Ten disastrous minutes separated the Chicago Cubs from the cusp of ending a season-high dropping streak to their worst lack of the season.
A five-run lead coming into the underside of the eighth ought to have supplied sufficient cushion for the Cubs to place away the Houston Astros. Instead they departed Minute Maid Park forward of Thursday’s time without work with a crushing 7-6 walk-off loss that raised extra questions on how the Cubs bullpen can get on monitor.
The Cubs (19-24) head to Philadelphia, the place they kick off the final leg of their three-city, nine-game journey Friday carrying a five-game dropping streak.
“We’ve got to cash that win in,” supervisor David Ross stated. “You’re trying to set guys up for success and match up things that go well, and it didn’t go well tonight. So you’ve got to look at it. Go back to the drawing board and continue to have those guys work.”
Mark Leiter Jr., pitching for the second time in 10 days, allowed two runs within the eighth and struck out three. Keegan Thompson was referred to as on for the ninth towards the Astros’ 7-8-9 hitters with a 6-3 lead.
Within three pitches, the Cubs benefit was whittled to a run courtesy of Jake Meyers’ two-run homer. A full-count stroll to pinch hitter Mauricio Dubón ended Thompson’s night time.
Thompson says he doesn’t really feel any completely different from a season in the past, when he posted a 1.47 ERA in 36 aid innings. As the Cubs attempt to maximize Thompson’s utilization and the way his physique recovers after pitching, they haven’t but been in a position to deploy him in the identical method.
All 12 of his 2022 aid appearances had been not less than two innings with the bulk lasting three. Only six of his 15 outings this yr have gone a number of innings.
For the Cubs bullpen to perform inside the way it was constructed coming into the season, they want the 2022 model of Thompson, each in utilization and efficiency. Without his skill to take down a number of innings, an already unproven aid group is additional thrust into unsure roles.
“We’re trying to get him synced up when he’s got enough rest, it feels like something we’ve got to look at just him bouncing back a little bit better,” Ross stated of Thompson “It’s bought to be higher.”
Traffic on the bases has been a continuing downside for the right-hander, even when he tosses zeros.
Through 15 appearances, Thompson has allowed not less than one baserunner in all however one recreation. The lone exception got here in his earlier look Sunday in Minnesota. Thompson has walked 14 and struck out 16 in 21⅓ innings whereas permitting 14 hits.
Thompson doesn’t imagine the standard of his stuff has been a problem.
“Things aren’t going my way right now,” he stated. “Just had some exhausting contact immediately. It’s a punch in my intestine. It simply sucks to let the group down.
“I‘ve done the exact same stuff the whole time, and some of them haven’t been working out. It’s just tough to go through some of those hard times right now.”
Ross didn’t waste time getting Brandon Hughes up within the bullpen. The lefty started warming up after Astros catcher Yainer Díaz’s first-pitch leadoff single within the ninth. The immediate determination highlights the urgency of the second and Ross understanding he wanted to have a lefty prepared for the highest of the order, in preparation for Thompson dealing with the minimal three-batter requirement.
“They jumped on him early with a couple pitches there and then scared him out of the zone,” Ross stated. “Walked a guy, I’m not going to wait around at that point.”
Hughes surrendered a double to Jeremy Peña and deliberately walked Alex Bregman to load the bases with no person out. After getting a power out at residence, Hughes gave up Kyle Tucker’s walk-off, two-run single to middle. Christopher Morel’s throw residence practically nabbed Bregman, however Yan Gomes’ tag was a fraction late. The Astros’ game-winning play on the plate underwent replay overview and was confirmed.
“The boys played well enough for a win and we didn’t do our job,” Hughes stated, “so it hurts.”
The blown lead squandered Drew Smyly’s stellar outing wherein he restricted the Astros to 1 run in six innings. Seiya Suzuki (two residence runs) and Morel (residence run) led the offense.
“This game has a way of making things spiral on you, individually and as a team, and you have to hold your belief that things will turn around, that you’re good enough, that it all evens out in the end,” Smyly stated. “Right now it’s a tough stretch. But we have an off day. Hopefully we can clear our heads and try to play better in Philly.”
Thompson’s inconsistency from outing to outing is compounding Ross’ restricted high-leverage choices.
The Cubs’ two offseason signings for veteran relievers haven’t panned out nicely seven weeks in.
Brad Boxberger, who’s going again to Chicago for additional analysis of his proper forearm pressure, has struggled all yr and Michael Fulmer hasn’t been in a position to get on a roll amid some unluckiness, posting a 59 ERA+ and .375 Batting Average on Balls in Play (BABIP). Thompson hasn’t thrown sufficient aggressive pitches across the zone. Hughes has already been on the injured listing twice. Nick Burdi and Jeremiah Estrada don’t possess a lot big-league monitor expertise. Michael Rucker and Julian Merryweather have a combined monitor document in leverage alternatives. Adbert Alozlay’s efficiency might earn him extra probabilities in massive spots on prime of his multi-inning flexibility; he’s surrendered an earned run in simply 4 of his 18 appearances.
As the Cubs battle to get on monitor, losers in 18 of their final 25 video games, they have to weigh how lengthy they’ll let Thompson attempt to work by his struggles on the major-league stage versus Triple A. They want him to get proper and pitch extra just like the reliever they noticed in 2021 and 2022.
The Cubs are in harmful spot, squandering a robust begin in what’s setting as much as be a winnable division might shortly put them in a nasty place. If the Cubs rip off profitable streaks — or on the very least play .500 for a protracted stretch — the entrance workplace might be in promote mode once more this summer time.
“We’re just excited to get out of this city,” Smyly stated of Houston. “We’ve seen enough of it. Ready to get home.”
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com