Morel hits tiebreaking HR off Díaz in 9th and Cubs top Mets 3-1 after spoiling Severino's no-hit bid

NEW YORK (AP) — Christopher Morel hit a two-run homer off Edwin Díaz to snap a ninth-inning tie and the Chicago Cubs beat the New York Mets 3-1 on Monday night after being held hitless by Luis Severino into the eighth.

“It was just really cool to just see us like, stay in it,” Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson said. “Just an all-around good team performance. Sometimes you've got to win games like that.”

Swanson singled off Severino with nobody out in the eighth for Chicago's first hit, putting runners at first and second following a leadoff walk to Michael Busch.

With runners at the corners and one out, pinch-hitter Nick Madrigal hit a broken-bat grounder to third baseman Joey Wendle, who had just entered for defense. Wendle easily could have thrown out Busch at the plate, cutting off the tying run. Instead, the veteran infielder made an ill-advised decision to try for an inning-ending double play. Madrigal beat the relay to first and the Cubs evened it 1-all.

“Initially thought the ball was hit a little bit harder than it was. By that point, I had already set my feet and kind of committed to trying to turn a double play," Wendle said. "That’s the decision I made, and unfortunately the wrong one.”

Brandon Nimmo hit his 13th career leadoff homer for the Mets, but Jameson Taillon shut them down after that in a fast-moving pitchers' duel that zipped by at a breakneck pace.

“I was feeling good, even in the bullpen,” Severino said.

Taillon allowed four hits in 7 1/3 innings, throwing 57 of his 78 pitches for strikes.

Mark Leiter Jr. (1-1) got two outs for the win, and Héctor Neris worked around two walks in the ninth for his fourth save. With two runners aboard, he struck out pinch-hitters DJ Stewart and Brett Baty to end a game that took just 2 hours, 5 minutes.

“It was fun going back and forth there,” Taillon said. “Quick innings.”

Mike Tauchman doubled off Díaz (0-1) with one out in the ninth. One out later, Morel drove a 3-1 fastball to left-center for his fourth home run.

“I'm always ready for the fastball,” Morel said through a translator. “It was a huge satisfaction, huge relief. Especially being able to do it in front of my teammates, being able to do it in front of my family. It was just an incredible moment."

An excited Morel pointed toward his cheering section in the stands. With family in the Bronx, he said he had more than 40 friends and family members at the game.

“I feel like he loves the moment,” Taillon said, “the bright lights.”

A two-out walk to Ian Happ in the fourth was Chicago's only baserunner until Severino plunked Tauchman with a pitch leading off the seventh.

“He was so good,” Swanson said. “Especially throwing hard, but like, somehow his ball had like, even extra life than just the velocity.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: LHP Justin Steele (left hamstring strain) is expected to throw about 60-65 pitches Wednesday in a rehab start for Triple-A Iowa. It's possible he could rejoin Chicago's rotation after that, manager Craig Counsell said. Steele has been on the injured list since leaving his opening-day start March 28. ... RHP Kyle Hendricks (lower back strain) is trending toward a rehab start later this week, Counsell said.

Mets: RHP Kodai Senga (right shoulder capsule strain) faced hitters for the first time since getting hurt in February. He threw 21 pitches of live batting practice against minor leaguers at Citi Field. ... LHP David Peterson (left hip surgery) is slated to throw about 45 pitches over three or four innings Friday in his second rehab start for Class A St. Lucie. Peterson struck out five in two perfect innings Sunday at St. Lucie. ... Wendle returned from a one-day absence due to a stomach bug. ... RF Starling Marte is expected back from the bereavement list Tuesday.

UP NEXT

Cubs RHP Javier Assad (2-0, 2.00 ERA) starts Tuesday night against LHP Sean Manaea (1-1, 3.33) in the second game of the four-game series.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Mets' Jeff McNeil runs to first base for a single during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Monday, April 29, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Chicago Cubs' Jameson Taillon pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Monday, April 29, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Mets' Luis Severino pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Monday, April 29, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Mets' Luis Severino pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Monday, April 29, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Mets' Francisco Lindor, right, throws to first base after forcing out Chicago Cubs' Dansby Swanson, left, during the eighth inning of a baseball game, Monday, April 29, 2024, in New York. Cubs' Matt Mervis was safe at first base on the play. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Chicago Cubs' Nick Madrigal grounds into a force out during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Monday, April 29, 2024, in New York. Cubs' Michael Busch scored on the play. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Mets pitcher Luis Severino gestures to fans as he leaves during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Monday, April 29, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Chicago Cubs' Christopher Morel (5) celebrates with teammates after he and Mike Tauchman (40) scored on a two-run home run during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Monday, April 29, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Chicago Cubs' Christopher Morel runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Monday, April 29, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Mets catcher Tomás Nido reacts as Chicago Cubs' Christopher Morel (5) stands at home plate after hitting a two-run home run during the ninth inning of a baseball game, Monday, April 29, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Montana's attorney general told supporters he skirted the state’s campaign finance laws by inviting another Republican to run against him as a token candidate in next month's primary so he could raise more money for the November general election, according to a recording from a fundraising event.

