MLB The Show 24 Pittsburgh Pirates vs Chicago Cubs. Squeeze play walk off

isia ker FFA up to the plate Isiah F and the pitch and that one hammered back there can't get to it as it drops into the corner into second easily with a lead off double oh that started and ended pretty quickly no messing around right there first pitch fast in a great spot to do some damage and weed it up nicely Brian Reynolds here turned on but foul wide a third man it's second that one the other way oh he gloves it it's never fun going back to the Dugout after hitting a line drive that finds a glove but you will get some highes you know when you make great contact you feel like you've done everything right but in this game of baseball not everything is in your control and a foul ball oh here's a deal not everyone remembers Cruz was actually signed by the Dodgers in 2015 but Los Angeles dealt him to Pittsburgh in 2017 for Tony Watson that's a rare trade the Dodgers just might regret to First in time on the north side of Chicago John chy and Chris Singleton here's Rowdy to late with the swing there no ball one strike there's a strike backed off the plate that time runner at second two down and we're just getting started here in the top of the first [Applause] right through there got and that's the third out bottom of the first here's [Music] [Applause] ni and the [Applause] pitch close one doesn't get the call ball [Applause] one another [Applause] B the line of the pitch ball outside slice the other way that's a base hit so Runner aboard to start the inning well that was one of those high percentage Advantage counts their batting averages are just so much higher nice job of driving that pitch the other way on a line you know hitters they take so many reps in the cage is working on going to the opposite field and it doesn't always translate into the game but right there it did and he did it [Applause] perfectly that one a triple digits w triple digits on the gun I know there are more that can reach that now than in the past but it's still impressive to watch Corner aboard here at first with nobody out HS and misses it's a strike out one down here comes Cody Bellinger one it's a pitch out nothing doing and that's ball one the one just missed man at first one away little bit high and down three and0 ball no and the rander deals and that's through there for a strike pick off [Applause] throw hoer on the go fouls one away and now three and two the pitch foul ball and it remains a Full Count righty delivers runner on the goal again foul we'll see another payoff pitch right hander kick deals fouled off again and it remains three and two swing and a miss Adam out front for the strike out in half up to hit first pitch miss is that one Clips the corner man that pitch was dotted so much talent on display when this guy's out there on the hill big swing of a miss one ball two stries two outs two two in the dirt runner holds tight as the count moves to two and two pping serious gas at 102 on that one and we're back top of the second and now the DH Ryan de Cruz Cruz the Lefty fires steel an Allstar a season ago he features a fouram fast a slider a sinker a curve and he works in a change up on the ground to the left gathers and throws the first lead off man retired here in the second Henry Davis that's a strike and it's and one steel he gets a lot of swing and miss and he keeps the ball in the yard not to mention the fact not too many hits either one down base is empty this one popped up drifts towards it squeezes it two away down so digging in Conor Joe even some of the best guys in the sport are going to give up home runs from time to time and he's an exception yeah and even with those home runs if you're throwing strikes and keeping base runners popped up and he's got it that'll do it and welcome back to the B guard ready to go for the last of the Inn so up now for Chicago ises right through there for his [Music] [Applause] strike and the righty deals one missed this guy at the dish excels in two strike counts got to be careful with them out there on the B [Applause] and he deals gets a piece and stays [Applause] alive and another ball and here's the work CER Feld Pete Armstrong you talk about Elite defensive players especially in the middle of the diamond and this guy is at the top of the list and immediately pumps in a strike to the left-handed hitter yeah we go beyond just the you know Fielding percentage and you know what it looks like but the ability to have a range and you know close holes that you know are normally there against an average Defender but this guy is special and you can see it in his first step quickness the pitch two runner at first with no outs here H and the one thing about that is speed never goes in a slump and defense shouldn't either hitting wise you can struggle you can lose your mechanics but the thing that you can do consistently every single game is play great defense if you're talented in that way and this is what this guy does and there's a ball this one high in the air to left Center no trouble here puts it away for the out and there's one down and up next for Chicago Michael B [Applause] and the first pitch