Wisdom homers again, Stroman finally wins as Cubs top Giants

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By MICHAEL WAGAMAN | Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Patrick Wisdom homered again, Marcus Stroman pitched six scoreless innings for his beginning win in more than two months and the Chicago Cubs beat the struggling San Francisco Giants four-two on Friday night.

Wisdom connected for the second consecutive day and also doubled in the ninth as the Cubs scored three times to take a 4-0 lead on the way to their seventh victory in 8 games.

Wilmer Flores hit a 2-run homer off closer David Robertson in the lesser of the ninth before the correct-hander struck out Thairo Estrada to end it.

"Our pitcher'southward continued to step upwardly for us in a big way," Cubs managing director David Ross said. "We got them in some jams tonight and they were able to choice us upward. I tin can't say enough nigh the pitching."

San Francisco, which snapped a seven-game skid Thursday night, has dropped 8 of nine.

The Cubs struck out xiv times earlier their offense got going in the ninth with some help from the Giants' defense.

Nico Hoerner drew a 1-out walk from Camilo Doval. After Wisdom doubled, Frank Schwindel reached on an infield unmarried that scored Hoerner. Alfonso Rivas followed with an RBI single.

Christopher Morel then striking a high fly to right that deflected off Mike Yastrzemski'southward glove for an error as pinch-runner Nelson Velázquez scored.

Stroman (3-5) got back into the win column despite a sluggish showtime and repeatedly having to pitch around traffic.

After getting bailed out past his defense in the start inning, Stroman got Tommy La Stella to strike out swinging with runners on the corners in the second. When the Giants put runners at 2d and third with one out in the 4th, Stroman induced fly balls from Joey Bart and La Stella.

"I've just been on a roll," Stroman said. "Trunk feels skillful. Sinker'due south doing everything I demand information technology to do, and everything kind of plays off that."

Stroman immune viii hits with three strikeouts and 1 walk.

"It's consequent strikes, in and out, upwards and down," Ross said. "It's all quadrants all the time. I know he had a lot of traffic early on, they said that in my mid-game interview, and I (said), `Just he feels in control.'"

San Francisco threatened two more than times simply Yastrzemski grounded out with the bases loaded to stop the 7th and pinch-hitter Austin Wynns struck out swinging with the potential tying run on second in the eighth.

A twenty-four hour period later striking his 50th career domicile run, Wisdom added his 19th of the flavor on a 3-2 sinker from Alex Cobb (three-5) that was chest high. Wisdom paused at the plate to scout the ball, glanced at Cobb momentarily and so rounded the bases.

Cobb had a season-high 11 strikeouts and allowed three hits and i run in vi innings.

THE Terminate IS Well-nigh

With the trade deadline approaching Tuesday, All-Star catcher Willson Contreras is among several Cubs who could be playing elsewhere very soon. Stroman certainly expects his bombardment-mate to exist in a dissimilar uniform after the deadline.

"He's nonetheless on our team but it'south nigh like you know what'southward going to happen," Stroman said. "His career'due south merely getting started. He'southward going to exist a perennial All-Star."

HAPP'South Large HITS

A 24-hour interval afterward ending Alex Wood's no-hit bid with a leadoff unmarried in the seventh, Happ broke up Cobb's attempt with two outs in the fourth. Happ hit a sharp liner that deflected off the glove of tertiary baseman Jason Vosler and rolled away.

Happ also turned in the defensive play of the game when he made a one-hop throw to the plate to easily nail Flores trying to score from second on Yastrzemski'due south single. It was Happ'south career-best eighth outfield assist this season.

"That was probably my all-time throw of the year," Happ said. "Everything kind of lined up, and being able to brand that play for 'Stro right off the bat was not bad."

TRAINER'Due south ROOM

Cubs: LHP Wade Miley (shoulder strain) threw 36 pitches in a rehab beginning with High-A South Bend. Miley allowed half-dozen hits and 4 earned runs in 2 one/3 innings.

Giants: All-Star outfielder Joc Pederson was placed on the 7-twenty-four hours injured list with a concussion. Vosler, called up from Triple-A Sacramento, started at tertiary base. … Luis González started in right field later missing Th's game with a sore back.

Upwards Next

Cubs LHP Drew Smyly (3-5, three.93 ERA) faces San Francisco for the fourth time in his career Saturday afternoon. Smyly is seeking back-to-back wins for the first time since coming off the injured list.

Giants RHP Jakob Junis (4-2, 2.98) has allowed two earned runs or fewer in seven of his eight starts this season.

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