Chicago, IL-(ENEWSPF)- The Cubs (54-44), after taking the first two games of this three-game series against the San Diego Padres (46-52) were going for the sweep at Wrigley Field.
Kyle Hendricks (7-7 3.46) vs. 20-year old rookie left-hander Adrian Morehan, who is making his MLB debut. Hendricks was looking for his first win since June 9th against St. Louis after dropping three of his last four decisions. The Padres had announced prior to the game that Morejan would be used in an opener role.
Play got underway after a 30-minute rain delay.
After Hendricks pitched a 1-2-3 1st inning, the Cubs got the bats going against the youngster. After a Javier Báez line-drive single, and Kris Bryant bloop double down the rightfield line, Anthony Rizzo hit a smash, grounding out to first baseman Eric Hosmer to score Báez and give the Cubs an early 1-0 lead.
The rookie Morejan was lifted for Cal Quantrill after going 2 ⅓ innings, giving up one run on three hits while striking out one and walking none.
Hendricks had a masterful start to the game, however, after retiring 11 of the first 12 hitters he faced, Hendricks surrendered his first hit on a two-out, soft infield single to second baseman Robel Garcia in the 4th followed by a Hunter Renfroe double down the leftfield line. Hendricks would get Francisco Mejia to pop out to Kris Bryant to escape any damage.
In the 5th, the Padres got on the board when Fernando Tatis Jr. ripped a single down the rightfield line after a Luis Arias walk and Cal Quantrill sacrifice-bunt and tie the game at one run apiece.
The Padres got their first lead of the day in the top of the 7th when Francisco Mejia hit a one-out line-drive homer to right for his 4th round-tripper of the season and give San Diego a 2-1 advantage.
Hendricks exited the game after going seven innings allowing two runs on 4 hits, striking out five and walking two. For Hendricks, it was his ninth quality start of the season.
After loading the bases in the top of the 9th, San Diego added another run when reliever Carl Edwards Jr. hit pinch-hitter Greg Garcia with a pitch to score Hunter Renfroe and make it a 3-1 ballgame. The run was charged to Cubs’ lefty Kyle Ryan. Fernando Tatis Jr. came up next and hit a two-run single to right to give the Padres a commanding 5-1 lead going into the bottom of the 9th.
Padres’ pitcher Cal Quantrill was brilliant in relief by going 5 ⅔ innings and allowed no runs on two hits while striking out six and walking none.
San Diego brought in right-hander Kirby Yates to pitch the bottom of the 9th. After striking-out Javier Baez and Kris Bryant to start the inning, Anthony Rizzo tried to keep the Cubs’ comeback hopes alive with a two-out single to center. However, Yates struck-out Robel Garcia looking to end the game and the Cubs’ four-game winning streak and give the Padres the 5-1 win.
Kyle Hendricks suffers the loss to drop his record to 7-8 while Cal Quantrill earns the win to improve his record to 3-2.
The Cubs will hit the road and head to San Francisco tomorrow night to take on the Giants at Oracle Park. The first pitch is scheduled for 8:45 PM with Alec Mills (0-0 4.50) vs. Shaun Anderson (3-2 4.87).
GAME NOTES
- With a single in the 4th inning, Anthony Rizzo extended his hitting streak to 12 games.
- Pitcher Kyle Hendricks had his second multi-hit game of the season after his 5th inning single. The other came on May 14th against the Reds in Cincinnati.
