Shea Langeliers hit two home runs and had three RBIs to help the visiting Oakland Athletics to a 4-3 win against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night.
Starting pitcher Mitch Spence (8-9) allowed two runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out six in five innings for Oakland, which snapped a three-game losing streak. Mason Miller gave up one run and fanned two in the ninth for his 26th save of the year.
Ian Happ pulled the Cubs (77-74) within one in the ninth with his second home run of the night, a solo shot over the left field wall. With it, he matched a single-season career high with his 25th long ball of the season.
Langeliers put the Athletics (66-86) ahead 4-2 in the fifth inning when he sent a changeup 418 feet to the left field deck for his 28th home run of the season, a solo shot.
Cubs starter Jordan Wicks (2-4) got the final two outs of the frame to end his outing, with four runs allowed on seven hits in his five innings. Wicks walked two and fanned four.
In the sixth, Oakland started to threaten against reliever Shawn Armstrong. With two on and one out, Max Schuemann delivered a hard-hit ball that appeared destined for right field, but he was denied by a leaping grab from second baseman Nico Hoerner, who managed to turn a double play.
The Cubs had chances to score in the first two innings, with a pair of baserunners in each frame, but they couldn’t capitalize and found themselves down by three entering the bottom of the third.
Happ led off the inning with a solo shot to right-center to make it 3-1. Cody Bellinger later singled and scored on Michael Busch’s base hit to right, narrowing Chicago’s deficit to 3-2.
Oakland took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Brent Rooker singled with one out and Langeliers followed by belting a fastball into the center field seats.
In the third, Lawrence Butler connected for his 22nd home run of the season, knocking a solo shot while facing a full count to make it 3-0.
Hoerner went 3-for-4 for Chicago.
–Field Level Media
