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DETROIT – The crackle of wood buckling under contact suggested Nico Hoerner had hit the ball off the handle of his bat. The swinging bunt dribbled toward the left side of the infield.
By contrast, Hoerner broke hard out of the batter’s box and beat Tigers third baseman Zach McKinstry’s on-the-run throw to first base.
The Cubs would go on to beat the Tigers 6-1, charged by five home runs. But at the time, in the top of the fifth inning, the Cubs were clinging to a one-run lead.
Hoerner’s hustle resulted in an extra run.