Cubs Draw Historic Six Bases-Loaded Walks in Fifth Inning In a remarkable feat, the Chicago Cubs drew a staggering six consecutive bases-loaded walks off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Nick Mears in the fifth inning of their game on Tuesday. This marks the most bases-loaded walks issued by a single team in a single inning in the Major Leagues since the Boston Red Sox did so against the Chicago White Sox on July 28, 1957. With the bases already loaded, Patrick Wisdom drew the first walk, scoring Nico Hoerner. One batter later, Ian Happ walked, bringing home Christopher Morel. Rafael Ortega, Seiya Suzuki, and Yan Gomes followed suit, each drawing a walk to drive in another run. The historic inning catapulted the Cubs to a commanding 9-0 lead. Mears, who had been impressive through the first four innings, unraveled as his command faltered. He walked seven batters in total in the inning before being lifted for reliever Colin Holderman. The last time a team drew six bases-loaded walks in an inning was on June 10, 2017, when the Washington Nationals accomplished the feat against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Cubs’ offensive outburst was a welcome sight for a team that had struggled to generate runs in recent games. It also served as a reminder of the potential of their lineup when it is clicking. The win also snapped a three-game losing streak for the Cubs and improved their record to 11-9 on the season. They will look to build on their momentum when they face the Pirates again on Wednesday.Chicago Cubs Draw Six Bases-Loaded Walks in Historic Fifth InningChicago Cubs Draw Six Bases-Loaded Walks in Historic Fifth Inning In a remarkable turn of events on Saturday, the Chicago Cubs drew a staggering six bases-loaded walks in the fifth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates. This marks the most bases-loaded walks by a Major League team in a single inning in over six decades. The last time a team allowed that many free passes with runners on every base in one inning was the Chicago White Sox on April 22, 1959, according to Major League Baseball. The White Sox infamously allowed eight walks in the seventh inning of that game. The chaos unfolded after Pirates rookie Paul Skenes allowed two hits to start the fifth inning. The Cubs then proceeded to send three more pitchers to the mound as the inning stretched to an epic length, including a lengthy rain delay. Kyle Nicolas, Josh Fleming, and Colin Holderman combined to walk nine batters consecutively, with Nicolas contributing the most with twelve consecutive wild pitches outside the strike zone. The bases-loaded walks drove in a total of three runs for the Cubs. The Pirates eventually took back the lead on Yasmani Grandal’s three-run homer in the bottom of the inning, but the Cubs’ historic fifth inning performance will be remembered as a testament to the unpredictable nature of baseball.In a historic display of offensive ineptitude, the Chicago Cubs drew six bases-loaded walks in the fifth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday night. This marks the most bases-loaded walks in a single inning by any Major League Baseball team in the past 65 years. With the bases loaded and two outs, Pirates reliever Duane Underwood Jr. issued three consecutive walks to Frank Schwindel, Patrick Wisdom, and Ildemaro Vargas. David Bote then walked to force in a run. The rally continued with a walk to Seiya Suzuki and ended with a bases-loaded walk to Yan Gomes. The Cubs’ six bases-loaded walks in the fifth inning gave them a 6-2 lead, which they ultimately held on to for a 7-4 victory. The last time a team drew six or more bases-loaded walks in a single inning was on May 12, 1957, when the St. Louis Browns did it against the Chicago White Sox. The Cubs’ six bases-loaded walks were a testament to their patience at the plate and the Pirates’ struggles on the mound. Underwood Jr. allowed all three batters he faced to reach base, while Pirates starter Mitch Keller walked four batters in just 2.2 innings of work. The win was the Cubs’ third in a row and improved their record to 16-15. The Pirates, meanwhile, fell to 13-16.
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