Tampa Bay Rays vs Chicago Cubs Box Score on Jul 04, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Jul 4, 2017

CHICAGO -- Tim Beckham went 2-for-4 and ignited a five-run fourth inning with his two-run homer as the Tampa Bay Rays held on for a 6-5 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday.

Steven Souza Jr. also had two hits to help make a winner of right-hander Chris Archer (7-5), who picked up his third victory in his last four tries.

Archer worked six innings, allowing three runs on eight hits. He struck out eight and walked three while throwing a season-high 116 pitches, 80 for strikes.

Chicago starter Jon Lester (5-5) allowed six runs (five earned) and nine hits while striking out six in five innings.

The Cubs claimed a 1-0 lead in the second after Ian Happ tripled to right with one out and scored on Jason Heyward's sharp single to right.

Happ's long drive went in and out of Souza's glove for his second three-base hit of the season. Heyward, back after a two-plus week stay on the disabled list, delivered his RBI grounder on a 1-2 pitch.

The Rays forced a 1-1 tie in the third as Evan Longoria's one-out sacrifice fly scored Souza from third after Souza reached on a bunt single, stole second and went to third on catcher Willson Contreras' throwing error.

Beckham started the big fourth inning with his blast to left-center that also scored Trevor Plouffe, who led off with a single. It was Beckham's 11th homer of the season.

Adeiny Hechavarria and Peter Bourjos reached base and Archer helped his own cause -- still with none out -- with his first major league hit to bring home Hechavarria from second for a 4-1 lead.

Souza's double to center drove in Bourjos and Archer to make it 6-1.

The Cubs hit Archer for two runs in the fifth.

John Jay advanced to third on a bunt single and throwing error by Longoria with two out and scored on Kris Bryant's infield single. Bryant moved to second on an Anthony Rizzo walk and scored on Ben Zobrist's single to make it 6-3.

Chicago put two on with none out in the sixth inning before Archer struck out the next three batters.

The Cubs scored twice in the ninth as Rizzo delivered a one-out single to right-center off closer Alex Colome, scoring Albert Almora Jr. from second and leaving runners at first and third.

Zobrist hit a fielder's choice that brought home Jay to trim the Rays lead to 6-5. Colome walked Happ but got Heyward to pop out to left to end the game and give Colome his 22nd save.

Jay and Contreras each had two hits for Chicago.

NOTES: 1B Logan Morrison seeks to become the first Tampa Bay player since Evan Longoria in 2008 to win the All-Star Game final vote. He would join DH Corey Dickerson, who won a starting spot in tallies announced last week. ... Tampa Bay has hit 129 home runs, second in the majors behind the Astros, and have 24 in their last 13 games. ... The Rays send out LHP Blake Snell (0-5, 5.36 ERA) against Cubs RHP John Lackey (5-9, 5.24) on Wednesday. ... The Cubs activated OF Jason Heyward off the 10-day disabled list and recalled LHP Jack Leathersich from Triple-A Iowa. Chicago also optioned INF Jeimer Candelario and RHP Felix Pena to Triple-A. ... Cubs 3B Kris Bryant is among the NL Final Vote candidates for next week's All-Star Game. He'd join RHP Wade Davis, named an All-Star by player vote. ... The Cubs and Rays meet again Sept. 19-20 in St. Petersburg, Fla. ...Tuesday's announced crowd of 42,046 was the largest of the year and first in excess of 42,000 at Wrigley Field since July 13, 2013, against the Cardinals.