Sooooo close.
With the Brewers beating the Reds as the Cubs’ game hit the later innings, it was going to require an epic comeback for the Cubs to clinch tonight. Everyone pretty much started thinking about tomorrow when Randal Grichuk and Jedd Gyorko went deep in the 7th inning to make things 8-3.
… but then the comeback came, with Jason Heyward crushing a three-run homer, Ben Zobrist adding a solo homer, and Kris Bryant coming so very close to adding his own homer in the 8th inning.
Down a run in the 9th, the Cubs put two on base, but were not able to score to tie or take the lead. Probably due to their magic number of one, I feel pretty able to enjoy a game like that even as Javy Baez strikes out to end it. It was an exciting comeback, and a tense ending, if nothing else.
As for all that led up to the Cubs being in a big hole, Jake Arrieta got hit a good bit, and didn’t have much defensive help behind him. He was also on a pitch count still, so he lasted only three innings, exposing the middle innings to middle relief. The Cubs also missed out on several GOLDEN opportunities to blow out Cardinals starter, Carlos Martinez, and couldn’t make it happen.
Cubs lose. But it’s OK. It’s going to be OK.