In Saturday night’s game that stretched into the early-morning hours of Sunday, Cubs hitters stepped up mightily in their 9-6 defeat of the Padres.
The 5-hour-14-minute, 16-inning game, which ended about 2:30 a.m. Chicago time, was the longest this season.
San Diego first baseman Jason Thompson’s error on Brian McRae’s grounder in the 16th inning brought home Jose Hernandez to break the 6-6 tie. Then Brant Brown hit a two-run homer for the 9-6 victory.
“If you’re going to be here 5 1/2 hours, you might as well try to win it,” said McRae, who also recorded his 25th stolen base of the season, just three beneath his career high of 28 in 1994. “I know I can hit; that’s what I do.”
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Birthday boy: Brown, who turned 25 Saturday, said his contribution to the win was a good birthday present.
“The count was 2-2 and I was trying to put the ball in play,” said Brown. “I never do well on my birthday. I usually get a courtesy hit. For me, to break out of my spell was a great feeling.”
Grace period over? Mark Grace, who has been on the 15-day disabled list since June 14 with back pains, is eligible to return Wednesday.
“We’ll see what his progress is,” said Cubs manager Jim Riggleman. “It will be good to have him back. He was a huge guy to lose.”
Muscling it out: If Ryne Sandberg seemed to be trotting gingerly around the bases after his solo homer Sunday, that may have been because he was wearing a brace to protect a pulled muscle in his groin.
“We have an off day Monday and that’s good because I’ll be able to rest,” Sandberg said. The pulled muscle “shouldn’t be a problem” in the two-game series against the Dodgers starting Tuesday, Sandberg said.