After getting Chicago’s Javier Baez in a rundown between first base and home, Pirates first baseman Will Craig tosses the ball to catcher Michael Perez in an attempt to prevent Willson Contreras from scoring. Contreras beat the tag, and Baez also wound up safe on a throwing error by Perez. Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press
PITTSBURGH — Javier Báez hit reverse and chaos ensued, as tends to happen whenever the livewire Chicago Cubs shortstop is on the basepaths.
The quick-thinking star’s latest bit of sorcery led to a comedy of errors by the reeling Pittsburgh Pirates, keying a two-run rally in a 5-3 victory on Thursday.
“He just makes crazy things happen,” Chicago Manager David Ross said. “He runs in moments and guys forget how to play baseball sometimes.”
Pirates first baseman Will Craig certainly did.
With teammate Willson Contreras on second and two outs in the third inning, Báez hit a routine grounder to third baseman Erik González. González’s throw to Craig at first was a little up the line, pulling Craig off the bag. No biggie. All Craig had to do was tag Báez or touch first. The inning should have been over.
It wasn’t. What followed was 40 seconds of madness that will likely follow Báez and Craig no matter where their careers take them.
Báez hit the brakes to avoid Craig’s glove and started backtracking toward the plate. Craig curiously decided to follow Báez.
The move bought enough time for Contreras to round third and sprint home. Craig attempted a flip to catcher Michael Pérez, but Contreras slid under the tag while Báez took off for first. Pérez’s throw to first sailed past second baseman Adam Frazier attempting to cover the bag, allowing Báez to race to second.
At any point in time, if the ball gets to first before Báez does, the out is recorded, the run doesn’t count and life goes on. It didn’t, encapsulating a season that is quickly slipping away for the Pirates.
“We have to make sure we get the force,” Pirates Manager Derek Shelton said. “That’s just where it’s at. I mean, if Báez runs all the way back or runs into their dugout or runs down to the Strip District, we can walk down and touch first.”
Báez ended up scoring moments later on a single by Ian Happ to give the Cubs a three-run lead they wouldn’t relinquish, adding another chapter to his burgeoning resume as one of baseball’s most exhilarating and occasionally erratic players.
“I turn to the dugout and everybody was celebrating like I hit a double,” Báez said. “It’s just great.”
Kris Bryant hit his 11th home run, and Patrick Wisdom added his first home run since 2018 for the Cubs, who have won eight of nine. Contreras, Bryant and Wisdom finished with two hits each.
NATIONALS, REDS SPLIT: Sonny Gray pitched six innings of two-hit ball and visiting Cincinnati won 3-0 in a seven-inning game after Washington finished a 5-3 victory in the completion of a suspended game.
Trea Turner and Josh Bell hit run-scoring singles in the sixth inning for the Nationals in the completion of a game that started Wednesday night.
PHILLIES 3, MARLINS 2: Odubel Herrera tripled leading off the ninth inning and scored the tiebreaking run on Ronald Torreyes’ comebacker, giving Philadelphia a win in Miami.
METS SWEEP ROCKIES: José Peraza homered starting the third inning of the opener and hit a tiebreaking single in the fourth inning of the second game, helping New York win twice against visiting Colorado, 1-0 and 4-2.
Marcus Stroman (4-4) ended a six-start winless streak, allowing three hits over six innings in the first game.
BREWERS 6, PADRES 5: Jackie Bradley Jr.’s two-out hit off the right-field wall brought home Omar Narváez in the 10th inning, giving Milwaukee a victory at home against San Diego.
Willy Adames hit a three-run homer and finished with four hits and four RBI to help the Brewers earn a four-game split. The shortstop, acquired from Tampa Bay last week, also threw out the potential go-ahead run at the plate in the eighth inning.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
INDIANS 5, TIGERS 2: Shane Bieber struck out 12 in seven one-hit innings, and Cleveland won at Detroit.
Bieber (5-3) took a no-hit bid into the seventh before Jonathan Schoop led off with a home run to left. The Cleveland right-hander then struck out three more hitters and left after 103 pitches.
Eddie Rosario homered for the Indians, who helped Terry Francona to his 700th victory as Cleveland’s manager. Only Lou Boudreau (728) and Mike Hargrove (721) are ahead of him in franchise history.
BLUE JAYS-YANKEES SPLIT: Alek Manoah dominated with six innings of two-hit ball to win his major league debut as visiting Toronto shut out New York 2-0 in a doubleheader opener.
Marcus Semien and Bo Bichette hit back-to-back homers in the third inning off Domingo Germán (4-3).
New York won the second game 5-3 on home runs by Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez.
RAYS 7, ROYALS 2: Austin Meadows homered and had four RBI, Shane McClanahan went five scoreless innings, and Tampa Bay beat visiting Kansas City.
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