Cubs Endure Over Angels

After the tough late inning loss to the Angels on Tuesday evening, the Cubs fell behind early when Matt Garza allowed a two run homer to Howie Kendrick in the bottom of the second. The Cubs scratched one right back with a ground out by Darwin Barney, but fell behind 4-1 by the end of the fourth inning. But on Wednesday evening, it was the Cubs turn to inflict some comeback damage. With Dioner Navarro and Darwin Barney on base in the fifth, Cody Ransom yanked a 367 foot homer to left to knot the game at four. The North Siders then proceeded to take the lead an inning later thanks to a Ryan Sweeney RBI single.

June 5, 2013; Anaheim, CA, USA; Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo (44) reaches second after hitting a three run RBI double in the tenth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

That got starter Garza off of the hook despite allowing four earned runs in 6 1/3 innings of work, but James Russell gave up a rare long ball in the eighth to even the score a second time in the game. This time the culprit was Mark Trumbo, who’s blast was measured at 439 feet. After how things went down the night before, surely Cubs fans were prepared for another heart breaker. But Hector Rondon and Kevin Gregg teamed up and managed to usher the game into extra innings. That set the stage for Anthony Rizzo to play hero. With the bases loaded, the young Cubs first baseman hit a clutch double to clear the bags and put the North Siders up 8-5. Gregg would get tagged by Trumbo’s second home run of the game, but closed the door on any further Angel comeback attempt to earn the W.

With the win the Cubs earned a split of the brief two game set that was interestingly sandwiched in between two off days on Monday and Thursday by the schedule makers. The Cubs return home for the weekend to host the Pirates, beginning on Friday.