Cubs blow 9th-inning lead; closer Brandon Morrow out due to back tightness

SHARE Cubs blow 9th-inning lead; closer Brandon Morrow out due to back tightness
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The Dodgers’ Joc Pederson rounds the bases after hitting the second pitch of the game into the right-field basket for a home run.

Pinch-hitter Kyle Farmer’s two-out, two-double into the left-field corner in the ninth inning off the Cubs’ Justin Wilson lifted the Dodgers to a 4-3 victory over the Cubs in the opener of a day-night doubleheader Tuesday at Wrigley Field.

That’s not a typo.

Wilson inexplicably got the call from the bullpen in a 3-2 game to start the ninth instead of closer Brandon Morrow — the All-Star candidate who has pitched just once since June 7.

After the game, manager Joe Maddon said Morrow experienced back tightness on Monday.

“We wanted to be very precautionary,” Maddon said.

Morrow’s status is day-to-day. He won’t be available for the second game on Tuesday.

Morrow, who has 16 saves in 17 chances and a 1.59 ERA, earned the save in Saturday’s victory St. Louis, despite command issues after the long layoff.

Maddon said Morrow didn’t complain about anything when he pitched over the weekend and that he thought Morrow looked OK during that outing.

The Cubs led 3-2 when Wilson walked pinch-hitter Austin Barnes to lead off the ninth. One out later, Justin Turner singled to center.

Wilson then struck out Yasmani Grandal on a called third strike.

After Grandal argued the call vehemently enough to get ejected, Farmer then came off the bench and delivered the game-winner on a 2-2 pitch.

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