Norris' 8th-inning double lifts Padres past Cubs
SAN DIEGO -- Derek Norris' two-run double in the eighth inning Tuesday helped the Padres rally for a 4-3 victory over the Cubs before a crowd of 25,917 at Petco Park.
Norris' hit came with one out against Pedro Strop after the Padres had put runners on the corners via an error and a bunt single.
"A big, clutch hit by Derek against a guy with a good arm. It was a good one. It was good, Derek got it in the air and down in the corner," said Padres manager Bud Black.
Chris Coghlan and Dexter Fowler hit home runs in the third inning as the Cubs (21-17) took a 2-0 lead while starting pitcher Jason Hammel coasted early.
Padres pitcher James Shields surrendered the two homers but nothing more. He allowed six hits, and his 11 strikeouts moved him into first place in the National League. More >
Video: CHC@SD: Shields fans 11, records double on offense
Hammel didn't allow a hit until the fifth inning when Yangervis Solarte singled to right to bring in the Padres' (20-20) first run. Overall, Hammel allowed two unearned runs in seven innings on three hits with eight strikeouts.
Will Venable snapped a 1-for-19 skid against Hammel with a game-tying, RBI single in the seventh inning. More >
Video: CHC@SD: Venable ties the game with single in 7th
San Diego's Craig Kimbrel closed out the Cubs in the ninth inning for his 11th save.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Mistakes prove costly: The Cubs had played a season-high eight straight games without an error but made three on Tuesday. Kris Bryant fielded Justin Upton's grounder in the fifth but overthrew first baseman Anthony Rizzo. Upton eventually scored. Shortstop Starlin Castro misplayed Matt Kemp's grounder in the seventh, and Kemp was forced out at second but the Padres added another unearned run that inning. A third Chicago miscue in the eighth by second baseman Addison Russell helped set up Norris' game-winning hit.
"They've been so good and outstanding on defense," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "To have three really pedestrian plays beat us, it's tough." More >
Video: CHC@SD: Barmes reaches on Russell's error on popup
Hammel time: Hammel continued his hot streak, limiting the Padres to three hits over seven innings. He retired the first 12 batters he faced, and both runs he allowed were unearned. Hammel has now given up six earned runs over his last 36 innings for a 1.50 ERA.
"Jason Hammel could not have pitched better than he did tonight -- it's impossible," Maddon said.
Video: CHC@SD: Hammel strikes out eight over seven innings
Getting RISPy with it: Solarte's RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning didn't just give the Padres their first run of the game, but it again showed why he's become one of the top hitters in the NL with runners in scoring position. Solarte entered the game 12th in the NL with a .406 average with runners in scoring position.
Video: CHC@SD: Solarte singles to put Padres on the board
Power rangers: Coghlan and Fowler each hit solo home runs in the top of the third before Coghlan went deep again in the ninth, marking the 50th homer at Petco Park this season. The ballpark ranks fourth in the National League in terms of home runs per game, which is a change from its days as a pitcher friendly park.
Coghlan was batting .205 for the season, but he's not concerned about the number.
"The average only matters at the end," Coghlan said. "The numbers are up there and look bad. Trust me, I know it's not good. That's why they call it an 'average.' I don't care what I'm hitting -- I could be hitting .400 right now and if I finish the year hitting .190, .190 is the only one that matters, not .400 the first two months."
Video: CHC@SD: Coghlan hits his second solo homer of game
QUOTABLE
"He came in after the seventh and said, 'If I quit giving up home runs, I'd be pretty good." -- Black on Shields
Video: CHC@SD: Kemp runs one down at the warning track
"If we'd just caught the ball tonight, we'd have won that game. We've given too many games away this year, whether it's pitches by the bullpen -- tonight it was defense. We have to tighten it up all the way around. That's how you stay hot." -- Maddon
Video: CHC@SD: Upton reaches second on Bryant's error
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
• The two home runs allowed by Shields were Nos. 13 and 14 of the season. No other pitcher in the big leagues has allowed as many. In fact, since 2010, Shields has allowed 142 home runs, tying him for second in the Major Leagues in that stretch with Dan Haren. Bronson Arroyo heads the list with 143 home runs.
• Coghlan collected his fourth multi-homer game and first since last Sept. 20. He's batting .321 when leading off an inning, and is a lifetime 7-for-21 vs. Shields.
OH, IT'S YOU AGAIN
The two starters Tuesday, Shields and Hammel, have a long history together -- this season and before. They faced each other in a Cactus League game in March and then last month when the Padres played at Wrigley Field. And they were teammates with the Rays (2006-08).
WHAT'S NEXT
Cubs: Tsuyoshi Wada will make his 2015 debut with the big league team. The lefty was bothered this spring by a mild groin strain, and in six rehab starts at Triple-A Iowa, he gave up 11 earned runs over 34 2/3 innings, striking out 29. First pitch is scheduled for 9:10 p.m. CT.
Padres: Tyson Ross (2-2, 3.94) gets the start in the second game of the series. He had a no-decision against the Cubs on April 18, allowing three earned runs in 5 2/3 innings. All three of his previous starts against the Cubs have come at Wrigley Field.
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