barely reached the warning track. He couldn’t believe it:
Lol @yungjoc650 tied the game! #cubs #Cubtogether pic.twitter.com/jAmuS1SW4J
— MBDChicago (@MBDChicago) May 6, 2021
The wind is blowing in hard tonight, so yeah, normally, that one is gone. But you hit it that high into the wind at Wrigley, it’s gonna take a good 15-20 feet off the thing. That sac fly did, however, tie things up in the 10th, and – after maneuvers – set up a bases loaded chance for Willson Contreras with just one out. But a groundball double play later, the 10th inning was over and the Cubs had missed that particular chance.
Then the Cubs had a chance to get out of the 11th without allowing a run, as Anthony Rizzo took a grounder right next to first base, did not step on first base, threw to second to try to turn two, and Javy Báez thought Rizzo had stepped on first, so he applied the tag on the runner instead of making a return throw. Maybe the runner at third would’ve scored before the tag anyway and none of it would’ve mattered, but it was close.
Adbert Alzolay had his nasty stuff working tonight, though he may once again have been fading on the earlier side of what you’d want to see (he was pulled after 79 pitches through five innings, as the contact quality started to improve for the Dodgers). That length will come eventually for him, I suspect, and right now, I’m just stoked to see how well he’s pitching against even loaded lineups.
For the most part, Walker Buehler had the Cubs down, save for Jake Marisnick’s two-run homer. Once the Cubs got into the bullpen, they managed a couple threats, including the one that ultimately tied the game at three in the 8th, and scored just enough off the relievers in the free innings.
I really don’t know if this makes sense. It’s after midnight for me, and that shit was wild. I mean, the Cubs just walked off two extra-inning games in a row, and swept the DODGERS after starting to get that “left for dead” feeling. I’m just pumped tonight.
