Zack Gelof doubled home the go-ahead run and scored another in a two-run eighth inning, and the visiting Oakland Athletics sent the Chicago Cubs to the verge of playoff elimination with a 5-3 victory Wednesday afternoon.
Tyler Soderstrom had two hits, including a homer, scored two runs and drove in a pair for Oakland (67-86), which completed the interleague portion of its schedule with a winning record (24-22).
Despite 2 2/3 shutout innings from Justin Steele in a comeback effort, Chicago (77-75) dropped seven games out of the final National League wild-card spot with just 10 games remaining.
With the Cubs’ loss, the Milwaukee Brewers (88-64) clinched the NL Central for the second straight season.
The Cubs scored three runs in the fifth to take a 3-1 lead. Dansby Swanson and Seiya Suzuki had RBI singles and Cody Bellinger added a sacrifice fly in the inning.
But the Athletics responded in the seventh. Soderstrom and Tyler Nevin hit back-to-back singles to start the inning and both moved up a base thanks to Nick Allen’s bunt. Lawrence Butler drove in Soderstrom with a groundout and Brent Rooker tied the score at 3-3 with a two-out single.
Gelof’s go-ahead double into the left field corner in the eighth plated Seth Brown, who started the frame with a single against Nate Pearson (2-2). Gelof took third on Chicago’s late relay throw to the plate.
One out later, Gelof dashed for the plate on a one-hopper to Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner and barely beat a strong throw with a slide. Chicago challenged the call, but the safe ruling was upheld.
Tyler Ferguson (4-2) pitched a scoreless seventh, Michel Otanez worked a perfect eighth and Mason Miller tossed a hitless ninth to record his 27th save.
Four Oakland relievers combined for 4 1/3 hitless shutout innings in relief of Brady Basso, who was charged with three runs on six hits in 4 2/3 frames. He walked two and struck out five.
Returning from a strained left arm, Steele threw 57 pitches before he was lifted two outs into the third inning of a scoreless game. He allowed two hits and three walks and struck out one.
Soderstrom opened the scoring with a two-out solo shot in the fourth against Ethan Roberts.
Rooker had two of the nine hits for Oakland, which has won two in a row.
Swanson and Hoerner each finished with two hits for Chicago, which has lost five of its past seven.
-Field Level Media