misses for ball one perus leads off first with one away and it's one and one wow just a beautiful back door slider right there if you've got any chance of hitting that pitch you have to wait until the absolutely last millisecond just a tough pitch to hit and not an easy one to throw either K sandio on the ground to third he gets there with the slide Gonzalez for one to First not in time great effort there Dansby Swanson stands in that's [Applause] outside wide drive and that should be extra bases P round second on his way to third coming home he will score and they take the lead one nothing always feels good when you come through and get your team on the board first pitch was away and he did exactly what you're supposed to do with it drive it the other way just go with the pitch and now it's Miguel laaya and a foul ball two outs and one in scoring position swings through that one all you got to do is concentrate and execute thisit get yourself out of the jam back into the Dugout that misses going to count one and two barely will you see a pitcher just a waste of pitch like that the batter wasn't even tempted to sway every pitch needs to have a now that's strike three and the third out so we take a break new inning getting started here's the third baseman number 19 the L pitch steel a former allar 28 years old and he was a fifth round pick back in 2014 right through there for a Strike wow we call that keyho holding even though it's right there looks pretty good if he doesn't love it he's not going to swing that early in the count and that's outside now one miss [Applause] count that one misses so lead off walk it's tough after falling behind a hitter two balls and no strikes but now at least he gets a fresh start against a new batter but he needs to get back into the strike zone and start pitching with conviction Nick Gonzalez the next to hit takes low for [Applause] ball tying Run is it first we're here the top half of inning number three oh he doesn't get the call down two and0 no that Clips the corner back with the breaking ball just got the corner there's nothing you can really do with that and that drops in for a strike the two strikes may see some movement over there at first base trying to stay out of the double play right here nobody out runner at [Applause] first and a swing and a miss one away back to the top of the lineup and the batter will be the short stop Isaiah ker FFA double his first time [Applause] up that one's in there on and one [Music] [Applause] fou off down the right side the pitch that one almost got him and that's outside and it's two and two two stri chase that time so here we go base runner at first could be running on the pitch he's got good enough speed to steal the bag to get in scoring position even if over to Swanson he turns it return for to first got him double play and that'll do [Applause] it back here at the friendly conf stepping in [Applause] and a pitch swinging a foul over the screen and back out of play you know these Cubs showing great discipline at the plate and patience definitely seems to be the name of their game in this one there only given up one run but the starter pitch count is starting to get up there and that might be the best news yet for this offense the one two good job to fight that one off you know sometimes all it takes is getting to the arm before an offense does any damage and that might be the case [Applause] today got him swinging and here's the DH for the Cubs SE Suzuki his first bat was a strike out that one finds the Zone one one that's toward Center Cruz moving under it two away well Chris through the early stages he hasn't been very efficient in terms of the pitch count he's going to need to get some quick outs if he's going to get deeper into this game Bellinger stands in now and watches strike one swing in a Miss as he was out front time on the ground Conor FFA whips it to first on the Run they get the out back here at Wrigley Field all set for the start of the inning now the left fielder Brian rolds and here it comes that's off the mark and that's ball one one ball no stri and another ball [Applause] line to Second snag on the bouns corner over to first one up one down here's O'Neal Cruz grounded out his first time in for a strike it's 0 and one so O'Neal Cruz is named after Paul O'Neal that was his father's Idol in baseball so he named his son O'Neal in 2022 they finally met each other when the Pirates played the Yankees in New York and I'm sure that was a moment that O'Neal Cruz will never forget fights it off you'll see another and a swing and a miss two down and now it's rowy to and first offering is fouled off kicks and fires hammer down the right side but foul look like you got a little excited on that fast got to think to yourself want to stay up the middle that way if you're a little bit early you hit it out of the ballark you're a little late opposite field not gets a piece and it stays on and two [Music] two downman on foul ball still ow and two five foul balls in a row I have no idea what that feels like but you got to love this battle just wondering who's going to Blink first left hand hitter Waits stays alive here's a one two