“I do technically have a primary," Attorney General Austin Knudsen said last week when asked at the event who was running against him. “However, he is a young man who I asked to run against me because our campaign laws are ridiculous."

Knudsen separately faces dozens of professional misconduct allegations from the state's office of attorney discipline as he seeks a second term. He made the comments about his primary opponent during the fundraiser on May 11 in Dillon, Montana, according to the recording obtained by the Daily Montanan, which is part of the nonprofit States Newsroom organization.

In the recording, Knudsen is heard saying that Logan Olson “filed to run against me simply because under our current campaign finance laws in Montana, it allows me to raise more money. So, he supports me and he’s going to vote for me.”

Knudsen’s senior campaign adviser Jake Eaton declined to comment on the recording.

Olson, a county attorney in rural northeastern Montana, denied being recruited by Knudsen. Campaign finance records indicate his filing fee was paid by a longtime Republican operative who is also a Knudsen donor.

The state’s campaign finance watchdog agency, the Commissioner of Political Practices, is investigating complaints filed by the executive director of the Montana Democratic Party that allege an agreement between Knudsen and Olson.

Under state law, a person cannot pay or “promise valuable consideration” to another person to induce them to be a candidate, or to withdraw as a candidate.

Democrat Sheila Hogan's complaints say Knudsen started raising donations exceeding the $790-per person allowed without a primary opponent long before Olson filed on March 11 — the final day for candidate filing.

“Olson is not a legitimate, good faith candidate for Attorney General,” both complaints state.

Eaton, who called the complaint against Knudsen frivolous, said it was “common practice for candidates to accept primary and general contributions and then return the money if there is no contested primary."

He said Democratic attorney aeneral candidate Ben Alke, a Bozeman attorney, was also accepting contributions for the general election.

Alke has received a $100 general election donation from a supporter who also donated $150 to his primary, campaign finance reports show. Knudsen’s campaign has reported more than $91,000 in general election contributions.

Knudsen and Olson have until May 23 to respond to the complaints, although Olson has requested an extension, commissioner Chris Gallus said Friday.

Olson has not raised or spent any money in the race, according to a report filed by his treasurer on Friday.

His April campaign finance report listed a debt of more than $1,500 to Standard Consulting of Helena for reimbursement of his filing fee.

“I did pay Logan’s filing fee and helped him file for office,” Chuck Denowh, a Republican operative and owner of Standard Consulting, said in an email Friday. “I did so because he asked me to.”

Denowh has donated $1,580 to Knudsen -- $790 each for the primary and general elections.

Alke said the professional misconduct allegations and other actions by Knudsen are why he's running for attorney general.

Knudsen is facing 41 counts of professional misconduct on allegations his office tried to undermine the Montana Supreme Court while defending a challenge to a state law about judicial nominations. The Commission on Practice is scheduled to hear the case in mid-July and recommend whether Knudsen should be punished.

Separately, in early 2021 Knudsen ordered the Lewis and Clark County attorney to dismiss concealed carry weapons charges against a man who allegedly threatened a restaurant manager trying to enforce the state's pandemic mask mandate. Knudsen's office later pleaded the case down to disorderly conduct.

In October 2021, a Helena hospital said three unspecified public officials threatened doctors after they refused to treat a COVID-19 patient with ivermectin, a drug for parasites that is not federally approved for the virus. Knudsen’s office later confirmed that he participated in a conference call with hospital executives and that he sent a Montana Highway Patrol trooper to the hospital to talk with the patient’s family after they claimed mistreatment — something the hospital denied.

“This sort of conduct from the chief legal officer and law enforcement officer of the state of Montana is inappropriate and I hope people are paying attention because this is just one of several issues with Austin Knudsen,” Alke said Thursday.

This story has been updated to correct that Democratic attorney general candidate Ben Alke has received a $100 contribution to his general election campaign.

FILE - Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, center, is sworn into office, Jan. 4, 2021, inside the state Capitol in Helena, Mont. Knudsen faces a campaign finance investigation after he told supporters he skirted the state’s “ridiculous” campaign finance laws by inviting another Republican to run against him as a token candidate in next month’s primary so he could raise more money for the general election, according to a recording of a May 11 fundraiser. (Thom Bridge/Independent Record via AP, File)