The Oakland Athletics pounced on the Chicago Cubs late to come back and win the rubber match of their three-game series, 5-3. For the Cubs, the series loss gets them one step closer to being eliminated from playoff contention. Oakland threatened to score multiple times before ultimately tying and leading the game in the later innings. The Oakland bullpen shut down the Chicago lineup for the final four innings, capped off by Mason Miller notching his second straight save and his 27th overall, setting an Oakland rookie record.
Justin Steele made his return to the rubber for the Cubs, although it was a short outing. After two solid innings of work, Steele loaded the bases in the third before being removed from the ball game after throwing 57 pitches and exhibiting an uncharacteristic lack of control. The Chicago bullpen cleaned up Steele’s mess in the third and was strong in relief until the seventh and eighth innings when the wheels fell off and the A’s went from trailing by a pair to leading by a pair, setting up Miller to shut the door and give Oakland the series win, dampering the Cubs’ slim playoff hopes.
A’s Rally in Finale Against Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs dropped their series finale at home to the Oakland Athletics Wednesday afternoon, 5-3. The Cubs had the lead in the rubber match but couldn’t hang on as Oakland scored four runs late to come back and take the series. Justin Steele made his return from the IL to try and keep the Cubs’ playoff hopes alive but could only manage to work into the third inning before getting into trouble.
The Athletics loaded the bases in a scoreless 0-0 tie in the third, chasing Steele from the game after just 57 pitches. In Steele’s first action of September, a pitch limit was probably on the table but manager Craig Counsell was almost assuredly looking for more innings from his ace. Ethan Roberts came in from the bullpen and escaped the jam to keep the game scoreless. Roberts wouldn’t be able to keep it that way in the fourth when Tyler Soderstrom turned on a cutter left over the plate for a solo home run to give the Oakland Athletics the lead.
The Chicago Cubs would respond in the bottom of the fifth off Oakland starter Brady Basso when they loaded the bases themselves. Dansby Swanson grounded into what would’ve been an inning-ending double play if Oakland 3B Nick Allen could’ve fielded a chopper down the line cleanly. Allen was unable to corral the grounder and although Swanson was given a hit, the A’s definitely could’ve escaped the inning without any damage on the scoreboard.
As it is, the Swanson grounder resulted in a run-scoring to tie the game at 1-1 and keep the bases loaded for Seiya Suzuki. who grounded a ball just out of the outstretched grasp of Athletics SS Jacob Wilson into left field to plate another run and give the Cubs the lead. Even though only one runner came in to score on the single, Cody Bellinger drove in the third run of the inning with a sacrifice fly that gave the Chicago Cubs a two-run lead and chased Brady Basso from the game.
Heading into the seventh inning the score remained 3-1. With Steele leaving the game early the Cubs had to go deep into their bullpen and they started to fray. Drew Smyly came in to work the seventh and got hit around. After Soderstrom led off the frame with a single to right, Tyler Nevin flew a ball down the right field line that just squeezed into fair territory up and against the wall. After a sacrifice bunt, it was weak contact that drove in two runs that would tie the game up at 3-3.
Lawrence Butler chopped a ball to second where Nico Hoerner opted to go to first and get the second out of the inning, allowing the first run to score. Brent Rooker then came up and hit a swinging bunt perfectly down to third, giving Isaac Paredes no play at first or the plate and tying the game up. Nate Pearson came in to relieve Smyly and after giving up a double in his first at-bat, was helped by his infield who got both baserunners into a rundown before tagging Rooker out to end the inning.
Pearson’s second inning of action did not fare as well. He gave up two hits to start the inning and a paltry relay throw from Dansby Swanson allowed Seth Brown to score easily and Zack Gelof to move to third, critical for the next at-bat when Tyler Soderstrom grounded a ball to second base and Nico Hoerner’s throw was late to the plate and the A’s put up their fifth run of the game. The Oakland bullpen was able to cover 4 1/3 innings without surrendering a single run and for the second straight game, Mason Miller entered the ninth with a two-run lead.
Unlike Tuesday night the Chicago Cubs couldn’t scratch any runs off the Oakland flamethrower, with Pete Crow-Armstrong grounding into a double play to end the game and give the Oakland Athletics the series win. For Miller, it was his 27th save of the season, setting an Oakland rookie record. For the Chicago Cubs, the loss dwindles their postseason hopes, putting the playoffs further out of reach and drawing an important offseason ever closer. Until then, they play host to the Washington Nationals next for a four-game series starting tomorrow night.
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