Cubs win 7th straight on combined one hitter |
ST. PETERSBURG, Fl. -- Mike Montgomery and the bullpen combined to hold the Tampa Rays to one hit and Kyle Schwarder hit his 28th homer as the Chicago Cubs extended their winning streak to seven games with a 2-1 win in Joe Maddon’s return to Tampa Bay.
With the win, the Cubs’ magic number is down to nine and are currently a season-best 18 over .500. The Cubs have a 41-21 (.672) record since the All-Star Break which is the second-best mark in baseball and trails only the Indians (46-17, .730). Montgomery (7-8) allowed one hit in six innings with six strike outs. Pedro Strop, Carl Edwards Jr. and Wade Davis all pitched an inning of perfect relief to finish off the one-hitter. Davis struck out the side in the ninth and is now a perfect 32 for 32 in save chances and extended his own franchise record. Schwarber hit a solo homer in the second and Javier Baez’s RBI double in the fifth against Chris Archer (9-11) was the game winner. Maddon received a standing ovation in the first inning as he returned to Tampa Bay for the first time since managing the Rays from 2006-14 where he led the club to its only World Series appearance in 2008. Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez also served the same role for Maddon in Tampa Bay from 2008-14. The Cubs and Rays will play game two of the series on Wednesday at 6:10 p.m. CT as LHP Jon Lester (11-7, 4.30) faces LHP Blake Snell (3-6, 4.25).