spoils a two strike pitch and he'll see another ninth pitch of the atat do next and another [Music] ball and that's downed away wow this guy's really battling up there as if his run is the game-winning run I love his tenacity two outs and there's Ball Four it wasn't easy but he earned that walk after a long at up next for the Pirates bran Del La Cruz grounded out his first time up that one fouled off the pitch swing and a miss and that strike two another right here pitcher just in the dri seat he can go anywhere he wants to go right here tying run is first top half of inning number [Applause] four this one in the air center field Pro Armstrong brings it in with a nice run and [Applause] grab and we're back now it's the switch hitting outfielder Ian [Applause] hat back to work and that one is in for a strike [Applause] swing in a miss and it's nothing in two no ball two stri and ball one it's a good take swing and a miss struck him out and one away Isaac parades now he's over one not a lot of people know this but this isn't the only wle field lb history you know when the league expanded and added the Los Angeles Angels in 1961 they played their first season at a stadium in La called Wrigley Field which had been the home of the minor league team of the same name one down base is empty and they'll do it again and the pitch and that skips into dirt Fly ball down the line and it drops in so a Mana board now with one away just AIT behind third right there and that's a really tough for a third to get and the same for the left he just found a place to drop that one in right there Armstrong batting for the second time and that's strike one big swing and a miss KN thech wants ground play OPP here You' got to lay off pitches down the Z right there swinging at that pitch that's a no [Applause] no swing and a miss struck him out now it's going to be Michael bu for one he hit into a Fielder Choice as first time and takes low for ball one and that one upstairs next offering is in for a strike two balls one strike struck Him Out Swinging GED it right we go to the top of the F and now the catcher comes up to him Henry Davis the pitch one there you know these Pirates game goes on have to be more disciplined at the pl chasing pitches has been a big part of the story we've seen it quite a bit today it's been tough for him to make contact at times and it just doesn't look like they're seeing it very well as a group and on the M you know confidence has to be pretty high with all of the swings and misses he's had him eaten out of the palm of his hand pretty much all game [Music] [Applause] two two now swings thr it and that's a strike down at the pl for Pittsburgh Conor [Music] Joe just off the outside edge and that's ball one right through there for a strike goodness I think he just took the he's going to see in this at you don't get many like that in that location I don't know if you take that pitch against any pitcher out there in the m in time to Bush and that quickly Drew away now the third basem well he's doing a nice job of keeping the ball out of the air the defense behind with another ground good exe that's off the Inside Edge one just off the outside edge two down nobody on and we're at the top of the fif next offering is in for a [Applause] strike outside two down nobody on there's The Swinging a Miss look sharp just a strike away from five shut out innings and that'll fall for a base hit well patience and discipline paid off right there as he got into an advantage count the way Defenders track down balls these days I mean both from the infield and in the Outfield they're really aren't a lot of base hits on balls hit like that but there's always a little room back behind the first and second Bas to drop a long Dart in there and he found way on the inside corner for a strike that one not close now one and two I don't like to say he wasted a pitch I think that was a purpose pitch change the eye level have him look off now go back exactly where you want to go at the belt and FES two two in the dirt blocked well done behind the dish step off throw to first and he's back in [Music] safely two outs and that one is lifted in the air hat moving under it he's got it and that is that we head to the bottom of the F so up now for Chicago Dan B Swanson here comes a pitch and a strike right through there that one in triple digits swing in a Miss he was late strike two that fast right by him slightly elevated that's confidence boost for this guy out there on the M see if he continues to climb the ladder the to kick the pitch fights that one away and the count remains o and two short stop takes the ball well that's kind of what you expect in an2 count excellent job of the hit to have the pl discipline to lay off that pitch next offering upstairs and a pitch count [Applause] foul ball and it remains a full count and the rander deals struck him out looking with the off spe Stu and next for the Cubs Miguel Laya went down on strikes his first time through just missed one out base is empty and now it's even up tapped Softly on the ground over to first two up two down so the batting order turns over n hor digs in now one for two [Applause] out