Chicago Cubs’ Seiya Suzuki, of Japan, celebrates his home run off Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Aaron Civale during the fourth inning of a baseball game on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Florida.
11:23 JST, June 13, 2024
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Cody Bellinger hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning, and the Chicago Cubs held off the Tampa Bay Rays for a 4-3 victory Wednesday night.
Cubs closer Héctor Neris allowed José Caballero’s solo homer in the ninth before earning his 10th save in 13 chances. The righthander allowed a single to Ben Rortvedt and walked Taylor Walls with one out, before getting a fielder’s choice grounder from Yandy Díaz and a flyball from Brandon Lowe.
Neris was tagged for a season-high four runs in the ninth in Tuesday night’s 5-2 loss to the Rays, including Lowe’s game-ending homer.
Seiya Suzuki also went deep for the Cubs, who are 6-13 since May 22.
Chicago Cubs’ Seiya Suzuki, of Japan, connects for a home run off Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Aaron Civale during the fourth inning of a baseball game on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Tyson Miller (1-0) picked up the win by striking out two batters in a perfect 1 1/3 inning. Since being acquired in a trade with Seattle on May 14, the righty has given up one earned run in 10 1/3 innings.
Tampa Bay also got a homer from Jose Siri. The Rays have lost 14 of 21.
Garrett Cleavinger (4-1) replaced Aaron Civale with one on and two out in the seventh. After hitting pinch-hitter Patrick Wisdom, the left-hander allowed Bellinger’s ninth home run.
Tampa Bay took a 2–1 lead on Siri’s solo homer off Javier Assad in the fourth. Siri had been 0 for 11 with eight strikeouts in his previous three games before getting a double in the second inning.
Suzuki tied the score at 1 on his eighth home run during the fourth.
Civale had a scoreless starting streak of 11 on his 29th birthday. He allowed one run and five hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Assad gave up two runs and five hits in 4 2/3 innings.
