You know what would have been cool after 45 straight games against the Orioles? A winning game.
And win it they did, but they certainly had to work for it.
We saw Zach Eflin up against Jameson Taillon.
Top of the first and Cody Bellinger got a two-out single, but the Cubs couldn’t bring him home. The Rays went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the inning.
Michael Busch got a two-out single in the second, followed by a single from Pete Crow-Armstrong, who then stole second. The Rays then lost their challenge contesting the play. Neither of the baserunners scored. The Rays were once again 1-2-3 in the home half.
The Cubs were three-up, three-down in the top of the third. In the bottom half Ben Rortvedt singled, then one out later Yandy Diaz got a single. Neither runner scored.
Christopher Morel broke up the scoreless game with a solo home run to start the fourth inning. Three outs followed, but they were on the board. Isaac Paredes singled to start the home half, then Josh Lowe walked. Three outs ended the inning with no runs scored.
In the fifth Pete Crow-Armstrong singled, then got to second on an ugly error from Diaz where the ball got muddled up around first. Three outs later the bobble didn’t matter much after all. In the bottom half Diaz got another single, but was the sole baserunner for Rays.
Christopher Morel got a one-out single, then Dansby Swanson singled. That was it for Eflin, who gave way to Garrett Cleavinger. Daivd Bote came in to pinch hit and singled to score Morel. Rays went 1-2-3 in the bottom half.
Shawn Armstrong was the next Rays’ reliever up, and gave up a two-out double to Cody Bellinger but ended the inning with no extra runs scored. Mark Leiter Jr. came in to relieve Taillon. Richie Palacios walked. Rortvedt then singled, and that was it for Leiter, who was quickly replaced by Hayden Wesneski. A wild pitch by Wesneski allowed Palacios to score. Yandy Diaz walked, but the Rays would have to settle for one.
Jason Adam came out of the pen next. David Bote singled with two outs, but the Cubs couldn’t bring him home. The Rays failed to get a baseunner in the eighth.
Chris Devenski was the next in the parade of Rays’ relievers and put the Cubs down in order. It was down to the bottom of the ninth. Palacios wasted no time hitting a ball to the deep right field corner where Suzuki just couldn’t get a hold on it, getting himself a double. Ben Rortvedt walked, and then Jose Caballero singled to score Palacios to tied up the game. A Brandon Lowe 3-run home run then won the Rays the game in spectacular fashion.
Final: Rays 5, Cubs 2
