Chicago Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga delivers during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Chicago.
10:10 JST, May 19, 2024
CHICAGO (AP) — Christopher Morel singled Cody Bellinger with one out in the ninth to give the Chicago Cubs a 1-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.
Bellinger got the winning rally started with a ground-rule double down the left field line with one out off David Bednar. Morel then scored a 3-2 pitch up the middle, and Bellinger narrowly beat Michael A. Taylor’s throw to the plate on a play that passed a video review.
“I knew it was close,” said Bellinger, who slid in and just avoided Joey Bart’s tag. “I was happy, very happy when they said it had been confirmed.”
Hector Neris (4-0) pitched a perfect ninth and struck out two for the win.
“Our pitching staff today was the only reason we had any chance of winning,” said Bellinger, who finished with two singles. “They all did a great job keeping us in the game.”
Cubs starter Shota Imanaga threw seven scoreless innings with four hits in his third straight no-decision. The 30-year-old southpaw from Japan struck out seven and walked one while throwing 68 of 88 pitches for strikes.
Chicago Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga and the infield listen to pitching coach Tommy Hottovy during a mound visit in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Chicago.
Imanaga lowered his ERA to 0.84 during his first nine Major League starts, the lowest mark, although nine since earned run average was kept as a statistic by baseball in 1913. He won five without a loss and was dominant again on Saturday.
Imanaga’s ERA beats Los Angeles Dodger Fernando Valenzuela’s 0.91 in 1981.
“To be honest, I’m not really interested in my statistics or any historical value,” Imanaga said through a translator. “But just knowing that so many good pitchers have come before me and the fact that there have been plenty of guys in the past who have been able to do that is a good learning experience.”
Chicago Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga heads to the tunnel after pitching in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Saturday, May 18, 2024, in Chicago.
Mark Leiter Jr. followed with a perfect eighth and struck out the batter.
Pittsburgh’s Bailey Falter threw scoreless three-hit ball over 7 2/3 innings, the longest outing of his career. The 27-year-old left-hander struck out two and walked two, throwing 55 of 83 pitches for strikes.
Falter enjoyed playing with Imanaga, even in an eventual loss.
“It was great,” Falter said. “That guy is one of the best pitchers in the sport right now and he’s pretty electric. It was good to compete with him.
“My job is to go out there, put up zeros and get these guys in the dugout as quickly as possible until my job is over.”
Colin Holderman relieved with two outs and two runners on in the eight. After walking pinch-hitter Michael Busch to load the bases, Holderman struck out Patrick Wisdom to end Chicago’s threat.
Bednar (2-3) took the loss.
The Cubs traded left-handed reliever Richard Lovelady to the Tampa Bay Rays for minor league left-hander Jeff Belge before the game.
Lovelady, 28, appeared in seven games for the Cubs this season and went 0-1 with a 7.94 ERA before being designated for assignment on Tuesday. The 26-year-old Belgian played for Double-A Montgomery of the Southern League and has never played in the Majors.
