Chicago Cubs Score and Recap (Simulated Game 20): Cubs 4, Nats 2 – Cubs Win in Extras on Javy Bomb

The Chicago Cubs (11-9) have had an up-and-down start to the season, to say the least. After losing the opener of this four-game series on the road against the Washington Nationals (9-10), the Cubs once again bounced back and snagged a win. And again, it took extra innings for the winner to be decided. Javy Báez hit a go-ahead, two-run home run off of Wander Suero in the 11th inning for a 4-2 victory, via MLB The Show 20.

Tyler Chatwood took the mound facing off against Nationals starter Aníbal Sánchez. Chatwood had his best game of the season to date, throwing six innings and allowing just one earned run on two hits and three walks while striking out eight batters. Sánchez, the former Cubs free agent target, was nearly as great. He also went six, allowing two earned runs on five hits and a walk, but without the benefit of a strikeout.

Washington got on the board first, scoring on a pair of one-out doubles in the 4th inning to give them a 1-0 lead over Chatwood and the Cubs. But it would be the pitcher playing a role on offense that helped Chicago steal the lead in the 6th. Chatwood began the inning by working a walk and then stole second when Sánchez wasn’t paying attention. Clearly rattled by Chatwood’s antics on the bases, Sánchez then served up a two-run home run to Kris Bryant on the next pitch.

The Cubs held their 2-1 lead until the bottom of the 8th inning, when left-hander Kyle Ryan took the mound and immediately walked pinch-hitter Asdrubel Cabrera. Trea Turner moved Cabrera to third with a sharp single into right field, then Adam Eaton hit one just past the reach of Báez’s glove for the game-tying RBI-single.

Jeremy Jeffress came into the ballgame and held the score at 2-2 and the Cubs had their chance to take the lead in the 9th. Kyle Schwarber worked a one-out walk and Steven Souza Jr. stole second base as a pinch-runner after another out, but Jason Kipnis flew out to deep right field to end the threat.

Jeffress came back out to pitch a perfect 9th and Alec Mills followed him in the 10th with no hits, no walks, no runs, and two strikeouts. Bryant doubled to start the top of the 11th against Suero and Jason Heyward moved Bryant to third on an attempt to bunt for a base hit. With just a deep fly ball needed to take back the lead, Báez came to the plate and hit one into the bullpen in left field.

Craig Kimbrel came in to pitch the bottom half of the inning and had no trouble, setting the Nationals down one-two-three for his sixth save of the season and a 4-2 Cubs victory.

Notes: Victor Caratini received the start in the field with Anthony Rizzo taking the day off from first base. Josh Phegley got some playing time behind the dish as Willson Contreras also had the day off after going into extra innings on Thursday. Caratini was 0-for-4 and Phegley finished 1-for-5 … Heyward moved into the No. 2 spot in the lineup with Rizzo resting and went 2-for-5 with two singles. The right fielder has a .439 OBP through 20 games.

Key Players:

Báez – 2-for-5, HR, 2 RBI
Bryant – 3-for-5, 2B, HR, 2 RBI
Heyward – 2-for-5
Chatwood – 6 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 1 ER, 8 K
Eaton – 2-for-5, 2B, R, RBI
Soto – 1-for-4, BB, 2B, RBI
Sánchez – 6 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 2 ER, 0 K

Winning Pitcher – Mills (2-1)
Losing Pitcher – Suero (1-3)
Save – Kimbrel (6)
Home Runs – Bryant (6), Báez (3)

20-game Stats Update:

Contreras – 54 AB, 4 HR, 12 RBI, .333/.422/.574
Phegley – 22 AB, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .273/.304/.318
Caratini – 27 AB, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .185/.185/.333
Rizzo – 75 AB, 6 HR, 14 RBI, .267/.345/.520
Kipnis – 33 AB, 1 HR, 2 RBI, .121/.237/.242
Bryant – 76 AB, 6 HR, 13 RBI, .342/.435/.658
Bote – 57 AB, 3 HR, 17 RBI, .333/.415/.544
Báez – 76 AB, 3 HR, 10 RBI, .263/.318/.461
Schwarber – 66 AB, 2 HR, 8 RBI, .273/.377/.379
Happ – 58 AB, 1 HR, 11 RBI, .293/.358/.431
Almora (IL) – 28 AB, 3 HR, 8 RBI, .321/.424/.786
Miller – 5 AB, 0 HR, 0 RBI, .000/.000/.000
Heyward – 46 AB, 3 HR, 7 RBI, .304/.439/.522
Souza – 35 AB, 1 HR, 6 RBI, .286/.316/.371

Hendricks – 4 GS, 2-1, 21.1 IP, 20 K, 4 BB, 4.64 ERA
Darvish – 4 GS, 3-1, 24.1 IP, 29 K, 10 BB, 4.07 ERA
Quintana – 4 GS, 1-1, 22.2 IP, 19 K, 10 BB, 5.16 ERA
Lester – 4 GS, 1-2, 22 IP, 16 K, 7 BB, 3.27 ERA
Chatwood – 4 GS, 0-0, 20 IP, 18 K, 11 BB, 3.60 ERA

Mills – 9 G, 13.1 IP, 16 K, 3 BB, 4.05 ERA, 0-0 S
Jeffress – 10 G, 9 IP, 12 K, 4 BB, 5.00 ERA, 0-0 S
Wick – 9 G, 6.1 IP, 6 K, 4 BB, 4.26 ERA, 0-3 S
Ryan – 11 G, 8.1 IP, 10 K, 5 BB, 4.32 ERA, 0-2 S
Sadler – 7 G, 7 IP, 0 K, 3 BB, 5.14 ERA, 0-1 S
Tepera – 5 G, 5.2 IP, 3 K, 4 BB, 0.00 ERA, 0-0 S
Winkler (AAA) – 4 G, 2.2 IP, 2 K, 3 BB, 16.88 ERA, 0-0 S
Maples – 4 G, 5 IP, 4 K, 5 BB, 10.80 ERA, 0-0 S
Kimbrel – 12 G, 11 IP, 13 K, 7 BB, 2.45 ERA, 6-7 S

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