Jordan Lyles has been a pretty successful starting pitcher this year … except when he faces the Cubs.
After blowing him up just before the break in Pittsburgh, the Cubs got right back at it today in Chicago, knocking him out of the game before he’d even completed the first inning. Lyles walked leadoff man Kyle Schwarber twice in the inning, which is never a good sign.
Anthony Rizzo got the scoring started with a SCORCHING (dribbling) grounder past the shift:
Fine, we’re not allowed to complain about the shift for a couple innings. pic.twitter.com/aj201xrNdS
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 13, 2019
Willson Contreras sat back on a not-that-terrible-but-up breaking pitch for a three-run shot the other way:
Dingers are also good! #EverybodyIn pic.twitter.com/sFmMjf9dP2
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 13, 2019
And Jon Lester capped off the scoring while Lyles was still in with this, eh hem, very long single to the wall:
Removing any doubt as to whether or not the #Cubs batted around in the 1st.#EverybodyIn pic.twitter.com/BWbFOoXtaD
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 13, 2019
Javy Baez doubled to score another run after Lyles departed, so he was on the hook for the full 7-spot that inning. Ouch.