Giants edge Cubs 2‑1 in 10 innings at Wrigley

CHICAGO (Interstat) — Matt Chapman’s run-scoring single in the 10th inning lifted the San Francisco Giants to a 2-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday at Wrigley Field, snapping a streak of narrow extra-inning losses for the visiting club.

The Giants scored first in the opening frame and added the decisive run in the top of the 10th after the Cubs had tied the game in the third. Keaton Winn earned the win, working the ninth inning and retiring three of four batters, while Dylan Smith recorded his first save of the season by setting down the Cubs in order in the bottom of the 10th. Trent Thornton took the loss for Chicago after allowing the go-ahead run in the 10th.

San Francisco struck in the first inning against Cubs starter Jameson Taillon. Rafael Devers walked, Luis Arraez singled, and with two outs, Jung Hoo Lee lined a single to center that scored Devers and sent Arraez to third. The Giants left two runners on base when Bryce Eldridge lined out to left, but held a 1-0 lead.

The Cubs answered in the third against Giants starter Erik Miller. Carson Kelly singled to right, and Pete Crow-Armstrong followed with a single to center. Moisés Ballesteros then singled to center, scoring Kelly and moving Crow-Armstrong to third. Miller escaped further damage by striking out Michael Busch, keeping the game tied at 1.

Both teams had opportunities through the middle innings. The Giants loaded the bases in the second on a walk, a hit batter and a sacrifice bunt, but Casey Schmitt grounded into a fielder’s choice that cut down Devers at the plate, and Rafael Devers struck out to end the threat. In the fourth, Chapman and Bryce Eldridge reached on a walk and a single, but Daniel Susac grounded into a double play.

Chicago threatened in the fourth when Ian Happ tripled to right with one out, but Seiya Suzuki lined out to shortstop and Nico Hoerner walked before Pedro Ramírez also walked to load the bases. Carson Kelly struck out swinging to strand three Cubs.

The game remained 1-1 through the eighth. The Cubs had their best chance to walk off in the ninth. With one out, Nico Hoerner singled off Winn, and Pedro Ramírez walked. Carson Kelly popped out to the pitcher, and Crow-Armstrong grounded out to first base, sending the game to extra innings.

In the top of the 10th, the Giants took the lead for good. Pinch runner Jonah Cox was on second base to start the inning per extra-inning rules, and Matt Chapman greeted Thornton with a single to center that scored Cox. Drew Gilbert walked, but Casey Schmitt grounded into a double play to end the inning. The Cubs’ Michael Conforto struck out as a pinch hitter to open the bottom of the 10th, and Smith retired Busch and Alex Bregman on pop outs to shortstop.

The attendance of 36,317 watched the game that lasted 3 hours, 4 minutes. San Francisco improved to 27-39, while Chicago fell to 34-32. The Giants now head home to face the Washington Nationals on Monday, followed by a three-game set against the Cubs starting Friday. Chicago travels to Colorado for a three-game series beginning Tuesday before also heading to San Francisco.

Key performances included Cubs left fielder Ian Happ’s triple in the fourth, the only extra-base hit of the game. Seiya Suzuki, Nico Hoerner and Michael Busch each collected two hits for Chicago, but the Cubs left nine runners on base. For San Francisco, Luis Arraez and Jung Hoo Lee had two hits apiece, and Chapman drove in the winning run. The Giants managed only four hits total but made them count.

Cubs starter Jameson Taillon pitched 4 2/3 innings, allowing one run on three hits with three walks and five strikeouts. Javier Assad followed with 3 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out two. Erik Miller went five innings for the Giants, allowing one run on five hits with two walks and six strikeouts. Keaton Winn earned his second win against one loss, and Dylan Smith notched his first save.

The game was the rubber match of the three-game series after the Cubs won a 3-2 contest in 10 innings Saturday and the Giants routed Chicago 18-3 on Friday. Sunday’s result gave San Francisco a series split after the two extra-inning affairs.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a 5-4 Cubs victory, and the ELO system gave Chicago a 59.90 percent probability to win. San Francisco entered as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus-1.5. The total of three runs went over the over-under line of eight.