Series 23 Marlins at Cubs

    Game 1

     A Grand Slam by Duvall propelled the Marlins to victory in the series opener. The Cubs got on the board quickly when Pederson hit a solo homer to lead off the first. The trouble for Davies started in the third when the Marlins loaded the bases with one out. Davies walked in a run and then got an out to set up the deciding at-bat of the game. 2 outs and the bases loaded and Duvall blasted a changeup for a grand slam to grab a 5-1 lead in the third. Pederson homered in the bottom half of the inning to cut the lead to three but the Cubs didn't get any closer. The Marlins extended the lead as Berti hit a three-run homer in the sixth. The Marlins finished the scoring in the seventh when Duvall hit a 2 run homer to bring the score to 10-2.

    Game 2

     The Marlins jumped all over Arrieta early and cruised to another big win. The Marlins got on the board in the first after Chizzolm had an infield single and stole second to score on a ground out by Aguilar. Duvall homered to make it three as Marte reeached base on an error by Bryant. The Marlins got another in the second inning as Bertis hit a sacrifice fly to score Alfaro. Duvall blasted another 2 run homer in the third to extend the lead to 6-0. The Marlins added another in the fifth when Sanchez singled home Duvall. The Marlins continued to add in the sixth as Berti scored on a wild pitch. A Sanchez solo shot and Diaz's two-run homer in the seventh and eighth finished the scoring for the Marlins. The Cubs got their lone run on a solo homer by Heyward in the eighth as the Marlins cruised to another victory while the Cubs bats remained cold.

    Game 3

     Mills and the bullpen avoided trouble and the sweep as the Cubs got just enough to take the finale. The Marlins got baserunners in each of the first five innings but couldn't find a run as Mills escaped the trouble each time. The Cubs got the first run of the game in the third as Heyward started the inning with a walk. Alcantara and Mills failed to move him over so that left it to Pederson to get him in. Pederson hit a grounder into deep right-center and an error by Rojas got him to second and Heyward to third. Heyward scored on a passed ball and the Cubs took the lead. The Cubs got another run in the fifth as Wisdom singled to start the inning. Marisnick singled him over and Alcantara would get him in on an infield single to deep first to take a 2-0 lead. The bullpen shut down the Marlins retiring the last 12 batters of the game to seal the game.

    The good

     The Cubs avoided a sweep and are still tied for first in the division. Pederson showed his power belting two homers in the first game. The main bullpen shut down the Marlins on their way to victory as they continue to be the strength of the team. Mills pitched well and showed he can continue to contribute in the rotation as Williams and Alzolay recover.

    The bad

     The first two games were really ugly for the Cubs. Davies and Arrieta struggled and the bullpen didn't help. The bats were cold too as the only runs scored were from solo homers in the first two games. The Cubs are ice cold and are happy to be still tied for the lead in the division after a rough week.

    Looking ahead

     The Cubs have a quick two-game series against the Indians before they head out west to start a 10 game road trip that includes the Dodgers, Brewers, and Reds. The brutal June schedule seems to finally be getting to the Cubs and this upcoming road trip will be vital for the division as the Brewers and Reds are in contention.

Series 22 Cubs at Mets

    Game 1

     The Cubs came back to earth a bit in this one. Arrieta got roughed up as the Mets took the series opener. The Mets started the scoring in the fourth as McCann singled in Smith and advanced to second on a throwing error by Marisnick that set up a 2 run double by Pillar to extend the lead to 3-0 in the fourth. Smith would hit a solo homer in the fifth followed by Drury driving in Pillar in the sixth to get the lead to 5-0. The Cubs would get 2 runs back on back-to-back homers by Rizzo and Wisdom in the seventh. The Cubs would go down quietly in the eighth and ninth as the Mets took game 1 5-2.

    Game 2

     The Mets would squeak out a 3-2 victory in a tight game. The Cubs would get a 2-run homer from Baez to start the scoring in the third. The Mets would respond right away with two runs on an Alonso single that drove in Lindor and Smith. Walker started to cruise for the Mets on his way to 12 K's in 7 innings of 2 run ball. Mills would give up another run in the fifth as Alonso hit a sac fly to drive in Villar and drive Mills from the game after 4 1/3 innings. The bullpen held their own and kept it a one-run game. The Cubs would finally challenge in the ninth as Contreras singled with one out and then Marisnick ran for him. Sogard would hit a single and an inexplainable send from the third base coach had Marisnick thrown out easily at home as the tying run. Heyward would then walk but Alcantara would strike out to end the game.