towards right center field Joe getting an angle on it he makes the grab and that'll do it here at Wrigley Field here's the short stop at the play Isaiah ker f the line of the pitch and that one off the outside edge back door breaking ball just missed right there and boy to give him the call I bet you if he throws it again hit knows he's going to have to swing it the one two just misses there play umpire trying to tighten things up a little bit that one misses and it's three and two now on this three ball count down in the ball game You' got to be very selective take your walk if they'll give it to you payoff Pitch hit slowly on the ground and foul ball base hit right field so he battled through a long at bat and earned himself a hit nice and bad right there not just the result but also seeing a lot of pitches made him really work out there on the M anytime you rip a line drive the other way you feel really good about what you did at the plate you trusted your hands you let the ball travel and you took the barrel straight to it that's great work right there 0 one now and a strike on the outside edge here's a good opportunity in this inning to get on the scoreboard after that lead off hit and Har order coming up right behind him this is where they need to get going and now one and two gets a piece there we'll do it again can see was trying to stay back long enough to handle the off speed pitch but just a littley on the fast that's down and in these first two hitters really making him work out there already 14 pitches this inning that ball is foul and pressure is building definitely got the hitter conscious of the pitch inside really think the outer half is [Applause] [Applause] open and another ball he should get a pretty good pitch to hit here with three hole hitter coming up if he's I think you want to get a oneway lead be very aggressive in the secondary this hitter not a power guy so want to make sure that you can get some length on the secondary lead and perhaps scoring a ball in the Gap and he deals stru out looking O'Neal Cruz the next pirate to hit yo this is kind of have a tough match up as a left-handed hitter facing a left-handed pitcher what you tell yourself is I want to stay Square to the plate try to hit the ball over the Short Stops head with the tying run on at first and we're in the top half of the six next offing is in for a strike really looks like these hitters have been in between with their timing today good fast excellent slider but they've not been able to commit to one velocity and stay there checks over to First back safely left hand batter WS that's to Third and that should be extra bases makes the turn it second heads for third here comes the runner he'll score a ni time it's 111 his confidence level is so high really nice job of coming number 48 the ball now now the [Applause] 4 one out runner at second next it's the Pirates cleanup hitter Rowdy tles and immediately pumps in a strike to the left-handed hitter [Applause] and the 0 one and a swing and miss good late sink on that fast out of the hand looks so good and then the time gets in The Hitting Zone hard to get the barrel to it BS that off to the left and will do it [Applause] again and it's off the plate inside one to the count man oh man I don't know how you take that pitch that's his close as it gets and misses it's a strike down so now here's the DH Brian De La [Applause] Cruz as a you know theun on second is ready to things with speed a Bas hit probably going to be a big so you have to ex on the M the healthy cut tough pitch at 98 but a really good pass at the ball and a one-1 and that one fouled off runner at second two down [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] he goes down looking well we go bottom six now it'll be the Cubs DH SE Suzuki the right hander back to work fast ball for a strike and it's and one well here's a fun fact for you boo Suzuki is the first Japanese born player to Homer in three consecutive plate appearances in the majors feel free to use that note in your next Cubs broadcast buddy base hit so man on base to start the inning now right here comes Cody Bellinger that one a triple digits no ball one [Applause] strike rander kick Steals and it's even up it's been a very impressive so far his command has been a big part of it even when he misses he misses outside the strike zone which is exactly what a pitcher wants and the righty deals that one misses and now three and one here's an opportunity to do some Dage and perhaps unlock this off 31 count be ready to turn on a fast with the goahead run at first here in the bottom of the six [Applause] comes up empty that strike two man that's just a nasty splitter bottom falls out of it you don't see a lot of guys throw that these days but I'll tell you what he's got a good one knock and now a free pass this has the making of they can get a Ian the next C to hit there's 0 for two with a pair of strikeouts Off the Mark there and it's w and0 [Applause] right through there for a [Applause] strike no outs Runners at first and second and a ball leavens a count off that pitch down got him looking as the fast runs back over the inside corner pirates