After a delay of 2 hour, 15 minutes, the Cubs blew a late lead and used five relievers as they fell to the Colorado Rockies, 7-6 in 11 innings.
Describe the game in three words: Looking for relief.
Sudden lack of depth: With Pedro Strop (meniscus tear) and Hector Rondon (triceps soreness) on the disabled list, the Cubs are missing two of their top three relievers. Add in the fact that Mike Montgomery is starting Saturday for John Lackey (shoulder soreness), and Trevor Cahill is set to back him up, manager Joe Maddon’s bullpen juggling should be interesting.
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Rookies Felix Pena and Rob Zastryzny were called up prior to Friday’s game. They made their major-league debuts and were able to work scoreless innings.
With the game tied at 5-5, Pena pitched a perfect ninth, while Zastryzny entered in the 10th inning and loaded the bases after getting two quick outs. He was able to induce a ground out from Gerardo Parra to end the inning. The young lefty should get a break for loading the bases as he had to work through both Carlos Gonzalez and Nolan Arenado to get out of the inning.
While the rookies were wild cards, the surprise was that Cubs closer Aroldis Chapman was unable to hold a 6-5 lead in the 11th inning. He gave up a one-out single, then a double from Ryan Raburn that scored Nick Hundley. Javy Baez’s wild relay toss allowed Raburn to score the winning run.
Chapman gets hit every once in awhile, but the real issue is what’s happening with Travis Wood. The left-handed veteran is a favorite of Maddon, as displayed by his 61 appearances on the season, tied for tops in baseball. Wood gave up one unearned run in the seventh, but it seems like every bit of contact he allows is hard.
Maddon pushed it, understandably trying to save a bullpen that will likely be worked hard on Saturday, and allowed Wood to go out for the eighth. He allowed a single then a walk to start the inning before Maddon reluctantly made the move to Carl Edwards Jr.
Edwards gave up a double off Kris Bryant’s glove, a run-scoring ground out and a sacrifice fly to tie the game at 5-5.
Back to Wood. The lefty entered the evening with a solid 2.96 ERA, but all the peripherals suggested that wasn’t going to last. By the end of the game, his strikeout rate stood at 18.4 percent, his walk rate at 10.4 percent, he had a .232 BABIP, 36.2 percent ground ball rate and his left on base percentage dropped from an unsustainable 84.3 percent to 79.6 percent – still probably a little high.
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Depending on how things shake out over the next few days, Montgomery could be a good fit to replace him in that role as the first lefty used out of the bullpen or that starter-turned-reliever who can pitch an extended relief appearance. Justin Grimm, who hasn’t allowed a run in his last 16 appearances, will also likely see a more pertinent role.
Bats stay strong: Bryant followed up his 5-for-5, two-homer day with three more singles and is now slashing .299/.393/.563 on the season as he continues a push for the MVP award.
Addison Russell added a two-run homer, while Dexter Fowler led off the game with a solo shot and gave the Cubs a temporary lead in the 11th with a bloop single. Anthony Rizzo and Willson Contreras each added a pair of hits.
Maddon told the media prior to the game that the struggling Jason Heyward would get the weekend series off in favor of the hot Jorge Soler. Soler went 0-for-4 on the night and was replaced by Ben Zobrist in right late in the game. Heyward is playing his regular Gold Glove defense, but holds a wRC+ of 68, well below his career-low of 96 (which came in 2011, his second season) and his career average of 112.
Cy Hendricks: After Kyle Hendricks delivered six strong innings of one-run baseball (coming off a solo shot to lead off the Rockies half of the first from David Dahl), his ERA dipped to 2.16. After the Dodgers play Saturday, the injured Clayton Kershaw will no longer have enough innings (he has 121) to qualify for the National League’s ERA lead at 1.79. On Sunday morning, Hendricks will be the new ERA leader, a nice boost for his underdog Cy Young award campaign. Maybe Eddie Vedder will dedicate “Better Man” to him Saturday at Pearl Jam’s Wrigley Field concert.
On deck: August has been kind to Cubs starters. They now have 14 quality starts with a 1.55 ERA and zero losses. Montgomery gets his first start with the Cubs and looks to carry on that trend, facing off against top prospect Jeff Hoffman, who makes his major-league debut.