CHICAGO _ Improbably, Jon Lester squeezed out a 7-6, 12-inning victory for the Cubs on Sunday night against the Mariners.
The left-hander, the second Cubs pitcher used as a pinch-hitter in the game, laid down a perfect bunt on a 2-2 pitch that allowed Jason Heyward to score the winning run from third and completed the team's climb from a 6-0 deficit
Heyward led off the inning by bouncing a double off the right-center field wall, just missing a game-ending home run. He advanced to third on Willson Contrearas' sacrifice fly before Lester stepped to the plate for Hector Rondon.
The Cubs scored three times _ once on an Addison Russell single, once on a fielder's choice and once on a wild pitch _ to tie the Mariners 6-6 in the bottom of the ninth.
Three two-run home runs in three consecutive innings by the Mariners off spot starter Brian Matusz looked like they might doom the Cubs.
Making his first start since 2012, the left-hander allowed six hits, six runs, two walks, hit a batter and struck out two with his 57 pitches.
Nelson Cruz connected on for a two-run shot in the first. Robinson Cano and Dae-Ho Lee followed in the second and third, respectively.
The Cubs managed to erase that six-run deficit thanks to a three-run ninth inning that began with a Kris Bryant strikeout and ended with a Matt Szczur fly out.
Sandwiched between were a double from Anthony Rizzo, an RBI single from Addison Russell, Contreras' RBI fielder's choice, when he hustled to beat out what would have been a game-ending double play, and wild pitch that allowed Russell to touch home and tie it 6.
Mariners starter Felix Hernandez struck out eight and allowed two hits and five walks in five innings.
