(670 The Score) We’ll give MLB’s policy of starting extra innings with a runner on second base this much – it sure seems to lead to more drama and weirdness, even if some view it as a mockery of what the game is about.
The 10th and 11th innings of the Cubs' 6-5 win against the Dodgers at Wrigley Field on Wednesday evening helped showcase that. In the top of the 10th, the Dodgers plated their designated runner for a 4-3 lead on Max Muncy’s RBI double with two outs, but they couldn’t get the key second run home on the play as a wonderful relay from Kris Bryant to Javier Baez to Willson Contreras cut down the tiring Justin Turner at the plate.
In the bottom half, the Cubs tied the game at 4-4 on a sacrifice fly from Joc Pederson – who judging by his bat flip swore he had just won the game on a potential walk-off three-run homer.
Pederson’s long fly ball still got the job done in the sense that it tied the game and advanced the potential winning run to third. After a pair of intentional walks, the Cubs then had a chance to win it with the bases loaded and one out, but Contreras grounded into a double play.
In the top of the 11th, the Dodgers had runners at first and third with one out when Matt Beaty grounded a ball sharply to Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo. Instead of going home to cut down the lead runner, Rizzo attempted to turn the double play, but he didn’t step on first before throwing to second for the putout – because he wanted to keep the force in play at both bases for a potential 3-6-3 double play to end the inning, he said in a postgame interview on Marquee Sports Network. But thinking that Rizzo had already stepped on first, Baez instead tagged out the Dodgers’ Will Smith at second base and didn’t have time to throw back to first base, which allowed the Dodgers runner to score from third.
Down 5-4 going into the bottom of the 11th, the Cubs rallied for the win when Matt Duffy's clutch two-out RBI single was followed by Rizzo's game-winning RBI single two batters later. Coupled with an extra-innings win Tuesday night as well, it marked the first time since 1961 that the Cubs won consecutive games when they were down to their final out of the contest, Jesse Rogers of ESPN reported.