Cubs manage just 2 hits, lose for fifth time in six games

Jason Kipnis has been to the postseason four times in his career.

He's seen players - and teams - head into October on hot streaks, cold streaks and everything in between.

So the veteran second baseman isn't about to panic over the Cubs' complete offensive meltdown of late, one that continued in an embarrassing 7-0 loss at Pittsburgh on Thursday afternoon.

"You kind of keep the hope that, hey we've got three more games to turn this around," Kipnis said, referring to the season finale against the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field this weekend. "We're already in the postseason so let's work on having good at-bats. Work on finding some different feeling than what we have right now so when the time comes you're not just trying to flip the switch."

That switch was in the OFF position against the Pirates as the Cubs managed just 3 runs on 12 hits over the last three days. Only 2 of them came Thursday, meaningless doubles by Anthony Rizzo and Kipnis in the sixth and seventh innings with Pittsburgh already ahead 6-0.

"It sucks right now," said manager David Ross, whose team has dropped five of six and is 32-25 overall. "We're not playing real well. Didn't have a real good series against Pittsburgh, but that can't affect tomorrow."

The most glaring example of the Cubs' futility came in the fourth inning.

Trailing just 3-0 at that point, Rizzo led off with a walk.

Willson Contreras followed and immediately fell behind in the count, 0-2. After taking a ball high and tight, Contreras fouled off three straight pitches before striking out on a slider well out of the zone. The second foul ball was a pitch right down the middle that a hot hitter would have crushed.

"A lot of foul balls on the hittable pitches," Ross said beforehand. "That's just timing for us. When your confidence is down that's kind of what happens - you foul off a pitch you're supposed to drive."

Jason Heyward followed with a walk, putting runners on first and second with one out.

Kyle Schwarber then smoked a ground ball that ricocheted off first baseman Josh Bell and right to second baseman Adam Frazier. Frazier flipped to hustling pitcher Chad Kuhl for the second out.

A basehit from Cameron Maybin would have likely sliced Pittsburgh's lead to 3-2, but the center fielder took a perfect 1-0 fastball down the middle and lined out to center two pitches later.

Threat over.

Pittsburgh (18-39) added a run in the fourth, then Bell hit a 2-run HR in the fifth.

Game over.

Kipnis (.295 average/.333 on-base percentage in September) and Jason Heyward (.278/.429) are about the only hitters pulling their weight. Everyone else seems to be searching, and the mounting frustration is obvious with each slam of the bat.

Kipnis wants his struggling teammates to learn from each plate appearance. Don't just go back to the bench and sulk.

"If you were 0-fer, how were your at-bats?" Kipnis said. "Were you swinging at the right pitches? Were you taking your walks when it's given to you? Were you trying to do too much?

"If you're learning from your at-bats that's getting something out of it. Don't just go 0-fer and dig yourself a deeper hole.

"Actually mentally work on it - get something from that at-bat or get something from that game."

With only three left before the playoffs begin, the Cubs better get to work fast.