Cubs' Jackson can't shake big cloud over his head
When it rains, it pours. And this year, it's been coming down in buckets all over Edwin Jackson.
The Cubs right-hander came out dealing Tuesday night against the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field.
Then the rains came and didn't stop. Unfortunately for Jackson and the Cubs, the storm that hit the South Side wiped out a 2-0 Cubs lead in the bottom of the third inning.
No makeup date has been announced, but the Cubs and White Sox have a common off-day June 24.
Jackson had struck out three and given up only a leadoff single to Conor Gillaspie in the third. But all of that was wiped out, as was a 2-run homer by Welington Castillo off tough Sox lefty Chris Sale in the second.
Last week in Pittsburgh, Jackson took the loss after working 3 innings in a game delayed, but not called off, because of rain.
So even though it was raining, it could have been worse.
“It's just one of those things,” said Jackson, who is off to a 1-7 start with a 6.11 ERA in his first year with the Cubs after signing a four-year, $52 million deal in the winter.
“Sometimes when you're having seasons like I'm having, that's how it is. You feel good and something happens. You feel bad and something happens.
“Its kind of awkward. Back-to-back rainouts might be a first.”
Jackson worked 1-2-3 innings in the first and second before giving up Gillaspie's single and then striking out Tyler Greene before the rain hit.
The Cubs have been waiting for Jackson to bust out of it, and this looked like it could be the night.
“He came out throwing the ball really well, obviously with a lot of conviction,” Cubs manager Dale Sveum said. “He had velocity from the get-go, 92-93-mph cutters as well as his fastball at 96. That's kind of the guy we want to go out there all the time, with 86-87 mile-an-hour sliders and velocity from the get-go and see what happens from there.”
Jackson seemed to agree with his manager.
“I felt pretty good tonight,” he said. “I was pretty loose from the beginning to come out and attack the strike zone hard and down.”
Both the Cubs and White Sox quickly packed up and got ready to resume hostilities for the next two days on the North Side as the cross-town battle shifts sites.
Inside the Cubs' clubhouse, Castillo joked that, “in my mind, nothing happened, it was like batting practice,” referring to his homer-that-wasn't off Sale.
“All that matters is keep playing,” Castillo said. “Have the opportunity to be here and to be in the lineup tomorrow.”
As for the 0-1 pitch he hit off Sale in the second, Castillo said. “I hit a slider. I was just trying to get a good at-bat and be aggressive. I know he's not easy to hit. Just don't put too many things in my head. See the ball and hit it.”
Castillo also agreed that Jackson had pretty good stuff. Too bad he saved it up for a rainy night. “Yeah, he was really good,” the catcher said. “He had something special going on.”
If there was a silver lining that Jackson will be fresh for his next starts, he wasn't seeing it.
“No,” he said. “I'm accustomed to throwing a lot of innings, accustomed a high pitch count. I'm used to going out there and being worked, so that doesn't have any effect on me whether I get more tired or less tired.”
bmiles@dailyherald.com
Cubs-White Sox scouting report
Cubs vs. White Sox at Wrigley Field
TV: Cubs: Comcast SportsNet Wednesday, WGN Thursday; White Sox: WGN Wednesday, Comcast SportsNet Thursday
Radio: WGN 720-AM, WSCR 670-AM
Pitching matchups: The Cubs' Scott Feldman (4-4) vs. John Danks (0-0) Wednesday. Travis Wood (4-3) vs. Jake Peavy (6-2) Thursday. Both games begin at 1:20 p.m.
About the Cubs: The Cubs return to Wrigley Field after an eight-game road trip. They'll play the Diamondbacks this weekend, go to Anaheim for two next week before coming home for seven more. Expect left-handed hitter David DeJesus back in center field Wednesday against Sox lefty Danks. Julio Borbon started the two games at U.S. Cellular Field. The Cubs entered Tuesday having drawn 15 walks in their previous four games. However, they still ranked last in the NL in walks taken. Welington Castillo, Alfonso Soriano and Starlin Castro entered Tuesday in the bottom five in walk percentage. The Cubs' bullpen entered Tuesday with a 1.06 ERA (2 earned runs in 17 innings) in the team's previous six games.
About the White Sox: They swept a three-game series at Wrigley Field last season and are 9-3 on the North Side since 2009. Danks pitched 6 scoreless innings and beat the Cubs at Wrigley on May 19. It was his last start of season because of a shoulder injury that required surgery. In his 2013 debut, Danks pitched 6 innings vs. Miami on Friday and allowed 3 runs on 4 hits. Paul Konerko has played 72 career games at Wrigley Field and is batting .292 with 20 home runs and 54 RBI. Peavy pitched a complete game vs. the Marlins on Saturday, allowing 1 run on 6 hits while lowering his ERA to 2.97.
Next for the Cubs: Arizona Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field, Friday-Sunday
Next for the White Sox: Oakland Athletics at O.co Coliseum.
— Bruce Miles and Scot Gregor