NEWSLETTER
Back-to-back shutouts against the team you’re chasing in the NL Central is not, uh, how the Cubs wanted to conclude this series. Bold take, I know.
It was another excellent start for Mike Montgomery, who allowed just two hits and one walk, while striking out four over his six innings of work. A Lorenzo Cain solo homer was the only damage.
The Cubs’ batters were ineffective and frustrated all day, taking lots of strikes, swinging through lots of strikes, and making lots of weak contact. To be sure, they also had a legit beef on a bunch of low strikes that their own pitchers were not getting, but it’s always hard to project just how or if that would have mattered, especially when the swings just didn’t look good.
Kris Bryant sat out the whole game, despite the 1-0 score and Chris Gimenez batting for himself in the 9th. Clearly there was a commitment there, and while I’m sure there are reasons, I sure didn’t like watching it happen.
Not even relievers playing in the outfield could salvage this one.
Time for an off-day, and then a trip to St. Louis. May the bats awaken at some point between now and then.
