PHOENIX, ARIZONA – APRIL 15: Nico Hoerner #42 of the Chicago Cubs celebrates after scoring on a wild pitch by Kevin Ginkle #42 of the Arizona Diamondbacks during the ninth inning at Chase Field on April 15, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. All players are wearing the number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day.
Norm Hall/Getty
PHOENIX – Even Nico Hoerner wasn’t sure how he got on top of a fastball practically shoulder height to send a line drive single into right field and drive in the winning run.
“I feel like I haven’t been up in some really big, exciting spots like that in a little while,” he said after the Cubs’ 3-2, 11-inning win against the Diamondbacks on Monday. “The game is so interesting how you can’t force those situations, and you only can do what the game presents you. And so it was awesome to have that opportunity right there. And maybe not a recommended pitch selection, but we’ll take it.”
With the bases loaded in the 11th inning, in a 1-2 count, Hoerner fouled off two pitches to keep the at-bat alive. Then he somehow got a hold of a fastball that was higher than the first-pitch ball that he’d watched to begin the at-bat.
“Something good should happen to Nico because he’s been on the wrong end of some really bad luck right now,” manager Craig Counsell said of Hoerner, whose .208 batting average doesn’t capture the number of times he’s made solid contact with no payoff. “So, I’m glad he was in that spot. And that’s the at-bat where the ball needs to be in play, and he’s going to put in play.”
Hoerner’s fingerprints were all over the Cubs’ series-opening victory Monday, and their third win in a row. On defense, he made a diving catch to end the sixth inning. And on the basepaths, he created a run practically out of thin air in the ninth.
The Cubs were trailing the Diamondbacks 2-1. Chicago’s only run had been a solo homer from Michael Busch, who extended his home run streak to a franchise record-tying five games.
Hoerner stood on second base and Mike Tauchman on first, with two outs. Diamondbacks closer Kevin Ginkel bounced a slider, and it got away from Gold Glove catcher Gabriel Moreno. As Moreno searched for the ball, Hoerner was closing in on third base.
“I have a very lasting image of [third base coach] Willie Harris just screaming and pointing home,” Hoerner said. “And I’d like to think I would have gone anyways, but that definitely gave me the extra confidence I needed.”
Hoerner dove across home plate head first. And after he was called safe, he jogged back toward the Cubs dugout with his arms outstretched like an airplane.
The Diamondbacks challenged the safe call, but a replay review upheld it.
The Cubs’ last two wins have been low-scoring one-run games. And during this three-game win streak, the Cubs pitching staff has held opponents to a total of five runs.
On Monday, the Cubs held the Diamondbacks to just three hits.
“Top to bottom, pitching was the biggest story of today’s game, for sure,” Hoerner said. “Especially on a day when our bullpen was a little bit thin coming off of a great series in Seattle.”
Starter Ben Brown recorded the first quality start of his career, limiting Arizona to one hit and one run in a career-high six innings.
Reliever Keegan Thompson pitched the 10th and 11th innings, with an automatic extra-innings baserunner starting each half inning on second base. Thompson shut down the Diamondbacks, facing just one over the minimum.