PITTSBURGH — It was only appropriate the Chicago Cubs completed their 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday by turning a double play to end the game, as it was their seventh of the evening, tying an MLB record.
“That’s pretty firm right there,” manager Joe Maddon said. “You don’t normally see that. I don’t remember anything like that.”
According to Elias Sports Bureau, the Cubs joined the 1942 Yankees and 1969 Astros as the only three teams to record seven double plays in a nine-inning game. The Cubs got theirs on six ground balls and one line-drive double play. Starter Cole Hamels induced five of them while reaching a career-high 21 double plays on the season.
“It’s surprising how many we were able to get,” Hamels said. “They are a pitcher’s best friend.”
Hamels made the right pitch at the right time all night long, inducing a double play in each of the first four innings and one more in the sixth. He threw seven scoreless innings while lowering his ERA as a Cub to a miniscule 0.72.
“He has this way about him,” Maddon said. “He’s totally engaged and involved in the moment but then he can disconnect for a second if you need to talk to him and he can smile. Then he gets right back into character. It’s a good way to be. I think it’s healthy.”
The Cubs won back-to-back 1-0 games for the first time since 1973, but it was the first time in franchise history winning both games on solo home runs. Kyle Schwarber went deep on Friday to help the Cubs to their first three-game win streak since the All-Star break. The franchise-record number of double plays also helped the Cubs extend their lead in the National League Central to 4 1/2 games.
“We were in a good spot all the time,” Maddon said. “We turned the ones we were supposed to. We didn’t give them extra outs.”
The nine combined double plays between the teams tied the NL modern-era record in a nine-inning game. Reliever Jesse Chavez induced the final one, with the tying and winning runs on base. David Freese hit a ground ball to third baseman David Bote, who stepped on third and threw to first for the win.
“I didn’t know that was the seventh,” Bote said with a smile. “That’s pretty cool.”