FanPost

Cubs with 3 on, 2 out, behind in top of 9th

Frank Schwindel's fly ball to the left field wall that ended Tuesday night's 5-4 loss at San Diego barely missed being just the second grand slam of its kind in the Cubs' long history.

They have 341 home runs with the bases loaded since 1876.

Thirteen of the 341 came in the top of the ninth inning.

Only 3 of the 13 came with the Cubs behind.

Only 1 of the 3 put the Cubs in the lead, as Schwindel's would have done.

It was hit by Andre Dawson, at Pittsburgh, on April 19, 1991.

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OFF THE BENCH

The Cubs trailed, 3-0, when Ryne Sandberg drew a 1-out walk. Mark Grace doubled, George Bell struck out and Dwight Smith was hit by a pitch.

Dawson, pinch hitting for pitcher Chuck McElroy, smashed the first pitch by Stan Belinda over the left field wall at Three Rivers Stadium, putting the Cubs on top, 4-3.

Dave Smith took over on the mound in the bottom of the winning. He gave up a pair of singles, putting runners at the corners, then threw a wild pitch that allowed the tying run to score.

A bunt and a groundout left a runner on third with 2 out. The Cubs walked Bobby Bonilla and Barry Bonds intentionally, loading the bases. Jeff King ended the game with a single.

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OTHERS WHILE BEHIND

The Cubs were down, 7-0, when Jack Harper cleared the bases with nobody out in the top of the ninth at Cincinnati on May 30, 1904.

They were behind, 6-2, at Brooklyn on June 14, 1953, with 1 out in the ninth. A single, a walk and an infield hit loaded the bases. Dee Fondy struck out on a 3-2 count, but Ralph Kiner walloped a 1-2 pitch for a game-tying slam.

The game, second of a Sunday doubleheader, ended 6-6, as it was called due to darkness after the Dodgers failed to score in the bottom of the ninth.

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TOP-OF-9TH SLAMS THAT BROKE TIES

1. On June 16, 1930, at New York, the Cubs tied the score at 4 on a 2-out, bases-loaded single by Riggs Stephenson, then Charlie Grimm homered.

2. On Sept. 20, 1941, at St. Louis, the Cubs tallied 2 runs with 1 out to tie the score at 3. After an intentional walk, pinch hitter Bob Scheffing homered.

3. On July 8, 1956, at Milwaukee, the Cubs tied the score at 6 on a leadoff error and 1-out RBI double by Fondy. After Ernie Banks was walked intentionally, Fondy stole third and Banks, second. That prompted an intentional walk to Jim King, then Monte Irvin homered.

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TOP-OF-9TH SLAMS WITH CUBS AHEAD

1. Mandy Brooks, at Philadelphia, on Aug. 25, 1925, with Cubs ahead, 10-5

2. Riggs Stephenson, at St. Lou7is, on July 3, 1928, with Cubs ahead, 7-5

3. Dom Dallessandro, at New York, on June 21, 1942, with the Cubs ahead, 3-2

4. Mark Grace, at Philadelphia, on July 26, 2000, with Cubs ahead, 9-8

5. Sammy Sosa, at Pittsburgh, on April 20, 2001, with Cubs ahead, 4-2

6. Kris Bryant, at Cleveland, on June 17, 2015, with Cubs ahead, 13-0

7. Kyle Schwarber, at Cincinnati, on Aug. 30, 2020, with Cubs ahead, 6-1

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LAST OUT WITH BASES LOADED

Since 1915, the first year for which baseball-reference has full play-by-play data, the Cubs have played 194 games in which they made a game-ending out in the ninth inning with the bases loaded to end the game.

They have done it 109 times at home and 85 on the road.

Tuesday's game was their third such game this season.

Schwindel struck out to end a 4-3 loss at home to the Pirates on April 24. Rafael Ortega fanned to finish a 9-1 loss at Milwaukee on April 30.

The Cubs had only 2 such games all of last season, and they were on April 16 and 30.

They last had 3 in a season in 2017. They finished with exactly 3 in 16 earlier seasons.

They had 4 such games in 7 seasons, including 2000 and 2013.

They had 6 in 1947 and 1973.

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MOST ENDED 5-4

In 137 of those games, 71 percent, they trailed by 4 or fewer runs. Tuesday's loss was the 11th with a score of 5-4, making it the most frequent score in such games.

They have had 10 games each that ended 3-2, 4-2 and 4-3; 8 each of 3-1 and 5-2; and 7 each of 6-3 and 7-5.

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47 FLY BALLS, 8 TO LEFT

The ball hit by Schwindel on Tuesday was the 47th fly caught for the final out in the ninth inning with the bases loaded and the Cubs behind.

23 were hit to center field, 12 to right and 8 to left, according to baseball-reference's play description.

2 are listed as "Flyball: 2B" and 1 each as "Flyball: SS" and "Flyball: Unknown out on play."

Schwindel's was the first to left field specified as "Deep LF."

A lineout by Kris Bryant that ended a 6-5 loss at home to Atlanta on May 14, 2018, is described as "Deep LF."

Flies by Peanuts Lowrey, in a 4-3 loss at Brooklyn in 1946, and by Alfonso Soriano, in a 10-4 loss at home to the Yankees in 2011 are described as "Deep CF."

George Bell ended a 3-1 loss at Cincinnati in 1991 with a ball to "Deep CF-RF."

Mark Grace's last out in an 8-2 loss at home to the White Sox in 1996 is listed as "Deep RF Line."

Starlin Castro flied to "Deep RF" to conclude a 7-4 loss at home to the Brewers in 2013.

A lineout by Gabby Hartnett that ended a 5-2 loss at home to the Giants in 1939 appears as "Deep CF."

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Of the remaining bases-loaded final outs:

10 were foul pop-ups

57 were groundouts, including forceouts

7 were lineouts

8 were fair popups

53 were strikeouts

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PA THAT KEPT GAME GOING

Home and away, Cubs batters have made 67 hits in the ninth inning with 2 outs, the bases loaded and the Cubs behind.

The breakdown: 53 singles 8 doubles, no triples and 6 home runs.

They also have drawn 28 walks, were safe on 3 errors and were hit by 2 pitches.

In their 265 at bats, their slash line is .253/.329/.351, for an on-base percentage of .680.

Their line in all at bats with the bases loaded in the ninth, regardless of outs and score: .263/.312/.365, for .676.

And in all at bats with the bases loaded, no matter when: .277/.316/.418, for .734.

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