with a new arm on the mound Domingo Hermon two on one out is parus now at the play pitches in the dirt and that is ball one at the dish looking to look the ball in the air in this spot anything but the ining double playbo to Third on to Gonzalez for one and the double play ends the inning and welcome back to the ballark we go to the top of the seven and here's the catcher Henry Davis the right hander back to work and that's in for a strike1 that's outside and the count is one and one that's foul off to the right side keeps the ab going really great change of speeds he goes off the off spe to the Fast and the doesn't know what's coming [Applause] next the wide to the pitch and that's down stairs and outside HS and misses it's a strike out now it's the right fielder Conor [Applause] Joe and a good fast ball to start him off at strike one good eye right there one down base is empty fought off foul the pitch swing and a miss that one in the dirt gets two it on the first two away now after the drop third strike here's the third basem this is a guy who's in the line of first and foremost because of what he contributes defensively Chris and you talk about preventing runs from being scored this guy is a big contributor two down in there for a strike at the top of the Zone I was always told it's hard to take you off the field when you play really good defense especially at a premier position and that's what he does no trouble here puts it away for the out and that is that back here in rley field and here is Pete Crow Armstrong line in the pitch the hitting's going to come around he's going to figure it out right now his big asset is the way he placed the game on defense buting for hit now the throw to first on the Run beats him to the bag for an out on the bun Michael bu the next cup to hit righty to the plate and the pitch is outside ball one swing and a miss all tied up here at the bottom of the seven next one is off the play two balls two strikes and Bal he stays alive and down on strikes he didn't make it easy for him on the mound but they still get the strike out Dan B Swanson will hit next that's in there going one no ball one strike got the back going to soon at strike [Applause] two in the air to left Center reaching for it and brings it in back here at the friendly confines the top of the eight now it's the second Beman Nick Gonzalez as he turns on the rubber with that good live arm deliver top of the zone and it's called a strike and that's off the Inside Edge and one and one ground ball the middle that's a base hit so the goahead run is on base with a knock always feels amazing getting a job done when the team needs you to come through bigger than your own individual stats just kept it simple played Pepper with the middle of the infield and took it back where it came from and there's just no one there to knock it down P FFA the next to hit takes ball one you're base runner you got to stay dialed in here look for anything in the dirt try your best to get in scoring position that pitch in for a strike and the count even to one man 91 on the slider right there that's a hard one that's a low fast for some pitchers in there at the knees this got a great feel his break the ball today the pitch first out in the top of the eight so next to the plate for Pittsburgh Brian [Applause] Reynolds throw to first and he's back standing [Applause] now one missed one away tie game go ahead run stands at first next pitch is outside Chris with that distraction and the Speedy guy at first he's in a favorable hitter count well if nothing else I mean this is a great spot for a hitter to be in would chase that time this is a really good feeling for a hitter at this point in the ball game you know that they don't want to walk you so you're going to get a pitch to hit you just better not miss it pulled down the line this one hammered but it's foul and the right handers 31 by drive that's a base hit and the goahead run and scor position one away just a nice job coming through in a pretty high L spot right there that was maybe even a little off the pl but no problem getting the barrel to it man he does such a nice job and that's what you're supposed to do with a pitch in that location Cruz swings through it for strike one and downstairs just missed good for the defitely theage in runn look for him to be aggressive on this next pitch and fouled off one out the goad run is at second got him two away and next will be the cleanup hitter Rowdy tles strike out and a walk first pitch doesn't find the Zone well this is a critical spot for both the pitcher and the hitter you can learn a lot about a guy by how he handles these pressure situations that pitch in for a stri and the count even one and [Applause] one kicks and fires pulled hard but it's a foul ball it's so hard to slow yourself down when you see that juicy breaking ball but the most success happens when you try to take that right back up the middle approach and here's a slow roller on to Horner they miss a big chance to take the and we're back on to the bottom of the eigh at the play miguela the C the pitch and that's outside ball right through there for a strike D offering upstairs