CHICAGO (AP) — Pete Crow-Armstrong scored on a throwing error in the 11th inning after Alex Bregman hit a two-strike, two-out homer in the ninth, and the Chicago Cubs rallied for a 3-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday.
Crow-Armstrong singled leading off the 11th against Brendon Little (0-3), but automatic runner Carson Kelly was thrown out at the plate. The MVP candidate then tried to steal third and Blue Jays catcher Brandon Valenzuela overthrew
third baseman Josh Smith, allowing Crow-Armstrong to dash home. He took off his helmet before touching the plate and then tossed it into the protective netting before he was mobbed by teammates.
It was the 11th walk-off win this season for Chicago, which is in position for the first NL wild card.
Bregman forced extra innings with his 12th homer of the season. Crow-Armstrong led off the ninth with a single against Blue Jays closer Louis Varland, who retired the next two batters and went ahead 1-2 against Bregman before his knuckle curve caught the middle of the plate and Bregman lined it over the wall in left.
Varland had been 24 for 24 in save situations.
The Cubs, coming off a sweep of the Dodgers, moved to 10-4 during a stretch of 17 games in 17 days. The matchup with Toronto was rescheduled from June 21 because of rain.
Trent Thornton (5-4) pitched out of a jam in the top of the 11th.
Toronto squandered a sterling performance by Dylan Cease, who allowed two hits and struck out 10 in seven innings. Alejandro Kirk went 4 for 5 for the Blue Jays, who went 1 for 19 with runners in scoring position, stranding 13 baserunners.
Toronto second baseman Luis Urias left midway through the fourth inning after appearing to injure himself running out a double.
The Blue Jays will start RHP José Soriano (9-6, 3.29 ERA) at Philadelphia on Friday against RHP Zack Wheeler (10-2, 2.49). RHP Kevin Gausman (5-10, 4.38) makes his Cubs debut at Kansas City on Friday.
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