More of the same for Cubs’ Volstad in loss
A new beginning for Chris Volstad? More like a new big inning.
The big inning was the beginning of the end for the beleaguered Volstad in his first stint with the Cubs this season.
So it was again Tuesday night in Atlanta.
With the Cubs holding a 3-1 lead, Volstad gave up 5 runs in the fifth, and the Braves went on to win 10-3, chasing the Cubs starter after 4 innings. In all, Cubs pitchers walked nine.
It was the same pattern that got Volstad sent to Class AAA Iowa on May 18 after he opened the season in the Cubs’ rotation and went 0-6 with a 7.46 ERA.
Volstad has not won a game since last July 10, as a member of the Marlins. That’s a streak of 20 starts.
Here is how some of Volstad’s earlier starts went:
ŸThe Cardinals scored 4 in the bottom of the fourth and beat the Cubs 5-1 on April 14.
ŸThe Reds jumped on Volstad with 4 in the first April 20 on the way to a 9-4 victory.
ŸThe Cardinals got 3 in the sixth at Wrigley Field as they beat Volstad 5-1 April 25.
ŸIn Philadelphia, the Phillies hit Volstad with a 4-spot in the first on the way to a 6-4 win April 30.
ŸThe Dodgers scored 3 in the second May 5 as they won 5-1.
ŸThe Brewers scored 5 in the sixth at Miller Park on May 12 in an 8-2 victory.
ŸIn Volstad’s final start before being demoted, he gave up 3 to the Phillies May 17 as they held off the Cubs 8-7.
Volstad admitted to pressing in his first go-round with the Cubs, who obtained him from the Marlins for former ace Carlos Zambrano. At Iowa, Volstad went 2-3 with a 4.44 ERA.
“It’s definitely a learning process, and getting back out there was good, but I think it’s a matter of me trying to be too perfect and too fine and trying to be better than I have to be,” he told reporters. “Nobody is perfect, so how can I expect myself to be?”
Cubs manager Dale Sveum was hoping Volstad was over that mental hump.
“Not much has changed, obviously,” Sveum said. “Another bad inning. There was still some hard contact going on before that with the stuff and the location, so it wasn’t all that good anyway.”
Volstad is holding down the rotation spot of Ryan Dempster, who is on the disabled list. Dempster is scheduled to come back after next week’s all-star break. The Cubs will need 1 more start out of that spot before the break, Sunday at New York.
“We’ll run him out there again,” Sveum said of Volstad. “As of now, we don’t really have any other options.”
bmiles@dailyherald.com