OSS: I’m going to need more beer before this series is over.
Three up
1. Jon Lester struck out eight and took a no-hitter into the seventh inning, though things felt like they were already falling apart in the previous inning. Further grumbling later in this post, but I don’t want to take away from what was a great performance from Lester. He even got his first major league hit, which was literally off of John Lackey.
2. Jorge Soler had two hits in his second game back from the DL, which was about it as far as offensive highlights go.
3. Plenty of great Lackey jokes on the twitters during the game, at least.
Everytime John Lackey watches Fox & Friends he invests another 200k into gold coins
— Dylan Jones (@Dylanj85) July 7, 2015
Three down 1. Home plate umpire Ted Barrett was calling a gigantic fucking strike zone for John Lackey tonight. The Cubs offense doesn’t need any help in not scoring runs.
Coghlan got screwed on those first two pitches. #Cubs maybe the cardinals hacked the Gameday pitch f/x pic.twitter.com/seyyskUtH3
— dmick89 (@dmick89) July 7, 2015
Barrett also let the game go on way too long while rain was pouring down, and both teams were lucky no one got hurt. Though putting Cardinals on the DL only seems to make them stronger.
2. The Cubs best scoring chance came in the sixth, with runners at the corners, nobody out, Lester throwing a no-hitter, and rain on the way. After a Montero strikeout, Castro hit a laser beam the other way (reportedly clocked at 105 mph off the bat) that Kolten Wong somehow flagged down, let alone managed to turn a double play to prevent the run from scoring. Cardinals Devil Magic took hold and they squeaked out two runs in the seventh in a rally started by a rocket off Bryant’s forearm and a Bryant throwing error on the should-be double play in the following PA. I don’t even smoke but wanted to run down to the store and smoke an entire pack of cigs in like 20 seconds after that inning. Of course the Cubs ended the bottom of the seventh with another laser beam double play, this time starting with the first baseman. FFS.
3. Edwin Jackson completed the nut-punch coming out of the rain delay, giving up four runs and sending everyone who hadn’t already rage-quit this game to bed. Sigh.
Next game(s): Tyler Lyon vs Jake Arrieta, 12:20 PM CT and Tim Cooney vs Dallas Beeler, 7:05 PM CT