'Super confident': Alzolay picks off Seattle's star for dramatic win

SEATTLE – After watching multiple angles of Sunday’s final play on T-Mobile Park’s video board in center field, Cubs closer Adbert Alzolay waited on the mound for the official ruling. As the seconds ticked by, Alzolay was sure he had picked off Julio Rodríguez.

“Oh, I was super confident,” Alzolay said with a laugh.

When the verdict arrived and the initial safe call was overturned, Alzolay bounded down the hill and unleashed his signature fist pump with a 3-2 victory over the Mariners secured. It was a wild finish to a tightly contested game in which Chicago’s bullpen escaped a handful of late jams to seal a series win in Seattle.

Right-hander Mark Leiter Jr. needed only two pitches to induce a flyout and double play to strand a pair of Mariners baserunners in the seventh. One frame later, veteran Héctor Neris loaded the bases with three walks, but generated an inning-ending double play off the bat of Ty France to avoid damage.

“It was a crazy last three innings, for sure,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said.

In the ninth, Alzolay took over and struck out Dylan Moore and Mitch Garver to move within one out of the win. Cal Raleigh then singled to right field, prompting Mariners manager Scott Servais to send Rodríguez -- Seattle’s star center fielder who was given a day off from being in the lineup -- to first base as a pinch-runner.

“We had opportunities certainly there in the seventh and the eighth,” Servais said. “Julio is our fastest runner. We’re certainly going to put him in the game. The guy made a good move and obviously picked him off. It happens. But for me, that’s not the play that cost us the game.”

When the count reached 1-1 to Luke Raley, Alzolay threw a pick-off attempt to Cubs first baseman Michael Busch. Rodríguez dove back to the bag safely, but Chicago’s closer liked what he saw on that play. Alzolay said he planned on trying again, but wanted to be slightly more delayed with his move.

“I felt that it was kind of a good move and it was kind of there,” Alzolay said. “We kind of knew that he might be running on this. Just hold it a little bit more. Look at the glove. I was kind of playing with the glove at that time. And then, as soon as I saw him kind of jumping, that was when I did the move to first base.”

Rodríguez hustled back to the bag on Alzolay’s second throw over, but Busch received the ball and made a quick tag on the outfielder’s upper right arm. First-base umpire Doug Eddings called Rodríguez safe, but Counsell cupped his hands to his ears, motioning for a replay-review challenge.

“He made a good move over. I thought I got him,” Busch said of Alzolay’s throw. “But, obviously the umpire called him safe. I’m glad we still had a challenge left.”

While he waited, Alzolay said he was “playing the game in his mind,” going over the count and the hitter and planning his next pitch, just in case.

That mental exercise went for naught. The replay review showed that Rodríguez was indeed out, and the Cubs closer let his emotions fly on the field.

“It's just preparation,” Alzolay said. “I feel like you've always got to be mentally ready for that moment no matter what is going on in the game. That's our job. It comes down to that. Be mentally and physically prepared and be ready for it.”