- Commissioner’s statement on Ventura, Marte
- Ronnie O’Sullivan: Masters champion ‘felt so vulnerable’ in final
- Arron Fletcher Wins 2017 WSOP International Circuit Marrakech Main Event ($140,224)
- Smith challenges Warner to go big in India
- Moncada No. 1 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Braves land 2 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- Kingery makes MLB Pipeline’s Top 10 2B Prospects list
- New Zealand wrap up 2-0 after Bangladesh implosion
- Mathews, Pradeep, Gunathilaka to return to Sri Lanka
- Elliott hopes for rain for Poli
Already crowned, Cubs begin party with walk-off
- Updated: September 16, 2016
CHICAGO — Now it’s time for the Cubs to party. Miguel Montero smacked a walk-off leadoff home run in the 10th inning to lift the newly crowned National League Central-champion Cubs to to a 5-4 come-from-behind victory on Friday over the Brewers at Wrigley Field.
Aroldis Chapman struck out the side in the Brewers’ 10th and Montero launched a 1-1 pitch from Blaine Boyer into the left-field bleachers, and the players spilled onto the field to celebrate, putting on hats and T-shirts that said “Made for October” to commemorate their NL Central win. It was the Cubs’ second walk-off home run this year — Javier Baez also hit one May 8.
The Cubs went home after Thursday’s game because they didn’t know they’d won the division until the Giants beat the Cardinals in San Francisco in a game that ended shortly before midnight. The plan was to party at Wrigley Field following Friday’s game.
Milwaukee led, 4-2, in the ninth, but the Cubs rallied to tie the score on an RBI single by Chris Coghlan and a pinch-hit infield single by Addison Russell. Chicago had the bases loaded with two outs, but Carlos Torres got Baez to hit a comebacker and end the inning.
The Cubs’ players and coaches took the field before the game started to acknowledge the fans and received a standing ovation from the crowd of 40,823. The next goal for the club is to secure the first overall seed in the NL and home-field advantage through the NL Championship Series. The magic number to lock up the No. 1 seed over the Nationals is 9.
The game was costly for the Brewers as center fielder Keon Broxton sustained a fractured right wrist after slamming into the brick wall in center.
MOMENTS THAT MATTEREDLineup card: The Cubs weren’t hung over from a celebration party after Thursday’s game, but manager Joe Maddon treated Friday’s game like a Sunday and gave the regulars the day off. Albert Almora Jr., who started in center field, delivered a two-run homer in the fifth that knotted the score at 2. Almora launched a 3-2 changeup …