    Game 3

     DeGrom was forced to leave the game early but it matter little as the Mets took the game 6-3. The Cubs had Stock starting his first game of the year and he struggled. The Mets started the scoring in the second as Pillar doubled home McKinney and then scored on a DeGrom single. They added another run in the third as Smith hammered a solo homer. The Cubs got a run in the fourth after DeGrom left the game and Rizzo blasted a solo shot off of Reid-Foley to get the Cubs on the board. The Mets would respond right away and get two runs of their own as Lindor walked with the bases loaded and Smith grounded out but got a run home. The Mets added their sixth in the fifth on a Pillar solo home run. The Cubs' offense was stymied again until the ninth. Ortega would blast a 2 run homer but it was too little too late as the Cubs fell in game 3.

    Game 4

     The Cubs would take the series finale as Hendricks shone and Baez provided the power. Hendricks was terrific and gave the bullpen some relief. He would pitch six scoreless innings on way to a seventh consecutive victory. Chafin, Tepera, and Kimbrel would close out the Mets as the Cubs avoided the sweep. The Cubs got the only runs of the game early as Baez blasted a 2 run homer in the first off of Stroman. That would be the deciding factor as both pitchers were stellar. The Mets blew their chances early as they had runners in scoring position with less than 2 outs in 3 of the first 4 innings.

    The good

     Baez provided some power and had a great offensive series himself. Hendricks continues to pitch well and show the start of the season was just a little slump. Even with a losing series the Cubs are on top of the division as the Brewers stumbled as well this week.

    The bad

     The offense was not producing and the starting pitching was giving up early runs. A massive baserunning blunder cost us a game and that is just frustrating. Seeing the rotation is basically Hendricks and Davies and hope at this point is concerning. This team needs someone to step up in the rotation and help out the 1-2 punch.

    Looking ahead

     The Cubs have a little homestand against the Marlins and Indians before an extended road trip. It will be important to continue to take advantage at home as the division is tight with the Brewers, Reds, and Cardinals all in it.

Series 21 Cardinals at Cubs

    Game 1

     The vibe was electric in Wrigley as a 100% capacity crowd filled the stadium for the first time since 2019. The Cardinals tried to spoil the fun as they raced out to an early lead but the Cubs would come back and take game 1 as the crowd helped fuel the comeback. The scoring started in the second as Carpenter singled in O'Neil while Molina was thrown out trying to advance to third on the play. The Cardinals would add another run in the third as Arenado singled home Oviedo. The Cubs would get a run back in the fourth as Pederson hit a solo homer as he stayed hot. The Cardinals would do more damage in the fifth as a walk, single, double to start the inning drove Stewart from the game. The Cardinals would add two more runs when Arenado singled home both Edman and Carlson to cement the Cardinals' lead at 5-1 in the fifth. The Cubs would get right back in it though. Contreras walked and Heyward singled and a passed ball would score Contreras. Alcantara would triple home Heyward and then score on a throwing error. by Molina. to make it. a one-run game again. Then the at-bat of the game and probably series happened in the bottom of the sixth. Rizzo battled Ponce De Leon in an epic 14 pitch at-bat that resulted in a game-tying homer that sent Wrigley into a frenzy as the crowd erupted as Rizzo belted a line-drive homer to the right field bleachers. The Cubs would take the lead in the seventh as Pederson doubled in Heyward and MArisnick for their first lead of the game. Contreras would add a solo shot in the eighth and the bullpen would shut down the Cardinals to cement the series-opening win for the Cubs.

    Game 2

     The Cubs would guarantee a series victory as the Cardinals control was lacking in a 7-2 win for the Cubs. The Cardinals got on the board first as Arenado hit a solo homer in the second. The cubs would respond right away with 5 runs of their own though. Gant struggled with his command as he issued 5 walks and a homer before exiting after 1 2/3 innings. of work. Woodruff would take over and did little to help as he gave up a single and HBP to the first two batters he faced. The Cubs would end the inning on a Contrera popup but the damage was done as they had a 5-1 lead. The cardinals would threaten right back as DeJong hit a solo homer followed by a single and walk that gave them a chance to get right back in it. Hendricks would shut down Goldschmidt and Arenado to silence the redbirds. The Cubs added runs on Alcantara and Pederson solo shots in the 3rd and fourth respectively to widen their lead to 7-2. There wasn't much of a scoring threat by either side until the top of the ninth. The Cardinals would load the bases with 2 outs. Kimbrel would come in and get Sosa to ground out and end the game before they had a chance.

