Cubs grind, but can't catch Scherzer, Nats
The Cubs seem generally satisfied with the direction of the team. Heading into Wednesday's action, they were 9-4 since May 4.
“It's a group of guys that just mixes really well together personality-wise,” second baseman Nico Hoerner said. “You're starting to see the results coming together too when you go back over the last month. A group that really enjoys being around each other. That really makes the six months a lot more fun. You play better when you're enjoying it.”
The offense has come around after a slow start. The bullpen ranks fifth in the majors in ERA and has added several promising arms this year.
The weak spot is starting pitching. Jake Arrieta had a tough task on Wednesday, facing Washington veteran Max Scherzer. The Cubs managed to chase Scherzer after five innings, but couldn't do a thing against the Nationals bullpen until Javy Baez hit a solo home run in the ninth and lost 4-3 at Wrigley Field.
Arrieta wasn't at his best, giving up 4 runs and 7 hits on 94 pitches. Like Zach Davies the previous night, Arrieta managed to keep the Cubs within striking distance.
The Cubs' starting pitchers rank 28th in the majors with a 5.05 ERA. That's a little better than this past weekend, when they ranked last until Kyle Hendricks nearly shut out the Tigers on Sunday.
The Cubs did a nice job of trying to grind this one out. They scored once in the second inning on a Hoerner RBI single, then Eric Sogard was thrown out at the plate trying to score from first when the ball was juggled in the outfield.
Scherzer, 36, is in his 14th major league season, but is on pace to post a career-best 2.24 ERA. He was on his game early in this one, mixing his array of sharp breaking balls with the occasional 96 mph heat.
In the fifth inning, the Cubs essentially knocked Scherzer out by making him throw 33 pitches, reaching 100 on the night.
The rally started with a one-out, broken bat single by Arrieta, who got his first hit of the season in 11 at-bats. Arrieta is traditionally one of the better hitting pitchers in the game, hitting .262 during the 2016 season.
While Adbert Alzolay ran for Arrieta, Joc Pederson beat the shift by sending a single down the third-base line. After Kris Bryant worked a walk to load the bases, the Cubs scored once on Ian Happ's single to center.
Tommy Nance made his second appearance and retired all four batters he faced, with 3 strikeouts. On Tuesday, Hoerner paid tribute to his former minor league teammate.
“I can tell you that facing Tommy Nance in live ABs in the snow in South Bend is a difficult task,” Hoerner said, referring to April at the Cubs alternate site. “He made a lot of people look really bad. I think the world of his stuff and the way he competes.”
The last hitter Nance faced was shortstop Trea Turner, who struck out and the ball got away from Willson Contreras. Turner made it to first base on the dropped third strike, but was called out for running inside the base path.
Nationals manager Davey Martinez was so unhappy with the call, he pulled first base out of the ground and slammed it to the turf before being ejected. Martinez not only played for the Cubs, but was the bench coach under Joe Maddon when they won the World Series.
P.J. Higgins, called up from Iowa on Wednesday, made his major league debut by filling in for Jason Heyward. who left the game early with a tight hamstring. Higgins went 0-for-3 at the plate with 2 strikeouts.
Defensively, Higgins played first base. Bryant started at first base for the injured Anthony Rizzo, then moved to right. Late in the game, Ross moved Hoerner from second base to center field after putting the new pitcher in Ian Happ's spot in the order.
Twitter: @McGrawDHBulls