WHAT A SIXTH INNING. Down 3-0 and with two outs already in the frame, the Cubs got not one but TWO three-run homers to take the lead. Javy Baez and Jason Heyward, you are my dudes.
Cole Hamels did not have his best tonight, though I’ll credit the Dodgers with laying off some decent chase pitches from Hamels. Still, even that doesn’t account for all of Hamels’ six(!) walks on the night, which came on the heels of a crazy long walk-less stretch. He was just a little off – including failing to cover first base in a timely manner, which helped net the Dodgers their first run – and departed the game in the 6th trailing 3-0.
Bryzzo combined for an insurance run off of Joe Kelly in the 7th, which was mostly lost under the weight of the fun from the 6th … but proved to be critical when Steve Cishek gave up his own three-run homer the very next inning. I’m starting to wonder if pitching him twice every day last year wasn’t the most forward-looking strategy.
The Dodgers put the tying run on base to lead off the 9th thanks to a badly missed check swing call (same dude as the home plate ump last night … ), but Pedro Strop struck out Enrique Hernandez and got a double play grounder from Justin Turner to end it.
And if that felt like the first normal, one-run, 9th inning save in a long time … that’s because it was literally the Cubs’ first this year. No wonder I felt so tense.