With one other ninth-inning nightmare, Cubs’ highway woes could possibly be their undoing
PITTSBURGH — Simply once you thought it could not worsen.
It did.
That is how the Chicago Cubs should be feeling after back-to-back walk-off losses. The newest got here Friday night time towards the Pirates when supervisor Joe Maddon known as upon right-hander Brandon Kintzler to guard a one-run lead with one out within the ninth. The issue? Kintzler was contemporary off the injured listing and predictably did not have his command. He walked three batters, the primary one deliberately however the final one with the bases loaded to carry dwelling the tying run, earlier than Kevin Newman singled dwelling the winner.
“Nobody feels worse than Kintzler proper now, however that is the way in which that is rolling recently,” Maddon stated after a Three-2 loss. “You’ll be able to’t give in to it. It’s a must to preserve combating via it. And in the event you do, you will come out the opposite aspect. We can not let it get to us.”
Maddon stated one thing related Thursday night time when the Cubs misplaced on a walk-off grand slam by Bryce Harper in Philadelphia. Then got here an early morning arrival in Pittsburgh the place the workforce was met by its common supervisor, Jed Hoyer. Staff president Theo Epstein will be part of the workforce quickly because the group prepares for a lighthearted day in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, for a sport Sunday along with the Little League World Collection.
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Bryce Harper rips a grand slam out of the park to present the Phillies a 7-5 walk-off win over the Cubs.
How a lot enjoyable might that probably be if the Cubs lose one other highway sport Saturday? Due to a 23-39 report away from Wrigley Area, they’re beginning to lookup at different groups within the standings.
“I do not ever keep in mind [this happening] in my complete baseball taking part in profession,” Kris Bryant stated of the back-to-back crushing losses. “I do not know the way to answer it. It is new to me. It is new to most of us.”
You will excuse Bryant for not remembering Might 5-6, 2018, when the St. Louis Cardinals gained consecutive video games towards the Cubs of their ultimate at-bat. However these got here when the Cubs nonetheless gained some video games on the highway. It did not damage as dangerous. These sting extra.
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“It could possibly be quite a bit higher,” Bryant stated. “It could possibly be quite a bit worse. We’re type of proper within the center there. Fortunately nobody is operating away with it. A minimum of we’ve that on our aspect.”
That is the perfect the Cubs can muster proper now. A thankfulness that the Milwaukee Brewers and the Cardinals have not run away from them within the division race. It wasn’t speculated to occur this fashion. The 2016 World Collection winners — gone their championship hangover — have been speculated to be nearer to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros somewhat than the Cardinals and Brewers. However these groups have improved whereas the Cubs have, properly, stood nonetheless. And that is likely to be placing it kindly.
“We will not preserve having this dialog time and again,” Hoyer stated in regards to the Cubs’ inconsistent play. “If we proceed that cycle, we’ll find yourself upset.”
Maddon will undoubtedly get a lot of the blame, as managers are inclined to. And there is already a sense that his days in Chicago are numbered, contemplating his contract is up on the finish of the season. However he has been taking part in a sport of whack-a-mole for a lot of the yr primarily based on an imperfect roster.
He can not seem to make a defensive substitute or choose a reliever to pitch with out it coming again to chew him. Each sorts of choices got here into play within the losses Thursday and Friday. He might be the autumn man primarily based solely on the Cubs’ highway report — not that he has maxed out on the season both. Maddon hasn’t adjusted to the brand new actuality of the Cubs: They won’t be as gifted as they as soon as have been they usually’re actually not as deep. Not even shut.
“It is a cliché. We simply should preserve going,” Bryant stated. “I do not know what else to say. I actually do not.”
Nobody does.