Avila saves Cubs with walk-off hit against Blue Jays
Reigning MLB World Series champions the Chicago Cubs recovered a bit of last season's magic with a 6-5 walk-off win against the Toronto Blue Jays after 10 innings.
After allowing two runs in the top of the 10th inning, the Cubs looked poised to end their most current winning streak. But recently acquired Alex Avila saved the day.
Avila knocked in two runs with a walk-off single in the bottom of the 10th, plating Ben Zobrist and Javier Baez. Avila, who had come on as a pinch hitter earlier in the game, also drew a walk on Sunday.
The Cubs' other addition in that July trade with the Detroit Tigers, reliever Justin Wilson, earned the victory despite walking two of the three batters he faced.
With the win, Chicago remains two games ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers in the suddenly competitive National League (NL) Central.
SUNDAY'S RESULTS
Tampa Bay Rays 3-0 Seattle Mariners
Detroit Tigers 6-1 Los Angeles Dodgers
Boston Red Sox 5-1 New York Yankees
Minnesota Twins 12-5 Arizona Diamondbacks
Kansas City Royals 7-4 Cleveland Indians
Texas Rangers 2-3 Chicago White Sox
San Francisco Giants 2-5 Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Pirates 6-3 St Louis Cardinals
New York Mets 4-6 Miami Marlins
Baltimore Orioles 4-5 Los Angeles Angels
Atlanta Braves 8-1 Cincinnati Reds
Houston Astros 2-3 Oakland Athletics
Chicago Cubs 6-5 Toronto Blue Jays
Colorado Rockies 4-8 Milwaukee Brewers
San Diego Padres 1-4 Washington Nationals
VERLANDER STOPS DODGERS
Justin Verlander allowed just one run off two hits in eight innings to help the Tigers pull off an upset over the Dodgers. Verlander, who was linked with the Dodgers before the July 31 trade deadline, struck out nine batters while improving to 9-8 with a 3.96 ERA this season.
Giancarlo Stanton blasted his MLB-leading 45th home run to lead the Marlins over the Mets. Fellow outfielder Christian Yelich collected three hits with a stolen base, while Dee Gordon had two hits and two swipes.
Rays starting pitcher Blake Snell put it all together in a win over the Mariners. Snell tossed seven shutout innings with eight strikeouts to improve to 2-6 with a 4.42 ERA this season.
JUDGE EXTENDS STREAK
Aaron Judge has struggled since the All-Star break, and Sunday was no different. Judge went 0 for four with strikeout in a loss against the Red Sox. He has now struck out in 37 straight games, tying the MLB record set by Bill Stoneman across the 1971-72 season.
YOU'RE OUT!
Rays shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria scoops up everything.
Hech. Of. A. Play: https://t.co/FSBMQQPRG8 pic.twitter.com/2UCFiLREmL
— MLB (@MLB) August 20, 2017
RED SOX AT INDIANS
Both teams look poised to make it back to at least the American League Division Series, where they met last year. Boston will send Eduardo Rodriguez (4-3, 3.97 ERA) to the mound to face off against Mike Clevinger (6-5, 3.75 ERA) having won four of their last five games. Both teams have five-game leads in their respective divisions.