    Game 3

     Davies continued his brilliance with 6 2/3 shutout innings allowing 2 hits and 2 walks in his outing. Martinez was also brilliant but some lackluster fielding led to a couple of Cub runs as they completed the sweep. A pitcher's duel to close the series was appropriate as the bats had taken the headlines in the first 2 games. Davies was dominant as the Cardinals had only 2 men get in scoring position against him as they tried to find some offense. After 15 straight outs to start the game, Sogard would double to right to lead off the third for the Cubs. Alcantara would ground out and move him to third and then Davies would strikeout to set up the big inning. Pederson would hit a grounder that DeJong would boot to give the Cubs their first run and the lead. Bryant and Rizzo would follow with singles to score Pederson and give the Cubs a lead that would last. Neither team would put up much of a threat the rest of away as the Cubs completed the sweep in a packed-out Wrigley.

    The good

     Fans are back at 100% and Wrigley is rocking. The Cubs had already been rolling at home and this only helped as the players were feeding off the crowd throughout the series. Sweeping your biggest rival while hanging on to a tie at the top of the division is huge and this was such an electric series. Pederson seems to have found his power out west and brought it back to Wrigley. Alcantara is swinging the bat well and has taken over the second base role well and filled in nicely for Baez at shortstop too. Hendricks and Davies both pitched well as they continue to show that April was a fluke for them and they can be a solid 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation. The bullpen continues to be stellar and Kimbrel pitched three consecutive games only allowing 1 baserunner on his way to 3 saves in the series. The Rizzo at-bat was amazing and set the tone for the series and hopefully will help him continue to improve throughout the year.

    The bad

     Baez not playing the last game is a little distressing and hopefully, it's only a minor setback as he wasn't placed on the IL. Stewart had another rough outing and it shows that Alzolay and Williams are needed back into the rotation as the depth is not there.

    Looking ahead

     A difficult series with the first-place Mets lies ahead. The Cubs' schedule through June is daunting as they try to keep up with the Brewers in the division. The Cubs' will be back home for series against the Marlins and Indians starting next weekend.

Series 20 Cubs at Padres

    Game 1

     Another tough game out West for the Cubs. They started slowly and came back before getting torched late for a 9-4 loss. The Padres started the scoring in the first as Alzolay struggled with 2 hits and 2 walks allowed. The Padres only managed one run though to keep the Cubs close. The Padres added another in the second as Caaratini lead off with a double and scored on a sac fly by Machado. The Padres continued to add as O'Grady hit a 2 run homer in the third as Alozolay's day was done after 3 innings and a blister on his middle finger. The Cubs would fight back in the fourth though. Bryant and Rizzo started the innings with singles followed by a walk by Wisdom that loaded the bases. The Cubs would get 2 runs as Marisnick hit a swinging bunt and an errant throw from Weathers allowed Rizzo to score as well. Happ would sacrifice them over and Alcantara would have a sac fly to get the Cubs within one. The Padres would add 2 more in the sixth as Thompsons' command was lacking with two walks and a wild pitch that put them in position to score on a fielder's choice and a sac fly. Happ would homer in the seventh but the offense couldn't muster up anything else. The Padres added 3 insurance runs in the eighth that put the game to bed.

    Game 2

     The Cubs evened the series as the long ball provided the offense as Davies was lights out on the mound. The Cubs started their home run parade in the fourth as Contreras blasted a long solo shot to left to grab the lead. The Cubs would pour it on in the sixth as Rizzo had a 2 RBI double after singles from Pederson and Bryant started the inning. The Cubs would add more in the sixth as Wisdom hit a 2 run homer on a line drive to left to open up a commanding 5-0 lead. Davies would come out after six strong innings of shutout baseball allowing only 1 hit and 2 walks as he continues to turn around his season after a dreadful April. The Cubs would add some more insurance in the seventh as Rizzo hit a 2 run bomb to left after Pederson doubled earlier in the inning. The Padres would get a consolation run in the ninth but it mattered little as the Cubs won 7-1.

