The Chicago Cubs shutout the St. Louis Cardinals for the second consecutive game, securing the series split on Thursday with a 3-0 win. In the process, the Cubs made Willson Contreras look foolish, stealing a run late in the tightly-contested series finale.
Up 2-0 in the eighth inning, Pete Crow-Armstrong leadoff the frame with an infield single down the third base line. Dansby Swanson followed with a single that dropped in shallow right center and the Cubs’ speedy center fielder quickly raced around to third. After a Michael Busch pop up that didn’t move any of the runners Carson Kelly stepped up to the plate and before the 0-1 pitch the Cubs completely tricked the Cardinals.
Right-handed pitcher Kyle Leahy threw over to first base, where Swanson was looking to steal second base. He was clearly trying to bait the Cardinals and it worked because after Contreras received the throw from the relief pitcher Crow-Armstrong was on alert and took off toward home as soon as Contreras moved his attention to Swanson between first and second.
The Cubs stole a run.
It turned out to be a big one because in the ninth inning Cubs closer Daniel Palencia let the first two batters reach. Who knows, maybe Kelly would have come through anyway in the eighth or Nico Hoerner after him, but the Cubs guaranteed themselves a third run by fooling the Cardinals and in doing so gave Palencia the chance to work out of trouble without facing the go-ahead run at the plate. Worst-case scenario, a long ball after the first two reached in the ninth would have only tied it.
Nevertheless, Palencia attacked the next three batters, struck them all out and nailed down the 3-0 win.
