Wood takes no-hitter into 7th, Giants beat Cubs to stop skid
SAN FRANCISCO -- Alex Wood took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and the San Francisco Giants beat the Chicago Cubs 4-2 on Thursday night to stop a seven-game slide.
Yermín Mercedes hit an early two-run single, and four Giants pitchers combined on a three-hitter to snap Chicago's six-game winning streak.
An umpire's ruling that appeared to give the Cubs a break instead contributed to San Francisco's three-run third.
Wood (7-8) allowed two hits in 6 2/3 innings, striking out two and walking two. He got help from his defense as first baseman Darin Ruf scooped a short-hop throw to retire Patrick Wisdom in the fifth, and right fielder Mike Yastrzemski ran hard to catch Christopher Morel's sixth-inning line drive.
Wood's no-hit bid ended in the seventh on Ian Happ's leadoff single. Two outs later, Wisdom belted his 18th homer of the season, a drive to left field on an 0-1 pitch.
That trimmed San Francisco's lead to 4-2 and prompted Giants manager Gabe Kapler to summon right-hander Dominic Leone, who struck out Frank Schwindel to end the inning.
John Brebbia threw eight pitches in a hitless eighth and Camilo Doval struck out three in a one-hit ninth for his 13th save.
The Giants opened the scoring against starter Justin Steele in the third. With runners at the corners and two outs, Steele uncorked what appeared to be a wild pitch that allowed Yastrzemski to score from third base. But a replay review requested by the Cubs determined the pitch grazed the right pants leg of batter Wilmer Flores, loading the bases.
Mercedes' bloop single to center scored Yastrzemski and Austin Slater. Thairo Estrada's infield single brought home Flores to make it 3-0.
Slater added an RBI double in the fourth.
All four runs Steele permitted were unearned. He allowed five hits and walked one while striking out six.
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Cubs RHP Marcus Stroman (2-5, 4.38 ERA) faces Giants RHP Alex Cobb (3-4, 4.26) on Friday night.