Ian Happ homered and Moisés Ballesteros hit a tiebreaking triple, helping the Chicago Cubs beat the slumping Tampa Bay Rays 6-4 on Friday. Happ finished with three hits and two RBIs as Chicago posted its third consecutive victory.

Then, after Junior Caminero got them even by hitting his 43rd homer to lead off the eighth, it looked like they might blow it again before Brian Baker got them out of the inning. But ultimately, Nick Fortes delivered the biggest hit,

Nick Fortes hit a tiebreaking homer in the ninth inning, and the Tampa Bay Rays held off the Chicago Cubs for a 5-4 victory.

Cubs: Shota Imanaga (9-7, 3.21 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 101 strikeouts) BOTTOM LINE: The Chicago Cubs and Tampa Bay Rays meet on Sunday with the three-game series tied 1-1. Chicago is 84-64 overall and 45-29 in home games.

The Tampa Bay Rays (72-74) visit the Chicago Cubs (83-63) Friday for the opener of a 3-game series. First pitch from Wrigley Field is set for 2:20 p.m. ET (MLB Network). Let's analyze BetMGM Sportsbook's MLB odds around the Rays vs. Cubs odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.

Rizzo joined the Chicago Cubs as a team ambassador on Saturday. The big first baseman threw out a ceremonial first pitch to Cubs outfielder Ian Happ, one of his former teammates, before grabbing a seat in the bleachers in left for the team’s afternoon game against Tampa Bay.

Cubs second. Nico Hoerner grounds out to shallow infield, Brandon Lowe to Bob Seymour. Moises Ballesteros homers to center field. Dansby Swanson grounds out to shortstop, Carson Williams to

THIS DAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Orlando Merced’s three-run walkoff homer gave the Cubs a 15-12 wi n over the Brewers in a game they had trailed 8-2 after three innings and 12-5 going to the bottom of the seventh. It happened 27 years ago today, Saturday, Sept. 12, 1998.