Good morning, Chicago.

The basket above Wrigley Field's ivy-covered outfield wall can be a hitter’s best friend.

Conversely, it can give pitchers nightmares on fly balls that otherwise would likely be outs at the wall. Left-hander Shota Imanaga allowed only four hits to the Guardians in 5 1/3 innings, but three of those hits landed in the left-field basket for solo home runs.

Carlos Santana and Lane Thomas hit back-to-back pitches into the basket — both off four-seam fastballs — to put Cleveland ahead in the second inning. David Fry followed in the third inning with another shot to the basket off another four-seamer. Thomas’ home run featured a .960 xBA but would not have been gone in 10 ballparks, including Cleveland’s.

“I just felt that that basket can mean heaven or it can be hell,” Imanaga said through interpreter Edwin Stanberry. “Early on, I noticed that they were attacking the fastballs so I was thinking about how can I show them the fastball and then adjust with the offspeed pitches.”

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