Yankees beat Cubs 5-4 in 18 innings
CHICAGO (AP) — Aaron Hicks slid across home plate, hopped up and flexed his arms in jubilation.
No Monday morning blues for Hicks and the New York Yankees.
Hicks scored on Starlin Castro’s grounder in the 18th inning, and the rolling Yankees beat the Chicago Cubs 5-4 in the majors’ longest interleague game ever by innings.
“We’re going to grind out games,” Hicks said. “We’re going to fight to the end.”
The teams combined for a major league-record 48 strikeouts in baseball’s longest game of the season by innings, wrapping up in a tidy 6 hours, 5 minutes.
“I know we lost, but you’ve got to try to have fun with it,” Cubs slugger Anthony Rizzo said.
Hicks struck out four times, but he came up with a huge play in the final inning. He led off with a bunt single against Pedro Strop (0-2) and advanced to second when catcher Willson Contreras threw the ball into right field for an error.
With one out and Hicks on third, Castro hit a bouncer up the middle. Shortstop Addison Russell tried to throw home, but it was wide and Hicks scored easily.
Chasen Shreve (1-0) pitched three scoreless innings, striking out pinch-hitting pitcher Kyle Hendricks with runners on first and second for the final out in New York’s fifth straight win. The Yankees (20-9) improved to 19-5 since they opened the season with four losses in five games. They also matched their high-water mark from last season at 11 games over. 500.