Brad Boxberger blows save, allows two homers as Cubs walk off on D-backs
Jul 26, 2018, 3:08 PM | Updated: 8:54 pm
Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Brad Boxberger works against a Colorado Rockies batter during the ninth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, July 10, 2018, in Denver. The Diamondbacks won 5-3. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
The Arizona Diamondbacks blew a five-run lead through 5.5 innings Thursday, but the climax of the Chicago Cubs’ 7-6 victory didn’t come until the final moments.
Cubs second baseman David Bote entered the game an out into the ninth with Ben Zobrist aboard via a walk and smashed a two-run homer off D-backs closer Brad Boxberger to tie the game, 6-6. Two pitches later, Chicago’s Anthony Rizzo caught an 80 mph changeup for a solo home run to wrap a walk-off win.
It was Boxberger’s fifth blown save of the year and first since he had two in a row on June 17 and 22.
Chicago’s victory closed out a four-game series split between the teams.
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The D-backs built a 6-1 lead after falling behind 1-0 in the bottom of the second. In the fourth inning, former Cubs catcher Alex Avila nipped at his old team with a two-run homer for Arizona off Tyler Chatwood. In the top of the fifth frame, four Chicago walks with a double play sandwiched in between loaded the bases and set up Arizona shortstop Nick Ahmed’s grand slam, the first for the D-backs this year.
But Chicago chipped away.
The Cubs answered Arizona’s slam with two runs in the bottom of the fifth and another run in the sixth to pull within 6-4 heading into the seventh.
Arizona starter Zack Godley went 5.2 frames, allowing seven hits and four earned runs while striking out six and walking one.
D-backs relievers Yoshihisa Hirano and Archie Bradley pitched a combined 2.1 scoreless frames with two strikeouts, no walks and no hits before Boxberger entered the game only to blow the save opportunity.
