CI Recap (9/12/18) – Cubs 1, Brewers 5: Cubs Division Lead Just One Game

Photo of Brendan Miller Brendan MillerSeptember 13, 2018

Let’s not sugar coat it: the Chicago Cubs are fatigued. Do you blame them? I certainly don’t. I’m fatigued just writing this post as the clock ticks pack 2 AM. But I’m currently in the comfort of my home while the Cubs are somewhere in the clouds on their plane to DC. Rizzo doesn’t even have time to change his uniform for the Thursday game (a complete joke of a game, by the way, thanks to MLB).

The Cubs dropped the third game of the set against Milwaukee 1-5. Kyle Hendricks started for the Cubs, went five innings, and surrendered only two runs. The Cubs lone run came on a Kris Bryant double that nearly made it into the basket. Hendricks looked solid once again on Wednesday but was removed after just 77 pitches in an effort to score runs. Despite Maddon pulling Hendricks early for a pinch hitter, the offense didn’t provide any more runs as the Brewers bullpen once again held strong. But seriously, the Cubs are gassed, and Hendricks admitted it after the game while still stressing confidence.

Why The Cubs Lost

Once again the Cubs mustered little in the way of offense in the series finale. A mere one run on six hits brought the series total to just six runs for the Cubs. The Cubs went 1-5 with RISP and left a total of seven men on base Wednesday.

Key Moments

Curtis Granderson’s last homer at Wrigley Field prior to Wednesday night was against Mark Prior in 2006. So, of course, he homers in the series finale off Steve Cishek. Granderson played an integral role in this one, scoring three of the Brewers five runs.

Stats That Matter

  • Kris Bryant looked good at the plate, going 2-3 with an RBI double and a walk. His other hit, a single, was a hard hit grounder through the shift which was nice to see.
  • Daniel Murphy went 0-4 tonight and hitless for the series. Not the type of production the Cubs need out of the leadoff spot.

Bottom Line

There are 17 games left. The Cubs are one game up on Milwaukee. They have to endure MLB’s incompetent scheduling. But they’ve been resilient ever since Joe Maddon took over the club in 2015. They ripped through the 2015 second half en route to their first NLCS in 12 years. Then a World Series championship was brought back to Wrigleyville despite going down 1-3 in the series in 2016 (people forget that). And the same squad went to their third straight NLCS in 2017 after blazing through the second half. As Lester always says, we never quit. And by we, I mean the Cubs (I sometimes quit).

Photo of Brendan Miller Brendan MillerSeptember 13, 2018
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