OSS: Q and the defense shut things down.
Three up:
- Jose Quintana crushed it today, pitching seven shutout innings with seven strikeouts and just two hits and one walk. The conditions were funky enough that I wouldn't read too much into the hits number, but it was great to see him commanding the strike zone. He also got an easy pickoff of Santana late in the game when it was still 1-0.
- Both teams struggled with the sun and wind in this one, but the Cubs ended up making the tough plays when it counted this time. Almora bailed out Schwarber on a ball he lost in the sun, and Javy and Zobrist both made some slick plays on the infield to help the shutout stand up.
- Jason Heyward led the Cubs in WPA in this game, mostly thanks to a gapper in the seventh that eventually led to some Cubs insurance runs. He also perfectly deked out Christian Yelich on La Stella's bloop single in the ensuing PA – he stopped at third expecting Yelich to throw home, Yelich saw this and held on to the ball figuring the play was over, then Heyward dashed to the plate once all of Yelich's momentum disappeared. Brerrors defense!
Three down:
- War Bear got a hit, but struck out in his other three plate appearances. Between this and losing that ball in the sun, it was not his best day.
- Rizzo had another rough game, going 0-4. He's been making decent contact and going the other way while he tries to bust out of this early season slump, but so far he can't get going.
- The Cardinals-Pirates game ended in regulation. It would have been nice to see the Cards have to go into extras for the third game in a row, but at least it was their third blown lead in a row by their failpen.
Next up: Cubs go for the four-game sweep with Tyler Chatwood on the mound facing Zach Davies. First pitch at 1:20 PM CT>
Comments
I played softball for the first time since 2010 or so, and my skills would have done the 2010 Cubes proud. At least I hit one out of the infield. I struck out against one guy who decided that quick-pitching in a beer league softball game was a normal thing that teams do.
berseliusQuote Reply
According to Statcast, both Rizzo and Heyward are really underperforming their xwOBA—Heyward by about 75 points, Rizzo by over 100.
Guess who the only Cub to egregiously overperform based on the quality of contact is?
ceruleanQuote Reply
Oops, that isn’t a question.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Ian Stewart?
MylesQuote Reply
To-day’s base ball squadron
Almora
Baez
Bryant
Rizzo
Contreras
Schwarber
Russell
Heyward
Chatwood
Senior Rockies Correspondent BerseliusQuote Reply
cerulean,
Almora
Senior Rockies Correspondent BerseliusQuote Reply
The Cubs have shutout the Brewers four times so far. The Brewers are scoring 1.3 runs per game off of Cubs pitching.
dmick89Quote Reply
Chatwood’s no-out walks just drive me crazy.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I think Chatwood is purposely walking the fastest runners to annoy me.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Bases clogged for Chatwood
Senior Rockies Correspondent BerseliusQuote Reply
Another inscrutable strike zone today.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
No name Pirate doing a thing that is better than the usual special thing.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Said no name has never pitched in the majors. Let’s hope he is peaking early.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Just hoping anything will happen in this CUbs game. doesn’t have to be a special thing, just something.
SKQuote Reply
Addison didn’t like that Machado talk.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Asked and answered, thank you addy
SKQuote Reply
Addy!
Senior Rockies Correspondent BerseliusQuote Reply
Bad AB by Heyward.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Pinch-hitter, please.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Shut me right up.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Chatwood!
ceruleanQuote Reply
The #12 Pirates org prospect (per MLB Pipeline) debuts with a perfect game through 6, finishing with 1H, 9K, 0 BB in 7 IP.
#fireTheo
ceruleanQuote Reply
Why didn’t Rizzo slide?
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Willson! C’mon Schwarbs!
Er—Russell!
ceruleanQuote Reply
He lives life on the edge…of the batter’s box.
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
Funny thing is, he still gets this “Why does this keep happening to me?” expression every time he gets hit.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
That was only Russell’s third RBI.
ceruleanQuote Reply
Let’s hope his feeling of undeserved persecution at the hands of pitchers leads to some long distance revenge. “I have a very particular set of skills…”
ceruleanQuote Reply
Throw strikes, Tyler.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
I can get used to this Chatwood.
ceruleanQuote Reply
cerulean,
I guess a walk followed by a double play is as good as retiring two straight batters.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
The Cardinals got swept.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Throw strikes, Carl.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
That wasn’t a strike, but I’ll take it!
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
M ——–> Inverted
berseliusQuote Reply
The Brewers left goose-egg shits all over Wrigley. Good thing the Cubs have brooms.
ceruleanQuote Reply
SKQuote Reply
The Brewers pitched well enough to win at least three and hit well enough to win zero.
dmick89Quote Reply
There were some wide strike zones for both teams, in addition to the unfavorable (for hitting) weather.
Rizzo the RatQuote Reply
http://obstructedview.net/cubs-2-brewers-0-4-29-18/
berseliusQuote Reply