If you weren’t watching today’s Cubs-Dodgers game, you missed something special. No, I’m not talking about the 13-run shelling Cubs hitters poured on Dodgers pitchers through the first six innings. I’m talking about Drew Smyly being literally PERFECT through seven innings, before the Dodgers got their first “hit” on a 32.9 MPH squibbler off the bat of David Peralta in the 8th.
Both Yan Gomes and Drew Smyly went all out to make the play, but unfortunately, that was part of the problem.
What a shame. Smyly got the next two batters out and walked off to an enormous standing ovation at Wrigley Field. What a performance. But what a bummer. Smyly’s final line: 7.2 IP, 1H, 0BB, 10K.
Here’s a look at his standing ovation from the Wrigley Field crowd, courtesy of our friend Ryan Herrera of CHGO.
Drew Smyly had a rough first game against the Reds, but has been pretty freakin great in his three starts since. He tossed 5.0 innings of one-run baseball against the Mariners, 5.2 innings of 1 run baseball against the Dodgers last weekend, and then his 7.2 scoreless innings at Wrigley Field this afternoon.
For the season, he’s got a 3.13 ERA with 23 strikeouts against just 5 walks over four starts and 23.0 innings pitched. Smyly currently ranks 25th in innings pitched (23.0), 27th in ERA (3.13), 24th in walk rate (5.4%), 28th in strikeout rate (25.6%), 8th in soft-hit rate (23.9%), fourth in average exit velocity (84.2 MPH), and 7th in barrel rate (3.3%).