Renfroe's slam lifts Padres past slumping Cubs
The Sports Xchange
May 29, 2017
SAN DIEGO -- Hunter Renfroe hit a fourth-inning grand slam, and five San Diego pitchers combined on an unusual three-hitter Monday afternoon as the Padres defeated the Chicago Cubs 5-2 at Petco Park.
The loss was the fourth straight for the defending World Series champions.
Left-hander Jose Torres (3-2) was credited with the win and Brandon Maurer picked up his seventh save, his second in as many games.
Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks (4-3) yielded the grand slam, which accounted for the majority of the five runs he surrendered in five innings.
Although the Padres gave up only three hits, the Cubs had a total of 15 baserunners. San Diego pitchers walked 10 hitters and hit two, with the Cubs stranding seven runners in scoring position.
The game turned instantly on Hendricks, who started the game with a career 1.56 ERA against the Padres.
Not only did the right-hander retire the first 10 Padres he faced, but he struck out five of them. However, before he recorded his next out, Hendricks had given up four runs.
Yangervis Solarte started the Padres' fourth-inning rally with a one-out single on a grounder toward center that was stopped on the outfield grass by Cubs second baseman Javier Baez, whose throw to first was just late.
Wil Myers followed with a single to right, and Hendricks hit Ryan Schimpf with a pitch to load the bases.
Renfroe unloaded them on a 1-1 pitch, his 374-foot drive to left being his 10th homer of his rookie season and the second grand slam of his career.
The Padres extended their lead to 5-2 in the fifth on three straight singles by Torres, Allen Cordoba and Solarte and a groundout by Myers, who just beat Baez's relay throw on a potential inning-ending double play.
Hendricks departed after five innings. He gave up six hits and a hit batter but no walks while striking out five. After retiring the first 10 Padres, seven of the last 11 hitters he faced reached base.
Meanwhile, Padres starter Jarred Cosart was gone before Hendricks. After lasting only 2 2/3 innings in his previous start, Cosart went four innings, with only 42 of his 87 pitches going for strikes. He allowed two runs, three hits and five walks.
Both Cubs runs came in the first on two walks, a hit batter and a two-out, two-run, bases-loaded single by Jason Heyward.
The Cubs failed to score after Addison Russell opened the second with a triple and the visitors loaded the bases with one out.
Chicago also loaded the bases on three walks issued by left-hander Ryan Buchter in the seventh, only to have Heyward ground into an inning-ending double play against left-handed reliever Brad Hand.
NOTES: The Cubs recalled RHP Justin Grimm from Triple-A Iowa and optioned RHP Felix Pena to Iowa. Grimm, 28, started his third stint with the Cubs by allowing a hit with two strikeouts in two scoreless innings. ... Padres 2B Yangervis Solarte and Cubs OF Jason Heyward were the only players to collect two hits. ... RF Ben Zobrist, Chicago's leadoff hitter, drew three walks while going 0-for-1.
May 29, 2017
SAN DIEGO -- Hunter Renfroe hit a fourth-inning grand slam, and five San Diego pitchers combined on an unusual three-hitter Monday afternoon as the Padres defeated the Chicago Cubs 5-2 at Petco Park.
The loss was the fourth straight for the defending World Series champions.
Left-hander Jose Torres (3-2) was credited with the win and Brandon Maurer picked up his seventh save, his second in as many games.
Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks (4-3) yielded the grand slam, which accounted for the majority of the five runs he surrendered in five innings.
Although the Padres gave up only three hits, the Cubs had a total of 15 baserunners. San Diego pitchers walked 10 hitters and hit two, with the Cubs stranding seven runners in scoring position.
The game turned instantly on Hendricks, who started the game with a career 1.56 ERA against the Padres.
Not only did the right-hander retire the first 10 Padres he faced, but he struck out five of them. However, before he recorded his next out, Hendricks had given up four runs.
Yangervis Solarte started the Padres' fourth-inning rally with a one-out single on a grounder toward center that was stopped on the outfield grass by Cubs second baseman Javier Baez, whose throw to first was just late.
Wil Myers followed with a single to right, and Hendricks hit Ryan Schimpf with a pitch to load the bases.
Renfroe unloaded them on a 1-1 pitch, his 374-foot drive to left being his 10th homer of his rookie season and the second grand slam of his career.
The Padres extended their lead to 5-2 in the fifth on three straight singles by Torres, Allen Cordoba and Solarte and a groundout by Myers, who just beat Baez's relay throw on a potential inning-ending double play.
Hendricks departed after five innings. He gave up six hits and a hit batter but no walks while striking out five. After retiring the first 10 Padres, seven of the last 11 hitters he faced reached base.
Meanwhile, Padres starter Jarred Cosart was gone before Hendricks. After lasting only 2 2/3 innings in his previous start, Cosart went four innings, with only 42 of his 87 pitches going for strikes. He allowed two runs, three hits and five walks.
Both Cubs runs came in the first on two walks, a hit batter and a two-out, two-run, bases-loaded single by Jason Heyward.
The Cubs failed to score after Addison Russell opened the second with a triple and the visitors loaded the bases with one out.
Chicago also loaded the bases on three walks issued by left-hander Ryan Buchter in the seventh, only to have Heyward ground into an inning-ending double play against left-handed reliever Brad Hand.
NOTES: The Cubs recalled RHP Justin Grimm from Triple-A Iowa and optioned RHP Felix Pena to Iowa. Grimm, 28, started his third stint with the Cubs by allowing a hit with two strikeouts in two scoreless innings. ... Padres 2B Yangervis Solarte and Cubs OF Jason Heyward were the only players to collect two hits. ... RF Ben Zobrist, Chicago's leadoff hitter, drew three walks while going 0-for-1.
