NL Central walk-offs
Yelich beats throw to defeat Cubs
MILWAUKEE — Christian Yelich beat out a throw at first to narrowly avoid a double play that allowed the winning run to score in the ninth.
Game over, but the jubilant Yelich kept going — and turned across the outfield — before the rest of the happy Milwaukee Brewers finally caught up with him in short left.
Yelich’s fielder’s choice with the bases loaded in the ninth allowed Keon Broxton to score from third, and the Brewers opened an important three-game series with the Chicago Cubs with a 4-3 victory Monday.
The .315 hitter hit a 1-2 fastball from Jesse Chavez at diving third baseman Kris Bryant, who touched third for the second out of the ninth before firing to first. The speedy Yelich reached safely just before the throw landed in the glove of the outstretched Anthony Rizzo.
“It’s fun,” Manager Craig Counsell said. “They might not be saying the same thing, but it was a game with some great plays and a lot of individual efforts.”
The second-place Brewers, looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2011, pulled within four games of the NL Central-leading Cubs. The
Brewers also lead the wild-card race, 1½ games ahead of second-place St. Louis.
The Brewers took advantage of wildness by Cubs reliever Steve Cishek (4-3), who loaded the bases with a walk, passed ball and two hit batters. It set up the game-winning fielder’s choice by Yelich, the reigning National League Player of the Week.
“I saw him catch it and I saw him go to third, so I just started busting it, man,” Yelich said.
Cubs Manager Joe Maddon said he was fine with Bryant’s decision to throw to first to try to get Yelich instead of home to get the equally speedy Broxton.
“But it shouldn’t even get to that point. Listen, we played a wonderful game. We walked too many people,” Maddon said.
Broxton said he was ready for a play at the plate, even though Bryant
had to dive to make the initial stop.
“I guess he thought he had a better chance to turn a double play,” Broxton said. “But, yeah, I’m definitely surprised. I would think he would want to go home with it and try to save the game.”
Milwaukee tied the score 3-3 after pinch-hitter Mike Moustakas drew a four-pitch walk with two outs in the eighth from Carl Edwards Jr. during an at-bat in which homeplate umpire Gabe Morales ejected two Cubs. Maddon got tossed after the count went to 2-0; Edwards got the boot during a pitching change in which he was being lifted from the game.
“It’s borderline. Listen, I’m defending my player there. If I’m wrong, I’m wrong as a manager, but you’ve got to defend your player right there,” Maddon said.
Anthony Rizzo hit a two-out, two-run home run off left-hander Josh Hader in the eighth.
Jeremy Jeffress (8-1) got the win after pitching a scoreless top of the ninth.
INTERLEAGUE
Boston 8, Atlanta 2
Yelich extended his on-base streak to 20 games, the longest active streak in the National League.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
ROCKIES 9, GIANTS 8 Pinch-hitter Noel Cuevas delivered a go-ahead, two-run single in the eighth inning and host Colorado rallied after squandering a five-run lead.
PIRATES 5, REDS 1 Adam Frazier had a career high-tying four hits, including a solo home run off Matt Harvey (6-8) with one out in the first inning and a two-run single in the seventh, to lead host Pittsburgh past Cincinnati. MARLINS 3, PHILLIES 1 Visiting Philadelphia had four hits and no walks against Jose Urena and two relievers in a loss to last-place Miami. The Phillies lost their third game in a row.
METS 4, DODGERS 1 Pinch-hitter Brandon Nimmo slugged a go-ahead, three-run home run in the ninth inning, rallying visiting New York past Los Angeles in Jacob deGrom’s no-decision. DeGrom pitched six innings of one-run ball and drove in the tying run for the Mets. PADRES 6, DIAMONDBACKS 2 Franmil Reyes had two home runs and four RBI as visiting San Diego knocked off Arizona.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
ATHLETICS 6, YANKEES 3 Mark Canha hit a home run and Matt Chapman hit an RBI double to back Trevor Cahill, leading host Oakland past New York in a matchup between two teams in the American League wild-card race.
ROYALS 5, INDIANS 1 Jakob Junis allowed two hits in seven shutout innings, Ryan O’Hearn hit two home runs and visiting Kansas City won its season-high sixth consecutive game. .
WHITE SOX 4, TIGERS 2 Matt Davidson hit a two-run, game-ending home run as host
Chicago scored three times in the bottom of the ninth for its eighth victory in 11 games.
ASTROS 4, TWINS 1 Alex Bregman homered for the third consecutive game and Yuli Gurriel also went deep to help host Houston win its third consecutive game. Dallas Keuchel (Arkansas Razorbacks) (11-10) scattered 5 hits over 6 innings and allowed 1 run for his second consecutive victory.
ANGELS 3, RANGERS 1 Matt Shoemaker pitched five scoreless innings for visiting Los Angeles, and Taylor Ward snapped a scoreless tie with his seventh-inning home run to beat Texas.
RAYS 7 BLUE JAYS 1 Ji-Man Choi added a home run to help visiting Tampa Bay beat Toronto. Joey Wendle had 3 hits, Matt Duffy had 2 hits and 2 RBI, and Tampa Bay won its third consecutive game.
MARINERS 2, ORIOLES 1 Erasmo Ramirez allowed one run in 51/3 innings, and host Seattle’s bullpen shut down Baltimore. Edwin Diaz struck out the side in the ninth inning for his 52nd save and 26th one-run save, both of which lead the majors.
INTERLEAGUE
RED SOX 8, BRAVES 2 Ian Kinsler drove in three runs and visiting Boston continued its interleague success, beating Atlanta in a matchup of division leaders. The Red Sox have won 23 of their last 27 games against National League teams.