Enhanced Box Score: Giants 4, Cubs 3 – June 5, 2021
The Cubs approached a little 9th inning magic (in San Francisco – has that ever happened before?) with some extreme help from the Giants’ defense, but the bats just couldn’t muster anything that wasn’t handed to them. The game ended with the tying run on third and the lead run on second, and Jason Heyward, fresh off the IL, grounding out to second base.
So, then, it was a third straight night of the Cubs getting an early lead on a two-run homer, and ultimately losing. It stings.
Kohl Stewart wasn’t quite as sharp as his first time out, and he got hit quite a bit harder for it. Unable to complete four innings, the Cubs had another night where the bullpen was expected not only to be perfect, but to be perfect for 4+ innings. And overall the bullpen was solid, but the rotation is increasingly just asking too much. The bats were tight tonight, too, so there was nothing much the bullpen could’ve done anyway. I’m frustrated a bit tonight.
Cory Abbott, like the many others who’ve come up before him, looked playable. Like, the bones are there for a big league pitcher. More to discuss on him soon.
Joc Pederson left the game early with lower-back soreness, possibly related to a bonk into the wall earlier in the game. More on him soon, too.
