Pinch-hitter David Bote connected for a solo home run with two outs in the top of the ninth inning off Kirby Yates to give the Chicago Cubs a 2-1 victory, snapping the San Diego Padres’ 11-game winning streak Sunday afternoon at Petco Park.
Bote’s fourth home run of the year broke up a pitcher’s duel between Yu Darvish of the Cubs and the Padres’ Garrett Richards. Darvish got the win, allowing just three hits and striking out 11 in eight innings of work. Jeremy Jeffress nailed down the save, retiring the Padres in order in the bottom of the ninth. Richards allowed just one run, pitching into the eighth inning, and lowered his team-leading ERA to 1.95. Yates (1-1) took the loss.
San Diego (26-21) took an early lead on some daring base running by shortstop Fernando Tatis, Jr., who singled to open the second inning, stole second and third, and came home on a throwing error by Cubs catcher Willson Contreras. The Padres added two more hits in the inning, but that was it for their offense.
Chicago, meanwhile, tied the game in the seventh on a double by Jason Heyward and Contreras’ ensuing RBI single. The Cubs threatened in the eighth, but reliever Matt Strahm retired Heyward on a bouncing ball with runners at second and third to preserve the tie.
