CHICAGO _ The Cubs played another odd game against the Padres in which even popups couldn't be taken for granted. But they eked out another 6-5 victory Saturday, thanks mostly to Javier Baez's three-run home run in the fourth inning.
Baez helped clinch the game in the ninth inning with one of his patented creative tags. With one out, Wil Myers tried to steal second and Victor Caratini's throw sailed to the right of the base. In one motion, Baez caught the ball and tagged Myers' left foot an instant before his left hand reached the base.
Baez was 3 for 4 and scored three runs as the Cubs improved to 7-1 on their post-All-Star-break homestand and 36-17 at home this season.
The game-time temperature at Wrigley Field was 94 degrees with a 107 heat index, similar to Friday's 93 and 106.
Shortly before the seventh-inning stretch, the crowd's appreciation seemed to segue from Baez's catch of Hunter Renfroe's popup in shallow left to the sudden appearance of clouds and a merciful breeze.
Jose Quintana didn't have his best showing despite seven strikeouts. He gave up five runs _ three on home runs by Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado and Renfroe.
Cubs manager Joe Maddon called Friday's 6-5 win a "sloppy" one _ third baseman David Bote kept his back turned while a runner advanced to second, and the Padres committed two eighth-inning errors that likely cost them the game _ and Saturday had its miscues too.
Addison Russell strayed too far from second on Albert Almora's lineout to left field in the second and got doubled off by Renfroe, adding to a rash of recent baserunning mistakes.
In the sixth, Russell, Almora and Jason Heyward couldn't sort out Austin Hedges' pop fly to shallow right-center and the ball dropped, though Almora threw to second to force out Luis Urias _ who had reached on Bote's throwing error.
Bote had a dandy in the ninth, though, sliding to catching Tatis' bunt popout to help secure Craig Kimbrel's third straight save.
