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PITTSBURGH — Any given night someone on the Chicago Cubs seems to step up defensively.
Friday night was Ian Happ’s and Nico Hoerner’s turn.
They each delivered a key defensive sequence that helped left-hander Matthew Boyd and the Cubs hold off the Pittsburgh Pirates for a 3-2 win in 10 innings at PNC Park.
Pete Crow-Armstrong’s solo home run — his 22nd — tied the game in the sixth inning, and their two runs in the top of the 10th held up thanks to Dansby Swanson’s RBI single and Seiya Suzuki’s bases-loaded walk. Boyd limited the Pirates to one run on seven hits in seven innings.
“Both plays the difference in the game, and that’s something we have the ability to do, and it showed up in the biggest moments tonight,” manager Craig Counsell said. “Two guys made incredible plays.”
Without Hoerner’s dazzling play in the third inning the Pirates either would have scored a run to take the lead or put Boyd in a bases-loaded situation and their best hitter, Bryan Reynolds, at the plate. Hoerner’s diving stop on Nick Gonzales’ ball up the middle prevented it from getting to the outfield. Hoerner quickly gathered himself and threw behind Henry Davis after he rounded third base to nab him for the final out of the inning.
Hoerner didn’t think he was going to get to the ball off the bat.
“I figured they’d be rounding hard, so got up and threw to third right away,” Hoerner said. “I think they were just straight up sending him home, so nice play by (Alex Bregman) too. I gave him a bit of a short hop, and he got the out.”
Davis was on the receiving end again of a stellar defensive sequence for the Cubs (58-45).
Happ easily threw out Davis at home when the Pirates catcher attempted tag up to score on Gonzales’ fly ball to left field. Happ had plenty of time to get under the ball and deliver an on-target throw for an inning-ending double play to keep the game tied. The four-time Gold Glove winner’s fourth outfield assist of the season leads National League left fielders.
“It was a big enough spot there with it being the go-ahead run that you can just let that thing eat,” Happ said. “So, I wasn’t worried about the cutoff man in that situation. Good one-hop throw to Carson (Kelly), made a great tag. … That was just a great example of what we’re capable of on the defensive side of the ball, and there’s a couple really big plays that save runs there, but just the consistency of the boring plays.”
Boyd was fired up watching Happ’s dart play out from behind the plate as he backed up the throw.
“It’s amazing, I haven’t played in front of a defense this good ever,” Boyd said. “I mean, it’s really special when you see the guys flying around and doing stuff like that. They never take a pitch off. They go hard, and then at the same time, the baseball IQ is through the roof. I mean, Nico didn’t even hesitate throwing to third base right there, just anticipated the play being there. It’s something that’s really cool to watch, especially when you have guys all over the field doing it.”
Boyd’s continued strong performance since coming off the injured list has been exactly what the Cubs have needed in a rotation that, health wise, is trending in the right direction. In six starts since his return June 25, Boyd owns a 2.31 ERA and has pitched into the seventh in two of his last three outings.
He was at his best escaping a jam in the fifth after the first four Pirates reached to open the inning on two walks and two singles. Despite one run across to put the hosts ahead, Boyd got out of the bases loaded and nobody out behind two flyouts and getting Reynolds looking to end the frame.
How well Boyd has been pitching in the last month is exactly what the Cubs need from the veteran over the final two months and into the postseason. The Cubs have won all six of his starts off the IL.
“That’s the type of picture he is, he’s got a lot of experience, and that was a really telling situation right there,” Happ said. “We know we can rely on him. He worked really hard to get back quick from the knee, and he’s been fantastic, and he’s going to continue to be that way.”
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Friday night was Ian Happ’s and Nico Hoerner’s turn.
They each delivered a key defensive sequence that helped left-hander Matthew Boyd and the Cubs hold off the Pittsburgh Pirates for a 3-2 win in 10 innings at PNC Park.
Pete Crow-Armstrong’s solo home run — his 22nd — tied the game in the sixth inning, and their two runs in the top of the 10th held up thanks to Dansby Swanson’s RBI single and Seiya Suzuki’s bases-loaded walk. Boyd limited the Pirates to one run on seven hits in seven innings.
“Both plays the difference in the game, and that’s something we have the ability to do, and it showed up in the biggest moments tonight,” manager Craig Counsell said. “Two guys made incredible plays.”
Without Hoerner’s dazzling play in the third inning the Pirates either would have scored a run to take the lead or put Boyd in a bases-loaded situation and their best hitter, Bryan Reynolds, at the plate. Hoerner’s diving stop on Nick Gonzales’ ball up the middle prevented it from getting to the outfield. Hoerner quickly gathered himself and threw behind Henry Davis after he rounded third base to nab him for the final out of the inning.
Hoerner didn’t think he was going to get to the ball off the bat.
“I figured they’d be rounding hard, so got up and threw to third right away,” Hoerner said. “I think they were just straight up sending him home, so nice play by (Alex Bregman) too. I gave him a bit of a short hop, and he got the out.”
Davis was on the receiving end again of a stellar defensive sequence for the Cubs (58-45).
Happ easily threw out Davis at home when the Pirates catcher attempted tag up to score on Gonzales’ fly ball to left field. Happ had plenty of time to get under the ball and deliver an on-target throw for an inning-ending double play to keep the game tied. The four-time Gold Glove winner’s fourth outfield assist of the season leads National League left fielders.
“It was a big enough spot there with it being the go-ahead run that you can just let that thing eat,” Happ said. “So, I wasn’t worried about the cutoff man in that situation. Good one-hop throw to Carson (Kelly), made a great tag. … That was just a great example of what we’re capable of on the defensive side of the ball, and there’s a couple really big plays that save runs there, but just the consistency of the boring plays.”
Boyd was fired up watching Happ’s dart play out from behind the plate as he backed up the throw.
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“It’s amazing, I haven’t played in front of a defense this good ever,” Boyd said. “I mean, it’s really special when you see the guys flying around and doing stuff like that. They never take a pitch off. They go hard, and then at the same time, the baseball IQ is through the roof. I mean, Nico didn’t even hesitate throwing to third base right there, just anticipated the play being there. It’s something that’s really cool to watch, especially when you have guys all over the field doing it.”
Boyd’s continued strong performance since coming off the injured list has been exactly what the Cubs have needed in a rotation that, health wise, is trending in the right direction. In six starts since his return June 25, Boyd owns a 2.31 ERA and has pitched into the seventh in two of his last three outings.
He was at his best escaping a jam in the fifth after the first four Pirates reached to open the inning on two walks and two singles. Despite one run across to put the hosts ahead, Boyd got out of the bases loaded and nobody out behind two flyouts and getting Reynolds looking to end the frame.
How well Boyd has been pitching in the last month is exactly what the Cubs need from the veteran over the final two months and into the postseason. The Cubs have won all six of his starts off the IL.
“That’s the type of picture he is, he’s got a lot of experience, and that was a really telling situation right there,” Happ said. “We know we can rely on him. He worked really hard to get back quick from the knee, and he’s been fantastic, and he’s going to continue to be that way.”
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