It took the about five hours and thirteen minutes, but the San Diego Padres were able to put away the Chicago Cubs to take two of the three games at Petco Park in San Diego.
There wasn’t to much action in the first twelve innings as the teams had struggled all day to hit the oppositions pitching staff.
Chris Rusin and Andrew Cashner were actually the two men that started the game, although that felt like yesterday once the game was completed. Both players had outstanding efforts, Rusin went six and a third innings, gave up three hits, and struck out four. Cashner went seven innings, gave up two hits, and struck out seven.
All the action would begin in the thirteenth inning when the Cubs loaded up the bases. Nate Schierhtolz came up to the plate and hit a ground ball to first basemen Jesus Guzman who fielded it cleanly, but Schierholtz slipped coming out of the box and had only taken two steps when Guzman threw the ball to catcher Nick Hundley, the ball hit Schierholtz in the face/shoulder and caromed towards third base allowing the Cubs to score their first run. Brian Bogusevic would then hit a sac fly to plate another run, that would be it in the thirteenth for the Cubs.
Kevin Gregg came on to shut the door, but the Padres had different ideas. After recording the first out of the inning, Guzman doubled to left center. Gregg would get the next out, but would give up an RBI triple to Ronny Cedeno to cut the Cub lead to one. A wild pitch from Gregg allowed Cedeno to score the tying run and sent the game into the 14th inning.
The Cubs would go down easy in the 14th and the Padres would get the first two men on base and after a ground out they would move up to second and third. After a strikeout, Chase Headley would strikeout looking on a questionable pitch to strand the runners at second and third.
The Cubs would get Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo on base in the fifteenth with nobody out, Cole Gillespie had a nice sac bunt to move the players to second and third. After the Padres walked Bogusevic to load the bases, Junior Lake would ground into a fielders choice that forced out Castro at home. With two outs in the inning, Donnie Murphy grounded out to third to end the threat.
On to the bottom of the fifteenth, after an out to start the inning, Logan Forsythe singled and would be sacrificed to second base. After a walk to Alexi Amarista, Nick Hundley singled to center to drive in Forsythe and give the Padres the win in a wild extra inning affair.
Both teams had several chances in extra innings, but almost no chances in the first nine. The teams were a combined 2-26 with runners in scoring position. The Cubs, 0-10.
Kevin Gregg got his fifth blown save of the year and Hector Rondon got his first loss. Dale Thayer recorded his second win of the year for the Padres.
The Cubs will now begin a three game set in Los Angeles against the first place Dodgers. Game time for tomorrow is scheduled for 9:10 PM CT. Zack Greinke (12-3) and Jake Arrieta (2-2) are the scheduled starters for the contest.