The Sports Xchange
May 31, 2017
SAN DIEGO -- Austin Hedges hit a two-run homer and a two-run double, and Hunter Renfroe added a tiebreaking, two-run double in a four-run fifth inning as the Padres defeated the Chicago Cubs 6-2 Tuesday.
The reigning World Series champion Cubs (25-26) fell to the Padres for the second day in a row and lost their fifth straight overall to fall under .500. The Cubs managed a total of nine hits in the first two games of the three-game series.
Hedges' double capped the fifth-inning rally that broke a 2-2 tie.
Padres rookie right-hander Dinelson Lamet (2-0) picked up his second win in as many major league starts, holding the Cubs to two runs on five hits and a walk with eight strikeouts in five innings.
Chicago starter Eddie Butler (2-1) gave up all six runs on seven hits and three walks with five strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.
The Cubs took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. Jason Heyward doubled inside the first base bag with two outs and scored when Willson Contreras' sharp grounder to third ate up Padres third baseman Cory Spangenberg for what was scored a run-scoring double.
Hedges put the Padres on top in the bottom of the inning with his ninth homer of the season after Franchy Cordero opened the inning with a single. Hedges drove a 1-1 pitch from Butler 404 feet to left.
Kyle Schwarber, who had been hitless in his previous 13 at-bats, got the Cubs even in the top of the fifth with a 404-foot homer to right off Lamet on an 0-2 count.
The Padres broke the game open in the bottom of the inning.
Yangervis Solarte started the rally with a one-out single to center and moved to second on Wil Myers' single to right. Solarte and Myers both scored when Renfroe lined his double into the left field corner to break the tie.
After Cordero drew a walk, left-hander Brian Duensing replaced Butler and struck out Spangenberg for the second out. Hedges then followed Renfroe's lead and doubled into the left field corner, driving in Renfroe and the swift Cordero.
NOTES: Cubs UT Ben Zobrist, a switch hitter, has a sore left wrist, which is limiting to hitting from the left side against right-handed hitters. ... Cubs manager Joe Maddon blamed RHP Jake Arrieta's slow start on the home run ball. Arrieta, who will start the Wednesday afternoon series finale, has a 4.92 ERA after 10 starts thanks to allowing 10 home runs. ... Padres RHP Jered Weaver, who is also on the 10-day disabled list with left hip inflammation, threw Tuesday afternoon.