For slightly over four hours on Friday, the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees couldn’t get the big hit.
Both teams are hoping for significantly better performances at the plate Saturday night when the Yankees host the Cubs in the middle contest of a three-game series.
The Yankees outlasted the Cubs for a 2-1 victory, and they did not get their 13th win in 16 games until pinch hitter Jose Trevino lined an RBI single with two outs in the 13th inning. His walk-off hit capped a game in which six New York relievers combined to throw seven scoreless innings a night after the bullpen threw 6 2/3 scoreless innings in a 10-7 win in Minnesota.
“I thought the energy was really good coming off a big comeback win, long travel,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “So I was pleased from that standpoint but that’s a credit to these guys making sure they’re ready to go.”
Trevino’s hit capped a game in which the Yankees went 1-for-19 with runners in scoring position, stranded 17 but did enough to become the first team since the 2017 Houston Astros to win at least 42 of their first 58 games.
“I was just ready — whenever,” Trevino said. “We just needed one hit.”
The Cubs are on a four-game losing streak and fell to 0-6 all-time against the Yankees in regular-season games in New York.
Jason Heyward homered, and rookie Christopher Morel reached base for the 22nd straight game. Morel’s streak is the longest to start a career in Chicago history and the longest since now-Minnesota manager Rocco Baldelli reached in 24 straight games to begin his career with Tampa Bay in 2003.
Chicago’s offense was 0-for-18 with runners in scoring position and mustered two hits after the sixth inning.
“It lets you know you’re in every game playing good baseball and not giving games away,” Heyward said. “It’s tough to lose games but over the course of the season you’d rather get beat then give them away and I think those are the things we got to pay attention to and focus on.”
The Cubs lost Nick Madrigal to groin tightness, and the second baseman may not play Saturday.
After Luis Severino struck out 10 and gave up one run in six innings on Friday, Jordan Montgomery (1-1, 3.02 ERA) will try to replicate the start for the Yankees. Montgomery has yet to allow more than three runs in any start this season and has given up two runs or fewer in nine starts.
Montgomery last pitched Sunday when he allowed two runs on five hits in 6 1/3 innings in a no-decision against Detroit. The Yankees won 5-4 in 10 innings.
The left-hander earned the win in his only career appearance against the Cubs when he allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits in 6 2/3 innings on May 6, 2017, in Chicago.
Matt Swarmer (1-0, 1.50) will make his third career start and is the first Chicago starter since Gene Lillard in 1939 to begin his major league career by tossing at least six innings and allowing one run or fewer. The 28-year-old rookie last pitched a week ago when he allowed one run on two hits in six innings against the St. Louis Cardinals for his first career win.
–Field Level Media
