The Chicago Cubs started the week by winning back-to-back walk-off victories, and now the Seattle Mariners have done exactly that to the North Siders.
Just a day after winning in walk-off fashion over the Cubs, the Mariners managed to score three runs in the ninth inning after recording two quick outs, and it was Randy Arozarena that finished things off as he launched a two-run shot to center field, earning Seattle a 5-4 win.
Arozarena had also led the game off with a home run for Seattle, and he capped off the victory with a moonshot blast off of Cubs reliever Jacob Webb, who hadn’t allowed an earned run since June before losing Saturday’s game.
The loss means the Cubs will have to win on Sunday to avoid a series sweep, and they now trail the Milwaukee Brewers by seven games in the National League Central standings after their third straight loss.
The Cubs had to come from behind in Friday’s game just to send it to extra innings, and they found themselves down again Saturday as Arozarena launched a home run off David Peterson in the first inning, giving Seattle a 1-0 lead.
The Cubs then struggled to figure out Mariners starter Kade Anderson, who notched five strikeouts in his MLB debut.
The wheels came off for the youngster in his final innings of work, as Kevin Alcantara hit a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning to tie things up. The Cubs then scored three runs in the sixth inning, with Alex Bregman and Michael Busch hitting back-to-back home runs to chase Anderson from the game.
Chicago then got a ground rule double from Tyrone Taylor to extend the lead to 4-2, and the Cubs carried that lead into the ninth inning.
After recording two quick outs, Weston Wilson kept things alive by slicing a double into the right-center field gap, then scored after Leo Rivas, who had the game-winning hit on Friday night, singled to right to cut Chicago’s lead to 4-3.
Webb then surrendered a home run to Arozarena, giving the Mariners a 5-4 victory and sending the Cubs to a second straight heartbreaking defeat.
Shota Imanaga will take the ball for the Cubs on Sunday afternoon in Seattle, with first pitch set for 3:10 p.m.
