It’s tough to blame the Cubs. I mean, who the hell likes Tuesdays? Tuesdays are the work week’s purgatory. Tuesdays are Wednesday’s Monday. Nothing good happens on Tuesdays, and that played out tonight in Milwaukee. The Brewers’ Chase Anderson took a no-hitter into the eighth inning, Kyle Hendricks gave up four earned runs in 5.1 innings pitched, and the Cubs fell to Milwaukee, 4-2
Anderson entered the night with a 6.11 ERA and 5.69 DRA. Previously in 2016, he’d been a detriment to his team when on the field accumulating a -0.2 bWARP. It was the first time in 56 career start Anderson had pitched into the ninth inning. You get the idea.
Hendricks, meanwhile, was not at his sharpest, allowing seven base runners, and just his second home run of the season. On the positive side, Trevor Cahill was outstanding, needing just 23 pitches to retire all eight batters he faced, including three strikeouts.
After a Ben Zobrist double in the eighth inning broke up the no-hitter, the offense made it interesting with back-to-back two-out home runs in the ninth inning from Jason Heyward (!) and Kris Bryant. Unfortunately, it was too little, too late. Jeremy Jeffress, despite left-handers hitting .333/.400/.556 against him this season, came in to strike out Anthony Rizzo to nail down his 11th save. Again, over 162 games, miserable Tuesday nights are bound to happen. Let’s wallow in our midweek blues together.
Top Play (WPA): The offense eventually came to life, but it just took 26 outs to get there. With two outs, the bases empty, and Anderson one out from a complete game shutout, Heyward launched his first home run of 2016. The shutout spoiled, Bryant would follow with his seventh home run of the season. It would be the offense’s high water mark. (+.008)
Bottom Play (WPA): Jonathan Lucroy’s fourth inning home run broke up a scoreless game. Hendricks had previously kept Lucroy in check, holding him to just one hit in nine plate appearances. (-.133)
Key Moment: For all intents and purposes, the Brewers put the game away in the sixth inning. With the Brewers already leading 1-0, Ryan Braun singled home a run. Joe Maddon elected to keep Hendricks in the game to face Chris Carter, who delivered what proved to be the game-winning hit, doubling to right. Carter owns some serious reverse splits this season, entering the night hitting .276/.315/.663 against right-handed pitchers, which allows for some second guessing as to why Hendricks stayed in the game to pitch to him.
Trend to Watch: The offense is nearing the precipitous edge of a slump. They’ve scored just three runs over the past two games, and they have scored four runs or fewer in four of the past six games. By Chicago’s 2016 standards, that constitutes scuffling. It’s nothing to be worried about yet, but that doesn’t make it any less frustrating.
Coming Next: John Lackey gets the ball on Wednesday night. In 2015, he made five starts against the Brewers, posting a 1.85 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and a 23 percent strikeout rate. The Brewers counter with right-hander Jimmy Nelson, who has been adequate in 2016 (4.32 DRA and 1.17 WHIP). However, he was excellent against the Cubs in three starts last season. Though Nelson did not pick up a win, he averaged seven innings per start, striking out 25 in 20.2 innings pitched and posting a 0.92 WHIP. Nelson goes with his sinker and four-seam about 70 percent of all pitches, and batters are finding success against his go-to pitch (.457 slugging percentage). The Cubs will look to get back to their prodigiously winning ways. First pitch is at 7:10 PM CST.
Lead photo courtesy Benny Sieu—USA Today Sports