Hoerner's bases-loaded walk in the 10th gives the Cubs a 2-1 victory over the Diamondbacks
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 21: Seiya Suzuki #27 of the Chicago Cubs hits an RBI single during the ninth inning of a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field on July 21, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. The Cubs defeated the Diamondbacks 2-1. (Photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo/Getty Images)
CHICAGO (AP) - Nico Hoerner doubled and scored the tying run in the ninth inning, then walked with the bases loaded in the 10th to give the Chicago Cubs a 2-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday.
Chicago entered the ninth with just one hit before Hoerner sparked the late rally as the Cubs avoided the sweep.
Cubs All-Star pitcher Shota Imanaga had a career-high 10 strikeouts and gave up two hits over seven innings, including a home run to Eugenio Suárez.
The Cubs prevailed after Brandon Pfaadt's dominant day on the mound. The Arizona ace struck out seven and allowed just one hit.
Hoerner doubled down the first-base line to lead off the bottom of the ninth and scored on Seiya Suzuki's one-out single.
Héctor Neris (8-2) picked up the win for Chicago with a scoreless 10th, while Humberto Castellanos (0-1) took the loss.
Imanaga opened the game by striking out all three batters in the first and didn't allow a hit until Randal Grichuk's single with two outs in the sixth.
In the fifth, Imanaga got his eighth strikeout on a low splitter that fooled Arizona's Jose Herrera, who swung so hard that his bat flew down the third-base line.
Suárez broke the tie in the seventh, sending a 2-1 pitch over the wall in left field.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Diamondbacks: Manager Torey Lovullo said that LHP Jordan Montgomery felt "really good" after throwing a bullpen session. Montgomery is currently on the 15-day IL.
Cubs: Placed RHP Hayden Wesneski on the 15-day injured list Saturday with a right forearm strain. In a corresponding move, Chicago recalled RHP Hunter Bigge from Triple-A Iowa.
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks RHP Yilber Diaz (1-0, 1.50 ERA) is set to make his third career start Monday at Kansas City. The Cubs will host the Brewers in a three-game series beginning Monday and plan to start RHP Javier Assad (4-3, 3.27).