Christopher Morel hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the fifth inning, and fellow rookie Hayden Wesneski allowed one run while pitching into the sixth Wednesday night, as the host Chicago Cubs won 4-2 over the skidding Philadelphia Phillies, who have dropped four straight.
With the game tied 1-1 and two on, Morel got enough of an Aaron Nola pitch to line the ball into the left-field basket. Morel, who homered in Chicago’s 2-1 victory over Philadelphia on Tuesday, ranks among the rookie leaders with 16 homers and helped his team to a third straight win and seventh in eight games.
Meanwhile, in his third career start, Wesneski (3-1) yielded only a Bryce Harper sacrifice fly and six hits, while walking two and striking out three before leaving with no outs and a man on in the sixth. However, the Cubs (69-86) got solid work from four relievers to hand the Phillies (83-71), trying to hold on to the final NL wild-card spot, a ninth loss in 12 games — and extend their season-high road skid to six in a row.
All four runs allowed by Nola (10-13) were earned. He also yielded five hits and fanned eight without a walk, but his Philadelphia teammates stranded 12 men and went 2-for-16 with runners in scoring position. Nick Castellanos had three hits for the Phillies, who are 0-5 versus Chicago in 2022.
With one out in the third, Wesneski hit Kyle Schwarber and allowed a single to Rhys Hoskins (three hits). With Wesneski not paying attention, Schwarber swiped third standing up and scored on Harper’s sacrifice fly to left.
Nola, meanwhile, was rolling until the fifth, when the Cubs broke out. Nico Hoerner singled, stole second and went to third on Patrick Wisdom’s hit. Hoerner eventually scored when the Phillies failed to turn a double play on Yan Gomes’ grounder. Then after Nola hit Alfonso Rivas, Morel went deep.
The Phillies got a run back in the seventh off Mark Leiter Jr., when Schwarber doubled and later came home on Harper’s groundout.
Manny Rodriguez earned his fourth save, and second in as many nights.
–Field Level Media