Morning Marquee: Chicago Cubs extend win streak in extras vs Pirates

The Chicago Cubs extended their win streak to five games Friday evening, after Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Gregory Polanco slipped in right field, losing his footing and allowing a routine fly ball drop behind him.

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Shortstop Starlin Castro looked as if he wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice as he was thrown out at home plate on a similar play by Polanco with Matt Szczur at the plate. Chicago had the bases loaded for the second time in extra innings, but this odd play allowed them to escape with an 11-10 win.

At one point in the game, the Cubs held a 7-1 lead, and a 10-5 lead behind the bats of Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, and Szczur himself. Both Bryant and Rizzo homered again but in separate innings. Just when it looked as if Chicago was going to finish things off in regulation, former MVP Andrew McCutchen drilled a three-run shot in the top half of the eighth, bringing his team within just a run.

Shortly after Josh Harrison put himself in scoring position on a double to left field, catcher Francisco Cervelli tied things up with an RBI, completing the late comeback to stun both the Cubs and their fans.

While Rizzo continued to stay hot with another solid day at the plate, last year’s National League home run champion, Giancarlo Stanton, drilled two home runs against the Atlanta Braves in a losing effort.

Stanton tied things up at two a piece on a solo bomb to left field and followed that up with another game-tying 474 ft. home run that disappeared in the camera well in center field during the bottom of the seventh inning. Atlanta would grab the lead yet again just moments later on an RBI single by Todd Cunningham.

They would continue to add some insurance on a wild pitch by Bryant Morris but still managed to strike out Christian Bethancourt. Stanton worked a five-pitch walk in the bottom of the ninth, but Miami failed to put together a rally as Jason Grilli retired the final two batters of the game.

Speaking of home runs, both Adrian Beltre and Miguel Cabrera went deep for their teams. Beltre went back-to-back with Prince Fielder in the bottom of the first inning, taking a 3-2 lead over the Cleveland Indians, making No. 400 of his career.

Cabrera, on the other hand, is one behind Beltre after clubbing No. 399 against the St. Louis Cardinals in the top of the seventh inning, tying Andres Galarraga for the most bombs hit by a Venezuelan player.

Here’s more from around the league:

‘Miggy’s No. 399 ties countryman Galarraga‘ – MLB.com

‘Beltre remains humble after 400th homer‘ – MLB.com

‘Clayton Kershaw records career win No. 100‘ – ESPN.com

‘Bullpen is a Heart Attack, offense is great‘ – LasordasLair

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