There was no Gatorade bath for Cubs infielder David Bote after he hit a walk-off single in the Cubs’ 2-1 victory over the Diamondbacks on Sunday at Wrigley Field. He had a flight to catch.
Hours after the game, Bote’s wife, Rachel, was scheduled to be induced in Colorado.
With two on and no outs, Bote singled to right-center field, scoring Javy Baez.
As soon as the flashy shortstop touched home, Bote sprinted toward the Cubs’ dugout. He stopped only for a brief post-game interview with NBC Sports Chicago before bolting to the clubhouse.
Asked if Bote ran out of the ballpark in full uniform, Baez joked, “Yeah, pretty much.”
The birth of Bote’s third child comes at a good time in the Cubs’ schedule. With a day off Monday, Bote likely will miss two games on paternity leave instead of three.
“He’s a huge part of this team, so we obviously need him as soon as possible,” Baez said. “He’s excited. Hopefully everything goes well for him and his wife.”
Bote has a knack for delivering in clutch situations. He had his fourth career walk-off RBI on Sunday.
“You can’t teach that,” first baseman Anthony Rizzo said.
Last season, Bote had a walk-off walk and two walk-off homers, including a grand slam.
“Grand-slam baby, and now it’s another walk-off for him,” Rizzo said. “It’s fitting.”
