It keeps getting worse for Cubs
It seems there's no limit to how bad things can get for the Cubs.
Just when it looked like this “kid” thing might work and that Carlos Zambrano would get a much-deserved victory over the Astros, the Cubs got an epic implosion from closer Carlos Marmol on Tuesday night at Wrigley Field.
Rookie Darwin Barney gave the Cubs a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the eighth with a double. That rallied the Cubs from a 1-0 deficit, and Aramis Ramirez added another run-scoring double.
In came Marmol. Out the window went the game as last-place Houston scored 6 runs to score a stunning 7-3 victory.
Even though he busted a bat over his leg after striking out earlier, Zambrano looked like the voice of reason after this heartbreaker, which sent the Cubs reeling to a record of 23-30. Zambrano said he consoled Marmol.
“It happens to Mariano Rivera, it happens to Joe Nathan, it happens to the best of the best,” said Zambrano, who tossed 8 innings of 7-hit ball, giving up a fourth-inning homer to Brett Wallace.
“Marmol is a good closer. It can happen to him, too. He was very down, upset, when he came in. I told him, ‘Just keep your head up, and tomorrow's another day, and you have another chance to close a game tomorrow.'”
The blown save was Marmol's third; he has 10 saves.
Go ahead and blame him if you wish, but once again the blame rests squarely with the offense, despite the energetic eighth-inning rally.
Stop us if you've heard this one before, but the Cubs were facing a pitcher making his major-league debut, Jordan Lyles. That seems to cause trouble for the Cubs, and Tuesday was no different.
The Cubs' hitters didn't make the kid work. While Zambrano was tossing 111 pitches over 8 innings, the Cubs saw 69 through six innings against Lyles, who wound up throwing 92 in 7-plus innings.
And this figure shouldn't surprise you, either: With the wind blowing out, the Astros hit 2 homers to none for the Cubs. Visiting batters now have outhomered the Cubs 31-16 at Wrigley and 19-2 with the wind blowing out.
“It's funny; I saw one of our most patient guys, Carlos (Pena), was getting after him early,” manager Mike Quade said. “I don't know what game plan he and (hitting coach) Rudy (Jaramillo) had come up with, but he's such a patient guy normally.
“There were a few impatient at-bats. When I really get interested is when we're chasing a lot … a whole bunch of them can improve on their discipline, that's for sure.”
Quade was asked about the crushing loss and where this team stands after going 12-14 in April and 11-16 in May.
“Aren't they all?” he said of the rough loss. “I'm not even sure I know who this team is yet. OK? Given the amount of roster moves and stuff, that's safe to say.
“We've got some good young players we're getting a look at. The pitching's been inconsistent. The bullpen's been good. Marm had a rough night tonight.”
bmiles@dailyherald.com