Anthony Rizzo, Miguel Montero Lead Cubs To 13-Inning, 8-7 Win Over Pirates

Miguel Montero sat on the Chicago Cubs bench for five hours Monday night, watching a close game between his team and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field.

Anthony Rizzo, Miguel Montero Lead Cubs To 13-Inning, 8-7 Win Over Pirates

The veteran catcher has been relegated to a backup role following the appearance of rookie Wilson Contreras, but Montero had his big moment in the 13th inning.

Anthony Rizzo blasted a game-tying RBI single in the 13th, and Montero followed with the game-winning hit, a walk-off RBI single to lift the Cubs to an 8-7 victory over Pittsburgh in a game that began Monday night and ended Tuesday morning.

“The resiliency of our team was incredible,” Chicago starter Jake Arrieta said. “Just a crazy ballgame all the way around. So many things happened.”

The Pirates snapped a four-game winning streak, a sweep of the Brewers in Milwaukee. On Monday, they got six runs on Arrieta, thanks to homers from Josh Bell and Gregory Polanco and a two-run double by Josh Harrison. 

The Cubs, meanwhile, were coming off a 2-1 series loss against the Dodgers, which was preceded by a three-game sweep of the Padres. Both series were on the road. Manager Joe Maddon stated his players were comfortable because they wore pajamas on their charter flight.

“Look at how they played tonight — it must have been the onesies,” Maddon said. “If you’re flying on a charter airplane, and you have onesies on, you feel better the next day.”

The Pirates had gained a 7-6 lead in the top of the 13th on Harisson’s sacrifice fly. However, Dexter Fowler singled off Jeff Locke, who who was pitching his fourth inning, and reached third on Kris Bryant’s single. Pittsburgh had intentionally walked Bryant in the 10th to face Rizzo, and got him to hit into an inning-ending double play. But Rizzo then delivered the game-tying RBI single, and after Ben Zobrist was intentionally walked, Montero smacked a single to left for the game-winner.

“It’s one of those situations where you’ve got to go until something happens. If it’s good, we win. If it’s bad, we tie and maybe we lose,” Locke said. “I wouldn’t do it any differently. I would just try to do it better next time.”

With the victory, the Cubs improved to 20-6 in August. Chicago is now 7-4 in extra-inning games.

Bell hit a solo homer in the fourth and Polanco slapped a three-run homer in the sixth to help Pittsburgh take a 6-3 lead. However, Contreras blasted a two-run homer in the eighth off Neftali Feliz, and Jorge Soler tied the game at 6 with a one-out rocket in the ninth off Tony Watson. 

Chicago loaded the bases in the 10th, and believed they had scored the winning run when Javier Baez slid home on Rizzo’s fielder’s choice. Baez was ruled out, and the Cubs challenged the call but following a review, the call stood. Baez also tripled in the 12th and attempted to score on Addison Russell’s fly ball to left but again, was thrown out at the plate.

“It was a really, really good ballgame to watch and be a part of. Our guys played hard all night,” Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. “At the end of the day, we came up one run short. We kept pushing. We kept battling. Proud of everybody that took the field.”

The two teams will face off again Tuesday night for the second game of the three-game series. Rookie Pirates right-hander Chad Kuhl will make his ninth Major League start. The Cubs’ Kyle Hendricks, who leads the Majors with a 2.19 ERA, will make his 25th start of the season on Tuesday. In 17 straight starts, he’s given up three runs or less.

CHICAGO, IL – JULY 18: Anthony Rizzo #44 of the Chicago Cubs points to the dugout as he runs the bases after hitting a three run home run in the 3rd inning against the New York Mets at Wrigley Field on July 16, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)