Giants can’t take advantage of Cubs starter’s wildness

CHICAGO - Javier Baez hit a three-run home run and the Chicago Cubs overcame another wild outing from Tyler Chatwood to beat the San Francisco Giants 8-3 on Sunday night.

Albert Almora Jr. had three hits and Chicago’s bullpen was stellar as the Cubs took two of three in the weekend series.

Chatwood walked five and allowed three runs in 22/3 innings. The right-hander leads the NL with 45 walks, including six in his previous start against Cleveland, when he allowed four runs in 22/3 innings.

Chatwood is 3-4 with a 4.10 ERA in the first season of a $38 million, three-year contract he signed in December.

Left-hander Randy Rosario (1-0) replaced Chatwood and escaped a bases-loaded jam. The rookie - promoted from the minors Saturday - allowed one hit in 21/3 innings for his first major league win.

San Francisco starter Ty Blach (3-5) also struggled, allowing five runs on seven hits in three-plus innings. He walked four and struck out three.

After San Francisco took a 1-0 lead on two walks and two infield hits, Mac Williamson hit a two-out, two-run single to right to make it 3-0 in the first.

The Cubs quickly tied it with three runs in the bottom half.

Kris Bryant delivered a one-out run-scoring double. Anthony Rizzo followed with a liner up the middle. The ball hit off Blach’s glove and struck second base umpire Cory Blaser before rolling slowing towards first base as Bryant scored all the way from second.

After Kyle Schwarber singled to right to put runners on the corners, Addison Russell hit a grounder up the middle. Again, Blach got a glove on it but couldn’t make the play, giving Russell a tying hit.

Baez gave the Cubs a 6-3 lead with his three-run blast to right in the fourth off reliever Pierce Johnson. Chicago added two more in the fifth on an RBI pinch-hit single by Tommy La Stella and an RBI double by Almora.

NOTES

Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner (broken left pinky) tossed 32/3 scoreless innings Saturday in a rehab start at Sacramento. He threw 47 pitches and had eight strikeouts.

Giants catcher Buster Posey (sore right hip) missed his second consecutive game. Manager Bruce Bochy said Posey may play today.

Cubs outfielder Ian Happ was held out of the lineup because of a sore shoulder. Manager Joe Maddon said Happ should be able to start today.

Cubs right-hander Yu Darvish, placed on the 10-day DL on Saturday with triceps tendinitis, will have a precautionary MRI on Tuesday.

The Giants’ starter today, left-hander Andrew Suarez, looks to snap a three-start losing streak in the opener of a three-game series tonight at Colorado.

Cubs left-hander Mike Montgomery (0-1, 5.33 ERA) will makes his first start of the season as Chicago has a quick turnaround for a matinee at Pittsburgh. RHP Chad Kuhl (4-2, 4.20) goes for the Pirates.

Pablo Sandoval made his first career start at second base for the Giants. With Joe Panik and Alen Hanson on the disabled list, Sandoval began taking grounders at the position around a month ago.