For the first time since mid-May, the Chicago Cubs won a game by three or more runs with a 5-1 win on Saturday to back Shota Imanaga’s incredible performance. With an early game on the schedule as the Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals play on Roku, the Cubs couldn’t keep their momentum going on Sunday, falling to the rival Cards.
Tale of the Tape
The Cubs and Cardinals were Sunday’s feature game on the free Roku Channel. With a 12:05 p.m. CDT start, Sunday’s baseball slate started with the NL Central rivalry. Similar to the rest of the series, Sunday’s game featured another low-scoring affair.
The scoreboard filled up with a number other than zero for the first time in the second inning. After Brandon Crawford knocked a double into the right-center gap, catcher Pedro Pagés clubbed his second home run of the season and series. With the wind whipping out for the first time all weekend on Sunday, the catcher’s fly ball received help from Mother Nature to give the visitors a lead.
The Cubs threatened multiple times, as did the Cardinals, but neither team tallied again until the seventh inning. With two outs, Ian Happ doubled for the first Cubs extra-base hit. Michael Busch followed that up with a single to score Happ and cut the Cardinals’ lead in half.
With the score 2-1, the Cubs had a chance in the bottom of the eighth. Mike Tauchman walked and was replaced by Pete Crow-Armstrong as a pinch runner. PCA stole second, and should have been moved over by Christopher Morel. Unfortunately, Morel failed to do so. A Cody Bellinger fly out would’ve scored PCA if he were on third, but the speedster advanced to third at that time.
With two outs and the tying run 90 feet away, Seiya Suzuki struck out swinging to end the threat. The Cubs had another chance in the bottom of the ninth. With two men on, Patrick Wisdom came on to pinch hit for Miguel Amaya. Unfortunately, Brendan Donovan made a spectacular catch on the deep gap shot from Wisdom to end the game. Like Friday’s game, the slugger had a chance but just missed being the hero.
The Cubs fell 2-1 on Sunday and dropped the series by the same tally.
Same Story
The Cubs once again have the same story on their hands following the Cardinals series. The bats didn’t do enough, the starting pitching was quality, and the bullpen was either on or off. The Cubs aren’t a bad team, but their bats’ lack of production suggests they’re one of the worst in the league.
Something needs to change. The offense is killing this team. The bullpen has managed despite a ton of injuries and the starting pitching has largely done the same. Now, the bats need to complement the overall pitching staff and provide some run support.
Perhaps a big trade for a bat needs to happen sooner than later, but the Cubs need to get the offense going. If they cannot, their chances at the postseason might be over by the All-Star break.
What’s On Tap Next?
The Cubs welcome the San Francisco Giants to Wrigley Field for three games beginning on Monday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CDT with Javier Assad and Jordan Hicks throwing for their respective clubs.
