OSS: Hamels stifles the Cards in his best start in a Cubs uniform so far. Three up: Cole Hamels had a day, striking out ten Cardinals in eight scoreless innings and allowing just three hits and one walk. His game score of 89 is his best since joining the Cubs. In fact, it was his best game since 2016. The …
Cubs 9, Rockies 8
OSS: David Bote has a day, and the Cubs new bullpen reinforcment can’t get here fast enough Three up The Cubs finally did what was obvious that they should have done six months ago, namely, sign Craig Kimbrel. We’ll see how long it tackes for him to be game ready, but whenever it is, it won’t be a moment too …
Cubs 6, Rockies 3
OSS: The Cubs played through some tight games over the weekend and a blowout on Monday, but sometimes what you need is a relatively uneventful, closeish win to really get back into the groove of winning, or something. Three up: Cyle had a solid start, striking out ten batters in seven innings and allowing three runs. I was in and …
Cubs 8, Reds 6
OSS: Time to redefine what makes a good Yu Darvish start, I guess. Three up: Addison Russell had a three-hit day, including a two run homer in the fourth inning that gave the Cubs their first lead of the day. He also legged out a bunt single in the eighth on what was probably a sac bunt and came around …
Cubs 3, Phillies 2
OSS: Return of the Mago Three up: On a day when no one on the Cubs offense could get a hit with RISP, Javy delivered a pinch hit single to walk it off. Baez wasn’t even supposed to be here today. He’s only been out two days but you can already feel the Cubs missing him in the lineup The …
Cubs 6, Nats 5
OSS: Cubs squander some early chances, hang on to win. Three up: The Kyle Schwarber Leadoff Experiment worked out well this series. Schwarber had three hits and four walks (and one HBP) in 15 PAs. He had RBI on two sac flies in this game, which is not really what you expect to see from a leadoff hitter but the …
Cubs 14, Nats 6
OSS: Kris Bryant bags a hat trick. Three up The Cubs offense exploded for six home runs, with Bryant providing half that total. All three of Bryant’s home runs landed in the Cubs bullpen – maybe he was dive bombing them in revenge for trying to blow the game? I’m not sure what is more impressive – Bryant homering three …
Cubs 3, Reds 1
OSS: Cy(le) Cobb makes an appearance Three up: Kyle Hendricks extended his streak of excellent pitching, allowing just one run in eight innings, striking out seven. Hendricks led off the top of the ninth with his first walk of the game, which led to the pen finishing the game off. Even more impressively, Hendricks went 3-4 including a two-run double …
Cubs 4, Brewers 1
OSS: KB stays hot, Cubs win another close one against the Beers. Three up: Kris Bryant hit yet another home run, his fifth in the last eight games. His wRC+ is all the way up to 149. The heart of the Cubs lineup now has wRC+ of 149, 142, 157, and 171. That’ll do, pig. Jon Lester had another great …
Cubs 2, Brewers 1
OSS: Chatwood guts it out, Willson walks it off. Three up: Tyler Chatwood was the Cubs WPA leader by far, posting a .615 WPA for pitching four scoreless innings in extras. Chatwood struck out seven and allowed no hits, though he did walk three. It was especially gutsy considering he had pitched just two games ago, though just one inning …