Game Recap: Hoerner comes up clutch to give Cubs series win against Rays

Matt Marton - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese · Senior Writer · 11 hours ago

CHICAGO - Even if the Chicago Cubs (85-64) don't accomplish all of their goals this season, it has been a fun season nonetheless, as they have surpassed their total wins from the past two seasons. While the goal heading into the season was to win this division, the next goal was to consistently win 90 games, as the Cubs are well on their way to doing that.

Looking to wrap up a mini-homestand against the Tampa Bay Rays (73-76) in style, it was Mr. Clutch himself, Nico Hoerner, coming through as he has played at an MVP level for quite a while now. Not your typical MVP-type candidate, Hoerner is the Cubs' most trusted option with runners on base, and you can see why based on his seventh-inning double that brought home the winning runs in the Cubs' 4-3 series victory.

It was a win that the Cubs desperately needed, as they continue to fight for the top Wild Card spot against the San Diego Padres. After playing stopper more often than not last season, Shota Imanaga hasn't been the typical stopper this season, but that doesn't mean he hasn't had a good year.

With a 3.29 ERA, Imanaga continues to be a steady starter and would be one of the Cubs' top three options come playoff time. Sunday was a rather strange outing for him as he allowed three runs on seven hits across five innings in what wound up being a no-decision. A significant reason for his short start was the high pitch count, as he struck out nine batters, which doesn't help keep your pitching count low.

One of Imanaga's biggest flaws as a pitcher is his susceptibility to the long ball, as he has been prone to serving up far too many home runs. That continued to be the case in the first inning as Yandy Diaz and Junior Caminero led off the game with back-to-back homers as the Rays raced out to an early lead. As good as the Cubs have been this season, they have only won a handful of games when trailing by three runs or more, so to be down by two early on wasn't ideal.

It was especially stressful with Adrian Houser on the mound, as the right-hander has put together an impressive season and was one of the many deadline targets for the Cubs. Although he hasn't been as good with the Rays as he was with the Sox, Houser still gave the Rays six innings, allowing two runs and surrendering seven hits.

The first of those runs came immediately in the bottom of the first as Michael Busch led things off with a leadoff double before racing home on the Hoerner single to cut the deficit in half, 2-1. That was the brunt of the Cubs' offense in the early innings, as the Rays continued to capitalize on the Cubs' early-game miscues.

Once again, it was the top of the Rays lineup getting to Imanaga as Caminero led the inning off with a single before being wiped away from the bases on a forceout. Imanaga came close to escaping the inning without further damage, only to have Nick Fortes come through with a two-out double as the Rays had a pair of runners in scoring position with two down. That was followed by a Josh Lowe bunt single that brought home another run as the Rays were now in front 3-1.

With Ian Happ and Moises Ballesteros starting the bottom of the fourth off with a pair of singles, it was the one-out walk from Pete Crow-Armstrong that loaded the bases as the Cubs were in a great position to tie things up. That was until Houser got Willi Castro to ground into an inning-ending double play as the Rays maintained their 3-1 lead.

That score would hold until the sixth as Javier Assad took over for Imanaga and pitched himself into and out of trouble, as this was the first relief appearance he made since moving back to the pen. With the Cubs' offense failing to score after the first, Happ put an end to that quickly as he touched up Houser for another homer as the Cubs pulled within 3-2. Ballesteros followed that up with a single, but with Houser getting out of the inning without any more damage, it was the Cubs who still had work to do, down 3-2.

The single most significant moment in this game occurred in the seventh inning, after Assad walked Caminero and allowed a Brandon Lowe single that put two runners on with one out. What appeared to be an RBI force out from Jake Magnum was later overturned due to an illegal slide, as the Cubs went from being down 4-2 to instead remaining behind 3-2.

You could see the momentum immediately shift after that play, and with Castro and Matt Shaw picking up a pair of singles off Edwin Uceta, it was the Cubs keeping the pressure on as they had two on with one out. Following a Busch strikeout, the stage was set for Mr. Clutch himself, and as he has done so often before, Hoerner delivered with his second RBI hit, connecting for an RBI double to put the Cubs on top for the first time, 4-3.

Those would be the only runs the Cubs would need as Caleb Thielbar and Andrew Kittredge came in to slam the door shut, with Kittredge striking out the side in the ninth to secure his fifth save of the season with the Cubs and handing them a 4-3 victory.

Chicago had 10 hits in the game as Hoerner, Happ, and Ballesteros led the way with two. Chicago will now hit the road for the final time this season, opening a seven-game road trip at Pittsburgh on Monday.