Well … crap. Despite coming back on the strength of a huge, late, go-ahead Anthony Rizzo home run (off Josh Hader, no less), the Cubs wound up losing this one in pretty painful fashion.
With a one-run lead in the bottom of the 8th, Joe Maddon handed the ball over to Carl Edwards Jr., who was inarguably the right man for the job. HOWEVA, thanks in large part to a seemingly inconsistent strike zone, he didn’t seem to be on top of his game. Indeed, before the inning was over both Maddon and Edwards were ejected and the Brewers earned a tie.
The ninth inning was taken over by Steve Cishek, who walked the first batter, hit the second, and watched both advance – free of charge – when Willson Contreras let a ball pop right out of his mitt. The Cubs managed to get Curtis Granderson to strikeout before loading the bases, but that’s when it all fell apart.
With 1 out and the bases juiced (Cishek hit Lorenzo Cain (it was a sloppy game)), Kris Bryant snared a very well-struck grounder near third. But instead of firing it home and guaranteeing at least one out, he tried to end the inning by running back to the bag and firing to first. It was the wrong decision. Bryant got one out, but Christian Yelich beat the throw and the Brewers won. He should have gone home.
That’s a tough mental mistake and one he probably wishes he could’ve had back (especially because I’m not convinced that was even the best way to get two outs – firing home and then to first may have been quicker, given how Bryant had to get back to third), but that’s it. It’s over. Get ’em tomorrow.