CHICAGO: Chicago’s Jason Heyward drove in the tying run in the ninth inning and the game-winning run in the 13th to give the Cubs a 3-2 win against San Francisco on Sunday, taking three of four games in the series between National League pennant chasers.
It was a costly loss for the Giants, who fell three games behind NL West leader Los Angeles, but they do still have a provisional hold on the top wildcard berth as the regular season moves toward its final month.
The Cubs, meanwhile, enjoy a serene 16-1/2 game lead in the NL Central, and Washington also has a comfortable buffer atop the NL East at 8-1/2 games, though another loss to the New York Mets on Sunday trimmed that margin.
The Mets remain one game off the last wildcard berth, but are now three games ahead of East rival Miami after the Marlins lost again at Cleveland.
In the main American League clash, Houston got a measure of revenge against state rival Texas, by beating the Rangers, who have a lopsided head-to-head winning record against the Astros this season.
Chciago’s Addison Russell led off the ninth with a double, moved to third base on a wild pitch and then scored on Heyward’s single to tie the scores.
Anthony Rizzo singled leading off the 13th and went to second on a sacrifice. Russell, who had three hits, was walked intentionally before Heyward drove in his third run of the game.
The Mets got another strong performance from one of its unheralded pitchers as rookie Seth Lugo steered the hosts to a 5-1 win against Washington.
Lugo limited the Nationals to one run in seven innings. He has won three straight starts, permitting a total of just three runs, to help rejuvenate a rotation that has been shorn of its big names due to injury.
Curtis Granderson and Jay Bruce both hit two-run homers for New York.
Cleveland’s Lonnie Chisenhall capped a three-run rally with a two-out single in the ninth inning that lifted the Indians to a 6-5 victory over Miami.
Chisenhall’s hit dropped in front of a sliding Ichiro Suzuki in right field and scored Michael Martinez, giving the AL Central leaders their sixth straight win.
Jose Ramirez’s two-run single had tied it, also with two outs.
Marlins closer Fernando Rodney allowed three runs, three walks and threw two wild pitches as the Marlins went down to their eighth loss in nine games, fading from wildcard contention.
Houston’s George Springer and Evan Gattis homered to power the Astros to a 7-6 win at Texas, ending the Rangers’ seven-game winning streak.
The Astros still trail the first-place Rangers by 9 1/2 games in the AL West and have won only three of 16 meetings this season.
Springer led off the game with a homer, and Houston built a 5-0 lead against Texas starter Yu Darvish, who was lifted after four innings. Gattis hit his homer in the fifth for a 6-2 lead.
New York’s Chase Headley and Austin Romine both drove in two runs to lead the Yankees to a 5-2 win at Baltimore, keeping them afloat in the AL wildcard race.
With five rookies in the starting lineup, the Yankees closed within 3 1/2 games of the Orioles and Detroit for the AL’s final playoff spot.
The loss dropped Baltimore three games off first place in the AL East.
Detroit stayed in the thick of that wildcard fight thanks to Justin Upton, who hit a two-run homer with two outs in the eighth inning to send the Tigers over Kansas City 6-5.
Miguel Cabrera was on first after a leadoff single when Upton drove a fastball from Joakim Soria over center for his 20th homer of the season.
Heyward stars in Cubs victory over Giants
Heyward stars in Cubs victory over Giants
