Indians 4, Cubs 3
CLEVELAND -- Giovanny Urshela's RBI single in the seventh inning drove in the eventual winning run as the Cleveland Indians beat the Chicago Cubs 4-3 Thursday night at Progressive Field.
With one out and the score tied 3-3, Cleveland catcher Yan Gomes singled off left-hander Travis Wood (3-3) in the bottom of the seventh. Center fielder Michael Bourn also singled, moving Gomes to second.
Justin Grimm relieved Wood, but third baseman Urshela greeted the right-hander with a line-drive single to center, scoring Gomes to give Cleveland a 4-3 lead.
The win went to right-hander Zach McAllister (2-2), who struck out four in 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Right-hander Bryan Shaw got the last four outs for his first save.
Following a 1-hour, 16-minute rain delay with the score tied 3-3 in the top of the fifth inning, both starting pitchers, Cleveland right-hander Danny Salazar and Chicago right-hander Jason Hammel, were removed from the game, which turned the game into a battle of the bullpens.
When the rains came, the Cubs had the bases loaded and two outs. When the rains left, Cleveland manager Terry Francona obviously felt that it was a big moment in the game. Francona brought in his closer, right-hander Cody Allen, to finish the fifth.
Allen retired catcher Miguel Montero on a fly ball to end that inning. Allen gave up a leadoff single in the sixth, then struck out the next three hitters.
In one stretch from the sixth to the eighth innings Allen and McAllister combined to strike out seven consecutive batters.
Cleveland took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, which began with second baseman Jason Kipnis drawing a walk from Hammel. Shortstop Francisco Lindor followed with a single, moving Kipnis to third.
Left fielder Michael Brantley bounced a ground-rule double into the seats in the left field corner, scoring Kipnis and moving Lindor to third. Lindor then scored on a passed ball charged to Montero.
Brantley went to third on the passed ball, giving the Indians a runner at third with no outs. But Hammel struck out first baseman Carlos Santana, designated hitter David Murphy and right fielder Brandon Moss to end the inning.
The Cubs got a run back in the third inning off Salazar. Designated hitter Kyle Schwarber singled and went to third on a single by center fielder Dexter Fowler, who took a wide turn at first, drawing a wild throw from Lindor. The error allowed Schwarber to score, cutting the Cleveland lead to 2-1.
The Indians added a run in the fourth inning. Murphy led off with a double, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by catcher Yan Gomes to make it 3-1.
In the top of the fifth, the red-hot Schwarber tied it with his first major league home run, a two-run, opposite-field homer over the left field wall. Schwarber went 6-for-9, with a triple, a home run and four RBIs in the two-game series.
Salazar pitched 4 2/3 innings, giving up three runs (two earned) on six hits with four strikeouts and one walk. Hammel pitched four innings, giving up three runs (two earned) and three hits with six strikeouts and two walks.
NOTES: Cleveland RHP Shaun Marcum was designated for assignment, and INF Zach Walters was optioned to Triple-A Columbus. To fill the roster spots, the Indians selected the contract of RHP Jeff Manship and recalled LHP Kyle Crockett from Columbus. ... Indians OF Michael Bourn was suspended for one game and fined by Major League Baseball for making contact with an umpire during an argument after getting called out on strikes in the fourth inning of Tuesday's game against the Cubs in Chicago. Bourn appealed and was in the lineup Thursday night. ... Cubs RHP Neil Ramirez (right shoulder inflammation) was sent to Double-A Tennessee on a rehab assignment. ... Chicago's 17-0 win on Wednesday was the most runs scored by the Cubs in a shutout victory since they beat the San Diego Padres 19-0 on May 13, 1969.