Starlin Castro Home Run Gives Chicago Cubs Rare Home Win

Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

A rare home run by Starlin Castro lifted the Chicago Cubs to a 4-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley on Saturday afternoon.

In the sixth inning, Castro hit a solo home run to center field off Phillies reliever Zach Miner. It was Castro’s eighth home run of the season and first in a month.

Phillies first baseman Kevin Frandsen hit a solo home run to left-center field off Cubs left-hander Chris Rusin (2-3, 2.74 ERA) to give the Phillies an early 1-0 lead in the second inning.

The Cubs had three straight hits off Phillies left-hander Cliff Lee (11-6, 3.09 ERA) to tie it 1-1 in the bottom half of the inning. Wellington Castillo and Darnell McDonald singled before Cole Gillespie‘s RBI single to center field scored Castillo.

With two outs in third inning, the Cubs and Phillies each committed a fielding error that would lead to a run.

Chase Utley reached on Anthony Rizzo’s fielding error at first base and stole second before scoring on Carlos Ruiz’s RBI double to left field for a 2-1 Phillies lead.

With runners on the corners after Phillies third baseman Michael Young’s fielding error and Junior Lake’s double, Castillo hit a RBI single to tie it at 2-2.

The Phillies took a 3-2 lead in the fourth when Gillespie failed to cleanly grab Young’s line drive down the right field line, allowing Young to record a triple and Lee to score.

Lee loaded the bases when the Cubs doubled, singled, and walked in the fifth inning. Gillespie’s sacrifice fly then tied it at 3-3.

Rusin went five innings, allowed five hits and two earned runs, struck out and walked three. Lee gave up nine hits and two two earned runs, struck out four and walked three in five innings.

Cubs right-hander Jake Arrieta (1-1, 4.50 ERA) and Phillies Kyle Kendrick right-hander (10-11, 4.40 ERA) are the projected starters for the three-game home series finale on Sunday at 1:20 p.m. CT (WGN/WGN 720).

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