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Game 91 Recap: Reds 5 Cubs 4

Top Play (WPA): This game was back and forth through the first six innings, but Jay Bruce’s two-out, two-run homer off of Justin Grimm gave the Reds a 5-to-4 lead that they wouldn’t relinquish (.412). Grimm came on in relief of Clayton Richard, who was removed after 70 pitches and three runs through 5 2/3 innings. The decision […]

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Game 90 Recap: Cubs 4 Braves 1

Top Play (WPA): Jonathan Herrera. What can I say about him that hasn’t already been said, often somewhat rudely, by the joyless denizens of Twitter? Honestly, not much; he seems like a nice guy and a good teammate, but a .256/.274/.341 line coming into play today is hard to get too excited about, especially when it comes […]

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Game 89 Recap: Cubs 4 Braves 0

Top Play (WPA): Anthony Rizzo has been quiet of late. So it was nice to see him record a clean single to right field in the first inning, scoring Kris Bryant and putting the Cubs up 1-0 in that inning. That hit improved the Cubs’ chances by 12.1 percent, and put Braves starter Manny Banuelos in […]

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Game 88 Recap: Braves 4 Cubs 2

Top Play (WPA): This one was close right up until it wasn’t. Going into the bottom of the eighth inning, both teams had scraped their way to scoring two runs despite numerous missed opportunities on each side. Pedro Strop was on the mound for the Cubs, and the game seemed very much within reach for the North […]

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Game 87 Recap: Cubs 3 White Sox 1

Top Play (WPA): Kris Bryant is a National League All-Star in this, his rookie season. Part of the reason why is that he frequently—more frequently, indeed, than most—does things like the thing he did in the first inning of today’s game. What he did, to be specific, was hit a ball past the glove of a […]

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Game 84 Recap: Cardinals 6 Cubs 5

Top Play (WPA): It really hurts to delete everything I had written for the top play and write all of this down, but by law (or mandate, really) I must tell you the truth. This was an up and down game, with the Cardinals taking the early 4-0 lead, the Cubs tacking two runs on […]

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Game 83 Recap: Cubs 5, Cardinals 3

Top Play (WPA):  Whew, well that felt good. Cardinals Devil Magic ran thin in the seventh inning of this one, and the Cubs were able to pull off what seemed like an unlikely doubleheader sweep on Tuesday. Let’s recap. The top play in this one was Addison Russell’s game-tying single in the bottom of the […]

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GAME 82 RECAP: Cubs 7, Cardinals 4

Top Play (WPA): What a difference a day makes! After a miserable, soaking wet shutout loss to the Cardinals on Monday, the Cubs feasted on young left-hander Tyler Lyons and the rest of St. Louis’ pitching, drawing eight walks, smacking 12 hits, and generally knocking Lyons and later Randy Choate around the yard. The Cubs have […]

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Game 81 Recap: Cardinals 6 Cubs 0

Top Play (WPA): I guess I should start by saying that I was at this miserable excuse for a game tonight—there, right there, at Wrigley Field, where the Cardinals fans, already bold to begin with grew bolder as the game wore on—and so if you feel this recap is tinged with sadness, gloom, or desolation, that might […]

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Game 80 Recap: Cubs 2 Marlins 0

Top Play (WPA): The starting pitching dominated on both sides in the rubber game of this three-game series. Mat Latos allowed just a first-inning run on a wild pitch, and Kyle Hendricks was at his best. Hendricks had guys off balance all afternoon, inducing weak ground balls and even striking out six batters. But crafty righty ran […]