Kilian hit hard, mental miscues cost Cubs in 7-6 loss to Marlins
Mental miscues haven't been much of an issue for the Cubs this season.
They've pitched well. They've hit extremely well. And they've played solid defense.
Hence the 14-11 record through 25 games.
On Saturday, though, the Cubs messed up in the field, at the plate and on the basepaths during a 7-6 loss at Miami. The brain freezes enabled the Marlins to put together a 5-run first inning and then kept big-time potential rallies from developing.
Caleb Kilian, making his season debut for the Cubs, needed 40 pitches to get out of the first inning and ended up giving up 7 runs on 10 hits while walking two and hitting two in just 3⅓ innings.
Kilian could have escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first, but left fielder Ian Happ got crossed up on a line drive off the bat of Jesus Sanchez. The ball sailed over Happ's head and bounced over the fence for a 2-run double.
That opened the floodgates for the Marlins, who went on to score three more times.
The Cubs did an admirable job of fighting back from what became a 7-2 deficit - getting a pair of runs in the sixth and eighth - but Cody Bellinger and Trey Mancini both struck out in the ninth after Seiya Suzuki singled with one out.
"We battled our tails off," said manager David Ross. "We had the bases loaded three times. Didn't get a lot of runs out of it, but they stayed focused."
Well, that's debatable.
Suzuki made a mental mistake at the plate in the third inning after Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson and Happ walked to load the bases with nobody out. Suzuki's at-bat began with a pitch-clock violation, immediately putting him a hole. The count eventually went to 3-2, and Suzuki struck out swinging on a 96-mph pitch that was well out of the zone.
Bellinger then struck out looking and Mancini grounded out to third.
Eric Hosmer committed a brutal baserunning gaffe in the sixth. With the bases loaded, Hoerner hit a fly ball to left field that was deep enough to score Mancini and get the Cubs within 7-4. Hosmer, however, was caught between second and third trying to tag up.
Ross also made a curious decision by pinch hitting Edwin Rios (.059) with the bases loaded and nobody out in the sixth. Rios did rip a change-up just foul, but he struck out looking two pitches later.
The Marlins' Luis Arraez went 3-for-4 with a walk to raise his MLB-leading average to .440. Marlins starter Edward Cabrera struck out 12 in just five innings. The other three outs came on ground balls (one of which was a double play).
Kilian, acquired from the Giants as part of the Kris Bryant trade in 2021, had allowed 9 runs in 11⅓ innings with the Iowa Cubs this season. He was called up due to an injury to Jameson Taillon.
"We had a tough loss (Friday night) and get down five in the first," Ross said. "They fought all the way back and we had a chance in the ninth. They fought really hard and I am proud of that."
Hoerner went 1-for-3 with 2 RBIs and has reached base safely in 24 straight games. Wisdom (2-for-3) is tied for second in the majors with his 10 homers.