    Game 3

     The Cubs would take the series as the pitching excelled again while the bats provided enough juice to get the win. Arrieta starred in the game as he needed a good outing after being roughed up in his last couple of starts. He allowed 1 run in 5 innings on 4 hits and a single walk paired with 6 strikeouts. The Padres started the scoring in this one as they got a run in the third as Machado singled in Pham after he had singled and stole second. The lead wouldn't last long though as Pederson belted a solo shot to tie things up in the fourth. The Cubs would grad the lad in the seventh. Happ walked and wisdom followed with a single to get men on first and third for Rizzo. He would hit into a double play but Happ would score and the Cubs would have the 2-1 lead. The Cubs bullpen was in at this point and they locked the Padres down. Brothers, Tepera, and Kimbrel combined for 4 innings and 5 strikeouts without allowing a single baserunner. The Cubs would get an insurance run in the eighth as Alcantara knocked his first homer of the year to right.

    The good

     The starters in the last two games were brilliant. Davies looks like he has righted the ship after a rough start to the season for him. Arrieta put in a solid performance as well and it was needed after a couple of really rough starts for him coming back from the IL. The bullpen continues to impress as everyone is putting in solid contributions. The long ball is really flying lately for the Cubs as they had 6 homers in the series from 6 different players that propelled the offense. Getting Marisnick back from the IL is nice s well and even being able to keep Martini after the DFA is solid for depth. A series victory and going 5-1 against the Padres on the year shows we can compete with top teams in the NL as this team continues to outplay projections.

    The bad

     Alzolays tough start and following IL placement is really bad for the team. Alzolay had been rolling and had solidified a spot in the rotation. Hopefully, the IL stint is short and the blister heals fast for him. With Williams on the IL already the rotation is thin and there doesn't appear to have much depth. The offense is relying a bit too much on the long ball as it accounted for 8 of the 14 runs in the series. That is baseball today though and it's not completely one-dimensional but something to improve on.

    Looking ahead

     The Cubs series against the Cardinals lost a little bit of luster as the Cardinals hit the skids on their current 6-game losing streak. It's still a rivalry and both teams will be competing for the division with the Brewers though so it carries a lot of weight. Seeing the Cubs debut their Wrigleyville uniforms will also be nice as they look fly.

Series 19 Cubs at Giants

    Game 1

     The Cubs fell in the first game of the road trip as Crawford led the way for the Giants. The Giants got the scoring started in the second as Crawford singled home Flores for the early lead. The Cubs would strike back quickly though. Pederson would become the fourth Cubs to blast a homer into McCovey Cove as his 2 run bomb grabbed the lead for the Cubs. The Giants would tie the game in the bottom of the fourth as Descalfani got his first hit of the year on a double to deep right that plated Tauchman. The game would get out of hand in the fifth though. The Giants started the inning with two singles and a walk but Dickerson got picked off to prevent the bases from being loaded. Davies would leave the game responsible for the runners on base as Brothers came in to pitch. Crawford immediately hit a 3 run shot that gave the Giants the lead for good. The Giants would add 2 more runs in the bottom of the seventh as the Cubs went down quietly with only 1 baserunner in the last 4 innings of the game.

    Game 2

     The Cubs started brightly as Bryant would blast a 2 run shot in the first to grab an early lead. It wouldn't last as Arrieta struggled and only lasted 2 innings as the long ball plagued him. The Giants would plate 6 runs in the second as both Duggar and Dickerson went deep. Pederson would get the Cubs closer with another homer this one to left as the Cubs tried to get back in this one. Two solo homers by Vosler and Wade in the fourth put the game away for good. The Cubs would get one back in the fifth but whimper away in the later innings as they fell 8-5.

    Game 3

     The Cubs started brightly again as Wisdom homered in the second to grab a 2-0 lead. Gausman would dominate afterward though as he set down 15 straight hitters after the homer. Stewart struggled with his command in this one and that meant he only last 3 2/3 innings. That meant more innings from a bullpen that had already been overworked. The Giants grabbed four runs over 3 middle innings that was enough to last the game. The Cubs would get within 1 in the ninth as they rallied but couldn't find the tying run as they went down 4-3.

    Game 4

     Hendricks struggled early in the game as has been his bugaboo this year. The Giants would score 3 runs in the first 2 innings. The Cubs would rally back though. Starting in the second with the first of 2 homers from Wisdom. He would hit his second in the fourth to tie the game at 3. The Cubs would take the lead on an error by Posey in the fifth as Hendricks scored. Hendricks pitched well and got to the seventh before leaving with a quality start after the early trouble. The bullpen shut them down as Bryant made an incredible catch in left to preserve the lead in the ninth.

