NEWSLETTER
What can you say? The Cubs bats just didn’t have it tonight. And you’re not going to keep this Padres lineup scoreless multiple games in a row. Just not going to happen.
Yes, the Cubs managed to get the game-winning run to the plate in the ninth inning (after an absolutely GUTSY plate appearance (and ball four take) from Nelson Velázquez against Josh Hader. But the drama ended quickly, as Nico Hoerner popped up to the catcher to end the game.
Drew Smyly came out firing on all cylinders again tonight, really faltering only during a two-out, fourth-inning rally that let in a couple of runs. But he battled through a 13-pitch at-bat with Ha-Seong Kim (who was just excellent and had his finger prints all over the game tonight, including a potentially game-saving defensive play in the 8th), and came back out in the 5th for a 1-2-3 inning to end his night.
And frankly, 5.0 innings of two-run baseball against this lineup one game after a perfect-game bid is pretty impressive. Smyly has been pretty great this season since his first start of the year. Probably have to give him some more love soon.
Other than that, there’s not much to take from this game. It was a ho-hum loss. Trey Mancini continued his hot streak with another homer and a single (we’ll talk about him tomorrow). Yan Gomes had another double (off Josh Hader, no less). We talked about him today. And David Ross seemed to push the right bullpen buttons, bringing in Adbert Alzolay to face the righties for Smyly, bringing in Hughes to face the lefties for Alzolay, and bringing in Brad Boxberger for the tight 8th inning (he’s settling in).
But they came up short. Three runs isn’t enough. Rubber match tomorrow.
