CHICAGO (AP) — Nick Kurtz singled in automatic runner Alika Williams in the 10th inning, and the Athletics rallied for a second straight win, 5-4 over the sliding Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night.
Kurtz extended his hitting streak to five games with his hit in the 10th off Ethan Roberts (0-1), Chicago's sixth reliever.
The Cubs (32-30) squandered a two-run lead in the eighth inning and lost their third straight and for the 18th time in 23 games.
Pinch-hitter
Colby Thomas hit a 426-foot solo homer over the left-field bleachers in the eighth, and Tyler Soderstrom drove in his second run of the game with his second single as the Athletics tied it 4-all, with both runs coming off reliever Caleb Thielbar.
Chicago's Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki homered, and Ian Happ had two doubles, including the 1,000th hit of his career.
Happ became the 37th Cubs player to each 1,000 hits — and the second Chicago switch-hitter to accomplish the feat — with a double to right in the fourth. The four-time Gold Glove left fielder reached the milestone batting right-handed against A's lefty Jeffrey Springs. He doubled again in the eighth.
Crow-Armstrong extended his hitting streak to eight games with a two-run drive, his eighth, in the third. Michael Busch tripled in a run.
Hogan Harris (3-0) the Athletics' fifth reliever, pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for the win. Justin Sterner retired all three Cubs hitters in the 10th for his first save.
Soderstrom extended his hitting streak to nine games. Williams had an RBI.
Cubs starter Colin Rea allowed two runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings. Springs allowed four runs on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings, but avoided a seventh straight loss when the A's rallied.
The Athletics jumped ahead 1-0 in the first, then led 2-0 in the second. Suzuki’s drive to left in the bottom half cut it to 2-1.
LHP Shota Imanaga (4-6, 4.37 ERA) starts for the Cubs in the series finale on Thursday. The Athletics had not named a starter.
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