The Cubs get swept by the team that should be worst in the division, and immediately follow that by beating the best team in baseball. Of course.
That was some big “I’ll do it myself” energy from Marcus Stroman. Last time out, he carried the Cubs with an eight-inning start, and this time he just refused to put the ball down. Complete game shutout on just over 100 pitches.
Stroman, who took a no-hitter into the 7th, missed a Maddux by a tiny amount. I’ll still gladly take a dominant start like that, especially when you don’t even have to think about going to the bullpen. That’s how things have been with the bullpen lately – hard to trust anyone with a one-run lead. And Stroman did it against the best offense in baseball. Incredible start.
Offensively, the Cubs did a whole lot of nothing, and if not for a Rays throwing error, the Cubs probably don’t score in regulation either. Sometimes you gotta win games like that.