1 of 5 | Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Trevor Williams delivers a pitch to the St. Louis Cardinals in the third inning Tuesday at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI |
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July 21 (UPI) -- The Chicago Cubs scored six runs in the ninth inning of an epic comeback to beat the St. Louis Cardinals on the second night of a four-game National League Central division series at Busch Stadium.
The Cubs trailed 6-1 as the game entered the final frame Tuesday in St. Louis. They plated their final six runs without the help of a home run in the 7-6 triumph.
Cubs shortstop Javier Baez and left fielder Ian Happ drove in two runs apiece in the ninth. Cardinals All-Star closer Alex Reyes allowed three runs and walked two batters to take his first blown save of the season.
Happ hit a go-ahead double to cap off the rally and lead the Cubs to the win.
"Pretty spectacular that Happer comes up with that hit in that moment," Cubs manager David Ross told reporters. "All he's been grinding through and working through -- super happy for him."
The Cubs took a 1-0 lead in the second, when second baseman Nico Hoerner scored outfielder Kris Bryant on a groundout.
Cardinals right fielder Dylan Carlson brought in center fielder Harrison Bader with an RBI double in the next inning to tie the score.
Third baseman Nolan Arenado sparked a three-run fourth for the Cardinals. He led off the inning with a 406-foot solo homer to left field. Bader and Cardinals pitcher Johan Oviedo drove in two more runs in the frame with RBI singles.
Cardinals second baseman Tommy Edman led off the bottom of the sixth with a 417-foot solo shot off Cubs relief pitcher Rex Brothers. Pinch hitter Jose Rondon hit a 405-foot solo homer to left two at-bats later.
Neither team scored for the next two innings. Cardinals relief pitcher Luis Garcia struck out Cubs third baseman Patrick Wisdom to start the ninth, but Wisdom reached first on a wild pitch. Garcia then allowed a Hoerner single and walked Cubs outfielder Jake Marisnick.
Reyes replaced Garcia for the next exchange, but then walked pinch hitter Sergio Alcantara with the bases loaded. Reyes struck out catcher Willson Contreras in the next at-bat. He then issued another bases-loaded walk to first baseman Anthony Rizzo for the Cubs' third run.
Baez smacked a two-run single to center field in the next at-bat, which cut the deficit to one run. Happ hit his double to right field five pitches later to give the Cubs their final advantage.
Cubs relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel retired the final three Cardinals to earn his 22nd save of the season.
Cubs starter Trevor Williams allowed seven hits and four runs in five innings. Oviedo allowed three hits and one run in five innings for the Cardinals.
The Cardinals (47-48) host the Cubs (47-48) in the third game of the series at 8:15 p.m. EDT Wednesday at Busch Stadium.