Why the Chicago Cubs find their lead shrinking
As the Chicago Cubs try to hang on in the National League Central, veteran outfielder Jason Heyward had this to say Tuesday.
“I just want to point out we have the best record in the National League, and we haven't clinched yet; that shows you how good our division is,” Heyward said before the Cubs fell 6-0 the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley Field. “That shows you how good this league is.
“So I feel like it's kind of time to pay your respect to how good these other teams have been playing baseball. Now look at what we've done. I feel it's impressive that we're right here at this point in the season with what's gone on this season.”
The Cubs have had the best record in the National League much of the way, but as Heyward pointed out, they haven't closed the deal yet, and things are getting tighter.
After losing Monday's series opener to the Pirates, they fell behind early Tuesday. The Milwaukee Brewers (91-67) beat the St. Louis Cardinals 12-4 to pull within a half-game of the Cubs (91-66) in the Central. The Cubs' magic number to clinch the division held at 5.
Once again, the culprit for the Cubs was the offense, which has never really found its groove all season. The Pirates (80-76) outhit the Cubs 10-5, and Cubs batters were 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
“This has been going on for a bit,” said manager Joe Maddon after the game, which was delayed 55 minutes by rain at the start. “Our offense has been very inconsistent.”
Mike Montgomery (5-6) made his career-high 18th start for the Cubs, and he gave 3 runs in the second inning. Corey Dickerson doubled to right field with one out, and Jose Osuna walked. Pablo Reyes followed with a home run to left field.
Doubles by Starling Marte and Francisco Cervelli gave the Pirates a 4-0 lead in the third. A leadoff double by Adam Frazier in the fifth chased Montgomery in favor of Brandon Kintzler. Frazier later scored on Cervelli's groundout.
“You don't want to put your offense in a hole,” Montgomery said. “It kind of puts them in a tough position to have to come back.”
Montgomery was forced into the Cubs' rotation earlier this season after Yu Darvish went down with injury. Previously, Montgomery had been a valuable swing man. If the Cubs do make the postseason, it's likely Montgomery will return to the bullpen.
He knows the Cubs are in a fight now.
“We got a resilient bunch of guys,” he said. “We know where we're at, and it's a little bit of motivation. We've got to bring it this last five games. I think our guys know that. We're not going to get discouraged. We're going to kind of regroup and get ready for tomorrow.”
The Cubs did little with their former farmhand Chris Archer, who stranded a pair of runners in the sixth to stop a potential Cubs comeback.
Archer hit Kris Bryant with a pitch in the fourth, eventually sending Bryant out of the game with a bruised left wrist. The Cubs said X-rays were negative. Maddon said it's likely Bryant could get a day off Wednesday to give the wrist a chance to feel better.