MLB’s greatest hits of May 5-11
9. Willson Contreras, May 11, 42 percent
The Cubs-Brewers game was a battle of two teams effectively tied for first place in the NL Central, and both clubs played with a stubbornness reflecting that status. Zach Davies and Cole Hamels fought each other through seven innings, each allowing only a fifth-inning run.
Then the game entered the Land of Missed Opportunities. In the sixth, the Cubs put two runners on but hit into a double play. In the 8th, Javier Baez fanned with the go-ahead run in scoring position.
In the 11th, the Brewers moved the lead run to third, but Lorenzo Cain lined out. The Cubs loaded the bases that same inning, but Albert Almora failed to drive the winner home. In the 13th, Travis Shaw reached second with one out but could not advance further. Baez led off the bottom of the 13th with a double and reached third with one out, but could not score.
Finally, with one out in the bottom of the 15th, Contreras sent what remained of the diminishing crowd home, blasting a one-out pitch from Burch Smith, Milwaukee’s seventh pitcher, deep into the left-field bleachers for a home run.
The shot rewarded Tyler Chatwood for four innings of hitless relief. It was also the Cubs’ third walk-off homer in five games, following ninth inning shots by Kris Bryant and Jason Heyward Tuesday and Wednesday nights.