Photo credit: @SFGiants

By Jeremy Kahn

Things were looking good for the San Francisco Giants at the end of the first inning, but then the Chicago Cubs came to the plate.

Between the two teams, they scored six runs on five infield hits, that included a great play by a first time second baseman and a ball off of the second base umpire.

All things got worse for the Giants in the bottom of the fourth inning, as Jorge Baez hit an opposite field three-run home run and the Cubs defeated the Giants 8-3 at Wrigley Field Sunday night.

Neither starter made it out of the fourth inning, as Ty Blach went just three innings, allowing five runs on seven hits, walking four and striking out three, as he fell to 3-5 on the season.

Cubs starter Tyler Chatwood went only 2.2 innings, as he allowed three runs on six hits, walking five and struck out three. It was the second consecutive horrific start for Chatwood, who also went 2.2 innings in his last start against the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday night in a 10-1 Cubs loss.

Pablo Sandoval, who made his first ever start at second base for the Giants got them on the board in the top of the first inning, as he beat out a throw from Addison Russell that scored Brandon Belt.

Mac Williamson then extended the Giants lead up to 3-0, as he an opposite field single that scored Evan Longoria and Brandon Crawford respectively.

Longoria was one of two walks in the inning off of Chatwood, and then Crawford loaded the bases with an infield single just prior to the Sandoval base hit that scored Belt.

The Cubs got right back into the game in the bottom of the inning, as Alex Almora, Jr., reached on an infield single. After an out by Baez, Kris Bryant got the Cubs on the board, when he doubled off the right-center field wall and then came the bizarre play of the game.

Anthony Rizzo hit a comebacker that Blach knocked down, and then ricocheted off of second base umpire Cory Blaser and bounced to Sandoval, who threw too late to Belt and Bryant all the way around from second base to score.

After Wilson Contreras struck out for the second out, Kyle Schwarber singled to send Rizzo to third and then Russell tied up the game.

Things were looking good for the Giants in the top of the second inning, as they loaded the bases with nobody out; however, Chatwood was able to get out of the jam without allowing a run.

Blach got into his own bases loaded nobody out jam in the bottom of the third inning, as he gave up three consecutive walks to Bryant, Rizzo and Contreras, but then he was able to regroup to get Schwarber and Russell to strikeout swinging and then Jason Heyward flew out to left field to end the threat.

Pierce Johnson came on to replace Blach in the bottom of the fourth inning after Blach walked eventual winning pitcher Randy Rosario, and then Almora ended Blach’s day after he doubled to centerfield.

Baez then greeted Johnson by hitting a three-run home run into the right field bleachers to give the Cubs the lead for good.

Tommy La Stella hit for Rosario in the bottom of the fifth inning, and he hit a single that scored Heyward. Almora continued then his hot hitting, as he doubled to right-center field that scored La Stella from first base.

Rosario went 2.1 innings, allowing no runs on one hit, walking two and striking out three, as he won for the first time this season.

NOTES: Andrew Suarez looks for his second win of the season on Monday, as the Giants open a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Chad Bettis looks to improve to 5-1 on the season, as he takes the mound for the Rockies.

Buster Posey, who missed Saturday’s game with a sore right hip also missed Sunday’s game, but could available for the Giants opener in Colorado.

UP NEXT: Giants open a three-game series against the Rockies in Colorado starting Monday at 4:10 pm PST.