Wood Loses Third Straight As Diamondbacks Beat Cubs 9-3
PHOENIX (AP) -- Miguel Montero hit a go-ahead, three-run double in the fifth, Paul Goldschmidt added a two-run homer, and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Chicago Cubs 9-3 on Saturday night.
Goldschmidt, with Montero a National League All-Star, went 3 for 3. He also scored three runs and walked twice, raising his batting average to .314.
Wade Miley (6-6) went seven innings, allowing three runs and seven hits, striking out seven with one walk. He is 3-0 in his last four starts.
The Diamondbacks tagged Cubs starter Travis Wood (7-9) for seven runs -- five earned -- on eight hits. He lost his third straight start.
The Cubs have lost four in a row and 10 of 12.
The Cubs got a run to start the game on three straight singles with one out, the third hit coming from All-Star Starlin Castro to drive in Justin Ruggiano.
If not for a leaping catch at the wall in dead center field by the Diamondbacks' Ender Inciarte, the Cubs might have added on more runs. Welington Castillo's long fly ball looked like it would bounce off the wall for extra bases, but Inciarte tracked it down for the second out of the inning and Miley got out of the inning without further damage.
Goldschmidt scored on Montero's single with help from an error on the play, hustling around third after Cubs center fielder Arismendy Alcantara bobbled the ball. His throw beat Goldschmidt to home plate, but Goldschmidt avoided the lunging tag from Castillo and scored to tie it at 1.
Alcantara, 22, was making just his second start in center field after only seven big league games.
The Cubs plated a pair of fourth-inning runs. Castillo hit a line-drive home run into the seats in left field to lead off the inning, and Junior Lake legged out a triple into the left-field corner and scored on a sacrifice fly from Mike Olt.
The Diamondbacks made it 7-3 in the sixth inning thanks to an RBI double from Goldschmidt and a dribbler up the third-base line from Mark Trumbo that went for an infield hit.
Arizona improved to 10-3 in the last 13 games against Chicago.
Diamondbacks right fielder Cody Ross left the game with left calf tightness after singling to lead off the bottom of the second inning. He was replaced before the top of the third by Gerardo Parra.
NOTES: The Cubs played their 54th road game of the season, the most of any team in the majors. The New York Yankees came in tied with Chicago at 53 road games but were at home to face Cincinnati on Saturday. ... Diamondbacks SS Chris Owings is shut down for three days, manager Kirk Gibson said, due to left shoulder soreness. Owings has been on the disabled list since June 29. ... OF Jordan Pacheco (right shoulder soreness) continues his rehab assignment with the rookie league Diamondbacks on Sunday. He's been hitting and playing games at playing at second base and designated hitter. ... Arizona shortstop Nick Ahmed's double in the sixth inning was the first of his big league career.
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