Cubs Win Bananas Game on Jon Lester's Walk-Off Bunt

The most appropriate way to cap a seven-run, extra-inning comeback win. #Walkoff #LetsGohttps://t.co/133d3lE4oC
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) August 1, 2016

The Chicago Cubs beat the Seattle Mariners 7-6 in a wild 12-inning affair last night at Wrigley. Chicago trailed 6-0 after the first three innings but then scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game; the tying run was actually plated thanks to a two-out wild pitch that was more than just a bit a outside. They finally won it in the 12th with a suicide squeeze from Jon Lester to score Jason Heyward.

Heyward led off the 12th with a double and then Wilson Contreras got him over to third with a sacrifice fly. Joe Maddon then pinch hit pitcher Hector Rondon with another pitcher in Lester. Maddon was running out of bodies and even had a pitcher playing left field—we'll get to that in a second—so the Cubs had to find a way to get Heyward in and end the game. Lester found himself in a 2-2 count but nevertheless dropped down a perfect bunt. Heyward motored down and dove headfirst to beat a pretty solid play from the Mariners battery under the circumstances.

This game had a little bit of everything, as we mentioned, including pitcher Travis Wood playing left field in the seventh inning. His night started normally—he replaced Joe Nathan on the mound in the sixth inning—but then he switched to left field in the seventh after the previous left fielder, Chris Coghlan, was removed as part of a double switch. Wood didn't just fill a position, though; he made a great play to catch a deep fly ball before crashing into the ivy.

Wood then went back in to pitch in the eighth inning and ended the inning by picking off Shawn O'Malley trying to steal second.

So, just to recap: we had a pitcher pitching, playing the field, and then pitching again; a three-run comeback in the ninth that included a game-tying wild pitch with two outs; and a pitcher winning the game on a walk-off suicide squeeze. Baseball: feel the insanity!

[MLB]