slap the other way foul that one backed up the middle and it gets through a lead off single and the goad run is aboard they call that in Advantage count for a reason you're so to get you can hand niay up the Middle with he didn't try to do too much the pitch just shot it through the infield and that one fouled off right-handed relever and now the count is even and a base hit on the line throw holds him at second but the goad run now in scoring position and still nobody out he was all over that one just a solid swing right there caught it out front and ripped it into the outfield for the base hit those great sui in the box now take strike [Applause] one with the goahead Run standing at second here the bottom half of the eighth [Applause] inning well if he's going to do something special right here it's going to have to happen with two strikes and the pitch two squirts away a little bit nothing happening on the B [Applause] though and a pitch rips that one center field makes the [Applause] grab two on one out here's Cody Bellinger know for his late [Music] [Applause] inning and that one a little bit low and that's ball one got a good eye there last two pitches have been down in the zone pitcher clearly trying to get that ground b double play but in this count he's going to have to give in elev his pitches and get back into this atat and the two on hammered but foul and down on strikes he goes and now to long so now it's the Cubs hitter in the Four Hole in half three strikeouts already he's over for three and that's in the dir one and0 well a mistake right here could untie this ball game if you're the pitcher out there you just want to be a little more cautious this Ball's chopped to the ground throw over to T and we stay tied as the inning ends here at Wrigley Field we go to the ninth and here is Brian De Cruz deuz the pitch that's in for a strike and there's a ball righty delivers on the ground right side and that one handled in plenty of time to First and the lead off manand retired here in the night Henry Davis the next pirate to hit that Clips a corner that was just paint on the first pitch fast ball on the corner for a strike a little frustrated with the strike zone and that's off the Inside Edge now one and [Applause] two knocks that one away and we'll do it again all tied up here at the top of the night bouns it off still one and two swing and a miss he struck him out couldn't catch up to the heater Conor Joe the next pirate to [Applause] hit that CPS The Zone it's 0 and one two out SPAC is empty and that's a base hit you'll often hear the phrase it long through it and that's a great exle right there got the Barrel in the zone early SED up with the time swing and came away with a beautiful Line Drive center field now the third bem swing and a ground ball out to short on to and is that now into the ball game on defense Michael a Taylor he takes over and right here's the third Bas ises one for three here comes the pitch fou back arway and that's out of play that time and it's strike two can live up in the zone all game if hits will chase it that's just too much velocity hitters got to look down in the zone and here it comes line to left gets down base hit and the winning run is AB board nice line drive to the P side right there but he didn't spin off of it that's the key you still have to extend through the B in order to hit a line drive like that here's the center fielder Pete Crow Armstrong squares the bunt but that rolls [Applause] foul and he bunts but that's foul strike two kicks and gets a piece and it stays and two [Applause] winning run on base at first no outs five foul balls in this bat so far and these two are going head to head you can see the crowd they're starting to get into it a little bit more and more each pitch even though there hasn't been a ball in play yet battling here as he fouls it [Applause] [Music] away one two now on the ground could be two on to Gonzalez for one over the first sa you want to be a great defense you have to deliver consistently it doesn't matter how many highlight plays you make if you can't execute the small stuff just like we saw Bush stands in here takes ball one one ball no [Applause] strike next offering is in for a [Applause] strike the pitch just off the Inside [Applause] Edge line and that's a base hit lead Runner makes the turn at second they'll throw to third throw comes in quickly and the winning run at thir third now with only one gone everything came together for him textbook back control right there got a pitch on the outside saw it deep into the zone and just Barrel it up went the other way for the knock Runners on the move a squeeze and he gets it down the winning run crosses the plate and the Cubs winning on a walkoff squeeze wow well a gutsy call from the bench you've got to have a lot of confidence in the ability to handle the bat by that guy standing at the well he got it done put the ball on the ground that's all you're looking for in terms of execution incredible finish to this game and your final score here today 2-1 the Cubs go home a winner for Chris Singleton and our entire outstanding crew here at MLB to show I'm John Shi we'll see