Ten minutes separated the Chicago Cubs from the cusp of ending a season-high dropping streak to their worst lack of the season.
A five-run lead moving into the underside of the eighth must have provided enough cushion for the Cubs to position away the Houston Astros. As an alternative they departed Minute Maid Park ahead of Thursday’s day off with a crushing 7-6 walk-off loss that raised further questions on how the Cubs bullpen can get on monitor.
The Cubs (19-24) head to Philadelphia, the place they kick off the ultimate leg of their three-city, nine-game journey Friday carrying a five-game dropping streak.
“We’ve bought to money that win in,” supervisor David Ross said. “You’re making an attempt to set guys up for fulfillment and match up issues that go properly, and it didn’t go properly tonight. So that you’ve bought to have a look at it. Return to the drafting board and proceed to have these guys work.”
Mark Leiter Jr., pitching for the second time in 10 days, allowed two runs throughout the eighth and struck out three. Keegan Thompson was known as on for the ninth in direction of the Astros’ 7-8-9 hitters with a 6-3 lead.
Inside three pitches, the Cubs profit was whittled to a run courtesy of Jake Meyers’ two-run homer. A full-count stroll to pinch hitter Mauricio Dubón ended Thompson’s night time time.
Thompson says he doesn’t actually really feel any utterly totally different from a season previously, when he posted a 1.47 ERA in 36 discount innings. Because the Cubs try to maximise Thompson’s utilization and the way in which his physique recovers after pitching, they haven’t however been able to deploy him within the an identical methodology.
All 12 of his 2022 discount appearances had been on the very least two innings with the majority lasting three. Solely six of his 15 outings this 12 months have gone plenty of innings.
For the Cubs bullpen to carry out inside the way in which it was constructed moving into the season, they need the 2022 mannequin of Thompson. Site visitors on the bases has been a unbroken downside for the right-hander, even when he tosses zeroes.
By means of 15 appearances, he has allowed on the very least one baserunner in all nevertheless one recreation. The lone exception bought right here in his earlier look Sunday in Minnesota.
Thompson doesn’t think about the usual of his stuff has been an issue.
“Issues aren’t going my method proper now,” he said. “Simply had some onerous contact proper this second. It’s a punch in my gut. It merely sucks to let the crew down.
“I‘ve completed the very same stuff the entire time, and a few of them haven’t been figuring out. It’s simply robust to undergo a few of these arduous occasions proper now.”
Ross didn’t waste time getting Brandon Hughes up throughout the bullpen. The lefty began warming up after Astros catcher Yainer Díaz’s first-pitch leadoff single throughout the ninth. The speedy dedication highlights the urgency of the second and Ross determining he needed to have a lefty ready for the best of the order, in preparation for Thompson coping with the minimal three-batter requirement.
Hughes surrendered a double to Jeremy Pena and intentionally walked Alex Bregman to load the bases with no particular person out. After getting a forceout at home, Hughes gave up Kyle Tucker’s walk-off, two-run single to center.
“The boys performed properly sufficient for a win and we didn’t do our job,” Hughes said, “so it hurts.”
The blown lead squandered Drew Smyly’s stellar outing by way of which he restricted the Astros to 1 run in six innings. Seiya Suzuki (two home runs) and Christopher Morel (home run) led the offense.
“We’re simply excited to get out of this metropolis,” Smyly said. “I imply, we’ve seen sufficient of it. Able to get house.”
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