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**Summary:**
The Chicago Cubs rallied to defeat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 on Sunday, fueled by a clutch two-run double from Nico Hoerner in the seventh inning. Ian Happ also homered for the Cubs, who are now in a strong position for a National League Wild Card spot. The Rays, conversely, are struggling, losing their seventh game in the last nine. Junior Caminero homered for Tampa Bay, and Yandy Diaz also homered. A controversial double-play call in the seventh, after a video review determined a Rays runner violated the slide rule, halted a potential Tampa Bay rally. Javier Assad earned the win for the Cubs, while Andrew Kittredge secured the save.
Hoerner is batting .299, second in the NL to Philadelphia’s Trea Turner (.305).
**News Article:**
**Cubs Rally Late to Edge Rays, Strengthen Wild Card Hopes**
**CHICAGO –** A seventh-inning rally, capped by a clutch two-run double from Nico Hoerner, propelled the Chicago Cubs to a 4-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday afternoon at Wrigley Field. The win, Chicago’s fourth in their last five games, further solidifies their position in the National League Wild Card race. The Rays, on the other hand, continue to struggle, dropping their seventh of their last nine.
Tampa Bay jumped out to an early lead, with Yandy Díaz and Junior Caminero (44th homer) hitting back-to-back home runs off Cubs starter Shota Imanaga. Imanaga settled down to strike out nine across five innings.
Ian Happ cut the Rays’ lead to 3-2 in the sixth with his 22nd home run of the season. Then, in the seventh, after Willi Castro and Matt Shaw singled off Rays reliever Edwin Uceta, Hoerner laced a two-out double to give the Cubs a 4-3 lead.
The Rays threatened in the top of the seventh, but a controversial double play call halted their momentum. With runners on the corners, Jake Mangum grounded into a fielder’s choice. However, a video review determined that Rays runner Josh Lowe violated the slide rule, negating the run and ending the inning.
Javier Assad (3-1) earned the win for the Cubs with 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Andrew Kittredge struck out Caminero with a runner on first in the ninth to record his fifth save. Edwin Uceta (9-3) took the loss for Tampa Bay.
A scary moment occurred in the sixth when former Cub Christopher Morel, now with the Rays, exited the game with an abdominal bruise after being hit by a foul ball.
The Cubs continue their season on Monday on the road against the Pirates, with Jameson Taillon scheduled to start against Braxton Ashcraft. The Rays will open a series on Monday against the Cleveland Indians, which starts RHP Trey Yesavage in his major league debut.