Baez, Rizzo keep the surge going
Cubs beat Padres for 9th victory in 10 games
Javier Baez lined a two-run homer, Anthony Rizzo had two doubles among three hits and the surging Cubs beat the San Diego Padres 6-1 on Wednesday for their third straight win and ninth in 10 games.
Baez’s shot to the left-field bleachers was his 14th homer and third in three games, and it capped a three-run seventh that allowed the Cubs to put it away. Rizzo drove in two runs in the fifth with his first double to snap 1-1 tie and posted a second-straight multihit game after missing the previous six with back tightness.
The Cubs homered eight times as they swept the Padres in a threegame set at Wrigley Field for the first time since May 2012. San Diego lost its fourth straight, its longest skid since last August.
The Padres also lost Kim Ha-seong and Tommy Pham to injury after they collided chasing a fly ball in the fourth inning. San Diego didn’t provide an immediate update on either player.
Rizzo lined a pitch from Tim Hill to left-center beyond the glove of diving center fielder Jurickson Profar to put the Cubs ahead 3-1 in the fifth.
Hill, a lefty, had entered to face the left-handed hitting Rizzo. He replaced Pierce Johnson (1-2) who was charged with the loss.
Adbert Alzolay (4-4) allowed one run on three hits and struck out seven in five innings for the win. Four Cubs relievers followed with four scoreless innings.
Kim drove in the Padres run. He started at shortstop in place of injured slugger Fernando Tatis Jr.
Moments before the collision between Kim and Pham, the Cubs tied it at 1 when Rizzo raced home on Eric Hosmer’s error at first. Chicago then loaded the bases with one out on Eric Sogard’s bloop single.
P.J. Higgins lofted a high pop to short left, where Pham and Kim ran into each other. The ball and both players dropped to the grass.