Kurtz drives in winning run in 10th as A’s beat Cubs 5-4; Chicago’s Happ reaches 1,000 career hits

CHICAGO (AP) — Nick Kurtz singled in automatic runner Alika Williams in the 10th inning, and the Athletics rallied for a second straight win, 5-4 over the sliding Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night.

Kurtz extended his hitting streak to five games with his hit in the 10th off Ethan Roberts (0-1), Chicago’s sixth reliever.

The Cubs (32-30) squandered a two-run lead in the eighth inning and lost their third straight and for the 18th time in 23 games.

Pinch-hitter Colby Thomas hit a 426-foot solo homer over the left-field bleachers in the eighth, and Tyler Soderstrom drove in his second run of the game with his second single as the Athletics tied it 4-all, with both runs coming off reliever Caleb Thielbar.

Chicago’s Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki homered, and Ian Happ had two doubles, including the 1,000th hit of his career.

Happ became the 37th Cubs player to each 1,000 hits — and the second Chicago switch-hitter to accomplish the feat — with a double to right in the fourth. The four-time Gold Glove left fielder reached the milestone batting right-handed against A’s lefty Jeffrey Springs. He doubled again in the eighth.

Crow-Armstrong extended his hitting streak to eight games with a two-run drive, his eighth, in the third. Michael Busch tripled in a run.

Hogan Harris (3-0) the Athletics’ fifth reliever, pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for the win. Justin Sterner retired all three Cubs hitters in the 10th for his first save.

Soderstrom extended his hitting streak to a season-high nine games and is 14-for-32 (.438) during the stretch. Williams had an RBI.

Cubs starter Colin Rea allowed two runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings. Springs allowed four runs on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings, but avoided a seventh straight loss when the A’s rallied.

The Athletics jumped ahead 1-0 in the first, then led 2-0 in the second. Suzuki’s drive to left in the bottom half cut it to 2-1.

Up next

Athletics RHP J.T. Ginn (3-3, 2.87 ERA) is scheduled to face Cubs LHP Shota Imanaga (4-6, 4.37) in Thursdays’ series finale

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