Enhanced Box Score: Cubs 2, Dodgers 0 – May 30, 2016
Wow. Has there been a more impressive Cubs pitching performance this year?
OK, I suppose in a season that has included a Jake Arrieta no-hitter (and a couple additional dominant outings) and a John Lester start in St. Louis that was incredible, there probably have been some more impressive performances. But when the starter goes out after two innings, you don’t expect to see a zero hung on the other team from there.
More than that, it wasn’t just preserving the shutout: the Cubs bullpen threw seven PERFECT innings against the Dodgers. I am blown away.
Double more than that: you take away a miscommunication bloop “single” in the first inning, and the Cubs would have thrown a combined no-hitter today.
Special props to Travis Wood with his four perfect innings in relief of Jason Hammel, who left with hamstring cramping, which not only was instrumental in helping the Cubs win, but was also critical in helping save the bullpen for the rest of this series.
Offensively, the Cubs struggled a bit, but got some timely hits. The story, though, obviously was the pitching.
