ARLINGTON, Texas — Ian Happ tied his profession excessive with 4 hits and drew a tiebreaking bases-loaded stroll from José Leclerc in a four-run ninth inning, serving to the Chicago Cubs beat the Texas Rangers 9-5 on Sunday to salvage the finale of their opening three-game sequence.

With the rating 4-4, Leclerc (0-1) walked Michael Busch with one out, allowed Nico Hoerner’s swinging-bunt single down the third-base line and walked Mike Tauchman.

Miles Mastrobuoni grounded right into a forceout on the plate, Happ fell behind within the rely 1-2 however walked on a full-count fastball that sailed broad and Seiya Suzuki greeted Jacob Latz with a two-run single. Cody Bellinger singled within the last run.

“Once I got down 1-2, just staying alive,” Happ stated. “He’s had a lot of success throughout his career, so I was just trying to find something I could handle. Good eyes in that at-bat.”

Craig Counsell after earned his first victory with the Cubs after 707 wins over 9 seasons with Milwaukee.

“Great at-bats all over the ninth inning, for sure,” Counsell stated. “Guys simply being affected person, form of taking what was given to them in the beginning. Ian form of getting down within the rely and dealing that stroll is clearly the large one. And then adopted that up with some good at-bats so as to add some runs.”

Héctor Neris (1-0) pitched a one-hit eighth. Four Chicago relievers shut out Texas over the ultimate 5 innings on two singles and one stroll with seven strikeouts.

Rangers pitchers walked 9 whereas permitting 12 hits.

Chicago was 4 for 14 with runners in scoring place and left 13 runners on base. Texas was 3 for 12 and left 9 on.

Christopher Morel hit a three-run homer within the first off Jon Gray, who allowed 5 runs — 4 earned — seven hits and three walks in 3 2/3 innings.

Marcus Semien hit a two-run single within the second in opposition to Jordan Wicks. Happ had an RBI double within the fourth, with one other run scoring for a 5-2 lead when middle fielder Leody Taveras misplayed the ball for an error.

Semien hit an RBI double within the fourth and scored on rookie Wyatt Langford’s tying two-run triple that one-hopped the 410-foot check in middle.

Langford, hitting second within the order with Corey Seager given a day without work, additionally made a sliding, snow-cone catch in his first main league recreation within the outfield.

“I put him in the two-hole, three-hole, five-hole, wherever, and it doesn’t faze him,” Rangers supervisor Bruce Bochy stated. “So, good game by him.”

Wicks gave up 5 runs — two earned, — 5 hits and three walks in 4 innings. Cubs starters pitched 12 1/3 innings within the sequence.

Up subsequent

Cubs: LHP Shota Imanaga will begin the group’s residence opener on Monday in opposition to Colorado RHP Dakota Hudson.

Rangers: RHP Dan Dunning will begin Monday evening’s recreation at Tampa Bay, the place final 12 months’s Rangers started an 11-0 postseason street run that culminated of their World Series title. Dunning will face RHP Ryan Pepiot, acquired in December from the Los Angeles Dodgers within the Tyler Glasnow commerce.