Cubs try not to get flustered by third-straight 1-run loss
Even in a shortened baseball season, there is time for wandering emotions.
After matching the best start in franchise history through 16 games, the Cubs have now dropped three-straight 1-run decisions. The latest was a 6-5 loss to Milwaukee on Sunday afternoon at Wrigley Field.
"I think I said it last week, when you have 60 games, it's not like, 'Well we'll get them tomorrow.' Every game is important," starting pitcher Jon Lester said. "I feel like a couple things go our way this weekend, we're 3-1 as opposed to 1-3. They played just a little bit better than we did and beat us."
Now the Cubs move to an even more hectic spot in the schedule, with five games in the next three days against St. Louis, with doubleheaders on Monday and Wednesday. Two of these games are makeups from the 3-game series that was postponed by a COVID-19 outbreak among the Cardinals.
"I think this is going to be a good test for us to be able to go out there and kind of show the guts," Kyle Schwarber said. "This isn't ideal, playing five games in three days. But I think we're all going to have a mindset of we're going to attack one game at a time."
There wasn't a huge difference between the 13-3 Cubs and the version that lost three in a row. The starting pitchers weren't quite as good as they had been and the Cubs hitters didn't tack on many late runs against the tough Brewers bullpen.
Lester started the day with a 1.06 ERA, but gave up 3-run and 2-run homers to Milwaukee's Kestin Hiura and Orlando Arcia, respectively. He did last six innings, though, which could be important with those doubleheaders approaching.
"Jon battled. I thought he threw the ball OK today," manager David Ross said. "He grinded out some innings there when things kind of weren't going his way. He was pushing for one more. I thought his pitch count (92) was at a good spot to stop him."
At the plate, Cubs hitters struck out 16 times Sunday against five Brewers pitchers. But they still managed to battle at the plate late in the game, which has become a trademark of their team so far.
In the ninth against Milwaukee closer Josh Hader, the Cubs could have had the bases loaded with nobody out, but instead went down in order. First, David Bote took a 3-2 pitch that appeared to be inside, but was called a strike. Then pinch-hitter Javy Baez hit a high-hopper that Hader fielded near the first base line. Baez hesitated, then quickly slid under Hader's tag and was called safe. But the call was reversed on replay.
Finally, Nico Hoerner watched another apparent ball four go the other way. He then fouled off seven consecutive 3-2 pitches before ending the 13-pitch at bat with a line out to center.
"We won some games early in the year where maybe one bounce here or there and they lose," Hoerner said. "It went the other way in the last couple of days. I don't think it's anything too drastic to look at.
"I think that's going to be a big part of this year, controlling emotion and not let anything feel more significant than it actually is because it is a shorter season. We do have good leadership and good people in the clubhouse to make that easier to handle."
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