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More than five years after leaving the Red Sox, Theo Epstein was back at Fenway Park on Friday night. He was in the visitors dugout elaborating on why he joined the Cubs, a decision his building of another World Series champion validated.
Epstein, who was stopped by former co-workers and well-wishers during batting practice, couldn’t help but notice the anticipation of the Cubs’ third visit to Fenway Park in the last seven seasons.
“It has the feel of a big series even though it’s April, which is cool,” Epstein said. “Our players thrive in that kind of environment.”
But the Cubs repeated a familiar trend that caught up to them in a 5-4 loss. Jake Arrieta allowed five runs in the first inning, and the Cubs were 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position as Addison Russell struck out with Ben Zobrist at second to end the game.
“How many times have you seen that game this year?” manager Joe Maddon said after the Cubs stranded 11 baserunners. “We’ve played that game almost every night. Once we start getting that hit, it’s going to turn in a good way.”
Arrieta, meanwhile, shouldered the blame as his streak of pitching at least five innings ended at 72 starts thanks to a rough start.
In fact, the Cubs have allowed 26 runs in the first inning of their 22 games, with Arrieta allowing eight runs in the first inning of his last two starts.
“You’ll see streaks that are very impressive, and they’ll end in a fashion like they did,” said Arrieta, who retired eight consecutive batters before running into trouble again in the fourth and fifth.
The Red Sox, who scored two runs or fewer in four of their last five games, put seven consecutive NEW YORK YANKEES left fielder Matt Holliday hits a walk-off, three-run home run to lift the Yankees to a 14-11 win over the Baltimore Orioles in front of 36,912 at Yankee Stadium on Friday. runners on base in the first against Arrieta, who labored with 43 pitches.
The rocky frame stunted the brief momentum the Cubs built in the top of the first on Kris Bryant’s home run that cleared the famed Green Monster in left field.
After crossing home plate, Bryant pointed to his father and personal hitting coach, Mike, who grew up less than an hour from Fenway Park and gathered hitting tips from Hall of Famer Ted Williams during his two seasons as an outfielder in the Red Sox organization.
“It probably was the only time I’ve seen my family in the stands,” Bryant said. “Proud dad. It felt good. It is probably one of my favorite home runs, considering my family is from the area, my dad and all that.”
The Cubs actually had a chance at least to tie the game in the eighth when they put two runners on base with one out.
But left-hander Fernando Abad struck out pinch-hitter Matt Szczur and Kyle Schwarber on pitches out of the strike zone.
Schwarber is 4-for-23 against left-handers this season.
The Cubs also failed to capitalize early against left-hander Drew Pomeranz, who has limited opponents to a .111 batting average with runners in scoring position (2 for 18) this season. Since 2016, Pomeranz leads the majors with a .149 opponents’ mark with runners in scoring position.
(Chicago Tribune/TNS)
Yankees 14, Orioles 11 (10)
Matt Holliday hit a three-run homer with one out in the bottom of the 10th inning as the York Yankees completed a stunning comeback from an eightrun deficit and pulled out a wild victory over Baltimore.
After Aaron Hicks and Kyle Higashioka drew walks against Jayson Aquino (1-1), Chase Headley struck out. On the next pitch, Holliday drove a breaking ball over the center-field wall to give the Yankees their 13th win in the last 16 games.
Mets 7, Nationals 5
Travis d’Arnaud hit two homers and drove in a career-high five runs and Jacob deGrom fanned 12 batters in seven innings as New York beat Washington.
The Mets snapped a six-game losing streak and cooled off the first-place Nationals, who had won 10 of their previous 11 games. The win spoiled a two-homer night for Washington’s Ryan Zimmerman, who had three RBIs.
A right-hander from Florida, deGrom (1-1) allowed three runs and six hits while fanning at least 10 batters for the 13th time in his career.
Cardinals 7, Reds 5
For the first time since Opening Night, St. Louis owns a winning record. Six different players knocked in runs and Lance Lynn worked six solid innings to win his third straight start the Cardinals held off Cincinnati.
Lynn (3-1) allowed six hits and a run, walking two and striking out five in his 101-pitch effort. His last pitch walked Devin Mesoraco to fill the bases, but Yadier Molina bailed Lynn out of the jam with a pickoff of Eugenio Suarez at third as Suarez apparently thought time was called and was a step off the bag when tagged by Jedd Gyorko.
Angels 6, Rangers 3
Albert Pujols knocked in the winning runs in Los Angeles’ victory over Texas at Globe Life Park with a no-doubt three-run homer off reliever Jeremy Jeffress in the eighth inning.
It was Pujols’ third homer of the season and the three RBIs vaulted him past Rafael Palmeiro and Ken Griffey Jr. into 15th on the major league career RBI list.
Giants 4, Padres 3
Rookie shortstop Christian Arroyo hit reliever Ryan Buchter’s second pitch for a tiebreaking home run in the eighth inning Friday night, lifting San Francisco to a 4-3 victory over San Diego in the opener of a three-game series.
(Reuters)