Wilmer Flores walked with the bases loaded in the ninth, capping a wild comeback as the San Francisco Giants snapped a five-game skid with a 5-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Monday night.
Matt Chapman homered and started the rally with a bloop double off Colten Brewer.
Flores was the eighth Giants player to bat in the ninth. His walk scored Patrick Bailey, who singled with one on and one out in a 4-3 game to score Chapman, and Austin Slater’s sacrifice fly two batters later tied the game.
“We all got to wear No. 24, and that’s pretty cool,” said Giants manager Bob Melvin, who acknowledged the victory was especially meaningful on a night when the team held a pregame tribute to franchise legend Willie Mays.
“All the stuff leading up to the game, it definitely gets your attention, and we’ve been thinking about this all week and finally won a game for him,” Melvin said. “Whether it was Rickwood or whatever, we struggled to win games during his tribute, so it was good to be able to do it here at home.”
Reliever Drew Smyly (2-4) took the loss.
Giants reliever Spencer Howard (1-1) struck out eight and walked one in 4 2/3 scoreless innings with four hits.
Dansby Swanson’s RBI double capped a three-run fifth inning in which Chicago took a 4-0 lead.
Chapman homered from the fifth (his ninth) and Ahmed led off the sixth (his first).
Cubs starter Justin Steele, looking to end a streak of 14 consecutive winless starts dating back to last season, struck out nine and walked one in 7 1/3 innings of six-hit ball in which he allowed two runs was met with.
Smyly got the final two outs for his first save in two tries after Chapman scored on Michael Conforto’s sacrifice fly off Brewer.
“There’s no question we left runs on base, and that plays a role as well,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said.
“We could have had five, six, seven on the board just by moving the ball forward, but we didn’t and we have to do better at that. That was a game we should have broken open and that it It doesn’t cost you every game, but it certainly costs you tonight.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cubs: RHP Yency Almonte (right shoulder strain) experienced symptoms while taking live batting practice on Tuesday, manager Craig Counsell said.
Giants: LHP Robbie Ray (torn flexor tendon) will make his second rehab appearance Friday, this time for Class A San Jose. The 2021 American League Cy Young Award winner pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings for Triple-A Sacramento on Sunday. … LHP Blake Snell (groin) gave up two runs in 1 2/3 innings in his rehab start for Sacramento on Sunday. The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner will have a bullpen session on Tuesday and then leave for Sacramento on Friday. … LHP Raymond Burgos was selected from Triple-A Sacrament. … IF Trenton Brooks was assigned for assignment.
NEXT ONE
Cubs RHP Kyle Hendricks (1-4, 7.46 ERA) snapped a four-game skid in his last start, striking out eight in 5 2/3 innings with two hits in a 6-5 win against the Giants on Wednesday. The Giants have not yet announced a starter for Tuesday’s game.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
