Cubs can't cash in on Atlanta's gifts, lose again
Who doesn't like free stuff?
Well, crazy as it sounds, the Cubs offense refused a generous supply of gifts from the Atlanta Braves on Friday.
The Cubs collected 6 walks and 4 hit batsmen, to go with the usual useless smattering of 6 hits. But instead of cashing in at home plate, the Cubs headed straight to the returns counter and lost 5-2 at Wrigley Field. That's five losses in the last six games for the Cubs.
The good news is those 6 hits lifted their team batting average 3 ticks to .166. Still the worst by far in MLB, but higher than it was on Thursday.
"It's been a grind. It's been not fun to watch," Anthony Rizzo said. "Hitting is contagious up there and we're grinding as a unit and we're in it as a unit. We've just got to keep swinging and somehow relax a little bit and keep playing baseball. We have a long way to go."
No fun is right. After Friday's game, the Cubs have just four players on the entire roster hitting over .200, led by Willson Contreras at .257. Rizzo is sitting at .182, but he did walk twice.
"The sample is two weeks. Good thing it's 162 and not 60 this year," Rizzo said. "As a player, if we're going to get down after 12, 13 games, it's going to be a long year. This is part of being a big-leaguer. You're going to have ups and downs, and it's how you carry yourself through these times that make the good times that much sweeter."
With manager David Ross suspended, bench coach Andy Green moved up a seat and ran the show Friday, but he didn't have any magic fixes for the Cubs' slumbering bats.
"I think everybody wants to do something big," Green said. "All these guys care a ton and want to do something great for this club and have been great for this club plenty in the past. I wouldn't call it pressing, just a lot of guys that want to do a lot of big things for us."
The Cubs (5-8) put the first two batters on base in both the first and second innings, but scored just once on Eric Sogard's sacrifice fly in the second. Contreras added a long home run into the wind in the fifth.
The difference in the game was Atlanta scoring 3 runs after two were out in the fourth. After two ground outs to start the inning, the Braves had the bottom of the order coming up, but Ender Inciarte singled, then pitcher Kyle Wright doubled to left.
Cubs starter Zach Davies tried to pitch carefully to Ronald Acuna Jr. with first base open, but he sent an outside pitch into right for a 2-run single. A pair of infield singles made it 4-1.
Davies had his second straight rough outing, with 4 earned runs and 7 hits in just 4 innings. Wright stepped in as an emergency starter for Atlanta when Drew Smyly was scratched and put on the disabled list.
"Walking guys and getting behind in counts, it doesn't leave you room for error as a pitcher, especially a guy that's mainly command," Davies said. "It was one of those days that falling behind hurt me. It was just a struggle all day."
David Bote grabbed his hamstring after getting caught stealing, but Green said it appeared to be nothing more than a cramp.
The Braves lost two players to injury during the game. Inciarte suffered a calf injury while running the bases in the fourth inning. Second baseman Ozzie Albies left in the ninth after being hit by a pitch just below the right knee.
Before the game, Ross said the plan was for Kyle Hendricks to start Sunday. He missed his most recent scheduled start in Milwaukee on Wednesday due to an illness. Ross also thought relievers Brandon Workman and Dan Winkler should be ready to return from the injured list Sunday.
Twitter: @McGrawDHBulls