Travis Wood of the Chicago Cubs throws a pitch in the fifth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals during game two of the National League Division Series at Busch Stadium in St Louis. (AFP)
AFP/St Louis
Jorge Soler’s two-run homer capped a five-run second inning as the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-3 to even their National League playoff series at one game each.
Left-handed pitcher Travis Wood recorded the victory with 2 1/3 innings of relief, allowing just one hit and striking out two for the Cubs, who have won 10 of their last 11 games, with eight of those victories coming on the road. “I feel like it was a must-win game,” Wood said Saturday. “You want to be going back 1-1 instead of down 2-0.”
Elsewhere, the Los Angeles Dodgers scored four runs in the seventh, after a controversial play at second base involving Chase Utley, to beat the New York Mets 5-2 and level their best-of-five series at 1-1.
The Mets lost shortstop Ruben Tejada with a possible broken right leg after he was upended by Dodgers Utley, who was ruled safe at second while trying to prevent a throw to first base. Television replays appeared to show that Utley failed to touch the bag.
Cubs pitcher Wood and two other relievers tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings in front of a crowd of 48,000 at Busch Stadium. Right-hander Trevor Cahill and closer Hector Rondon got the final six outs of Saturday’s game, with Rondon notching the save.
Game three of the series is Monday at Chicago’s Wrigley Field, with 22-game winner Jake Arrieta taking the mound for the Cubs against Cardinals right-hander Michael Wacha.
After St. Louis starter John Lackey and two relievers fired a three-hit shutout in Friday’s series opener, Chicago again played from behind in this one as third baseman Matt Carpenter blasted a leadoff homer to centre field.
St. Louis starter Jaime Garcia took the loss, leaving after two innings with what officials said was a stomach virus.
Garcia, who was making his first start against the Cubs this season, surrendered four hits and five runs, walking one and striking out two batters.
“It is hard to watch a club that’s played so well defensively see a couple of things happen that are kind of uncharacteristic,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. “They do happen, we’ve got to figure out ways to get around them.”
Adrian Gonzalez hit a go-ahead, two-run double during Los Angeles’ four-run surge in the seventh to come from behind and beat the Mets at Dodger Stadium. “My mindset was to stay aggressive, stay over the plate and if you see something that looks good to swing at then go after it,” said Gonzalez.
Game three is Monday at Citi Field in New York. Brett Anderson will get the pitching start for the Dodgers and the Mets will counter with Matt Harvey.
The most dramatic moments of Saturday’s contest happened in the seventh when the Dodgers turned a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 lead. Dodgers centre fielder Enrique Hernandez drew a walk and advanced to third on pinch-hitter Utley’s single to right.
Hernandez scored on a fielder’s choice off the bat of second baseman Howie Kendrick to tie the score at 2-2.
Utley then slid into a leaping Tejada, launching the Mets infielder into the air. Utley was ruled safe at second after an official review. Tejada was carted off and is believed to have suffered a fractured right fibula.
Gonzalez smacked a two-run double to right field one batter later to give Los Angeles to a 4-2 lead. “Chase was trying to break up the double play,” said Gonzalez. “At the end of the day, the replay got it right.”