    The good

     Patrick Wisdom is mashing right now. HE is providing almost the whole offense as Happ clearly said the game plan is to get on for him and let him work. Hendricks battling back in his start was huge as he provided some innings and got a quality start for the Cubs. Pederson also found some power in the series as he hit 2 homers as well. Getting Heyward back is nice as the Cubs start to get healthy.

    The bad

     This series showed the problems with the roster this year so far. The Starting rotation didn't pitch well enough or long enough outside of Hendricks. The lack of inning eating hurt the bullpen as it is pitching far too often. Run creating was also a struggle as Wisdoms bombs provided most of the firepower in this series.

    Looking ahead

     A 3 game set with the Padres will end the west coast trip. The Cubs are in a tie for first and need to stay hot as the Brewers start to heat up. The Cubs will get 100% capacity as they return to Wrigley for a series against the Cardinals this weekend. Wrigley will be rocking and it'll be a great series to watch as two top teams that are rivals will have a lot to play for.

Series 18 Padres at Cubs

    Game 1

     A Memorial Day clash began with another player to the IL as Williams had an appendectomy Sunday. That meant the first start for Kohl Stewart as a Cub. He was up for the challenge as he pitched 5 great innings with the only blemish an unearned run in the second inning. The Cubs' offense would back him up with five homers throughout the win to propel the Cubs to the victory. The Padres started the scoring in the second when Baez had a throwing error that Tatis advanced to second on. Myers would single him in and grab the early lead. The Cubs would take the lead in the third when Baez belted his first homer with Bryant on to grab the 2-1 lead. Wisdom would follow with a solo shot of his own in the fourth and then Bryant would smash his own with Alcantra on in the fifth as the Cubs extended the lead to 5-1. The Padres would get a run in the sixth as Tatis blasted his own solo homer. That's all the Padres would manage as Thompson did a great job relieving Stewart. Thompson would pitch 2 1/3 innings and while he gave up his first run of the year he continued his great season. The Cubs would add two more runs as Wisdom had his second homer in the sixth followed by Baez's second homer of the day in the seventh. Chafin and Nance would finish the game for the Cubs as they took control of the division as the Cardinals lost later in the evening.

    Game 2

     The homers kept coming as the Cubs would power there way to a 4-3 win. The Cubs got the scoring going in the third as Wisdom stayed hot with a 2 run homer to left. Hendricks was cruising in this one until the fifth. He would get two outs before Caratini took him deep followed by a single from Weathers and another long ball by Pham. This gave the Padres a 3-2 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth. The Cubs would strike back quickly in the bottom of the inning. Alcantra would single to start and Hendricks would hit into a fielder's choice to set up Contreras. Wilson hit a long 2 run shot to get the lead back for good. Tepera, Chafin, and Kimbrel all pitched a scoreless inning as the Cubs secured another series victory. Tatis would leave the game with right obliques tightness to add injury to insult for the Padres but happily, it seems he's day to day and hopefully no IL stint will be needed. Rizzo being back in the lineup was refreshing for the Cubs as well. He went a solid 2-4 with 2 singles and having his bat and glove back in the lineup will boost this team even more.

    Game 3

     The Cubs would complete the sweep as the offense woke up late and the pitching continued to be solid. Alzolay continued his run of good results as he pitched 5 innings of one-run ball with 7 K's. The bullpen would shut the Padres down as well. The Padres struck first in the fourth as Kim singled home Cronenworth after a single and walk got him in scoring position. The Cubs would respond right away in the bottom of the inning though. Rizzo would score on an error by Hosmer. The Cubs would load the bases after that but leave them that way as the game stayed tied. The Cubs would erase the tie in the bottom of the fifth though. Martini pinch hit for Alzolay and started the rally with a walk. Pederson would walk as well before 2 outs set up Rizzo. Rizzo would double to left-center with a line drive just out of the reach of Profar on a dive. Martini and Pederson would both score as the Cubs took the lead 3-1. The Cubs got a couple of insurance runs in the seventh. Alcantara would start the inning with a triple and scored on an error by Cronenworth. Baez would then go deep to extend to lead to 5 and make it comfortable to finish.

    The good

     Sweeping a top team in the NL couldn't have been better. The pitching is staying hot and we got Rizzo back! Baez and Wisdom both hit 3 homers in the series as the long ball was flying in this series. The stellar start from Stewart was amazing as the rotation needs to keep performing. The players being called into action continue to perform as Alcantara had another good series as well as Wisdom and Stewart mentioned above. This will make for an interesting call as players get healthy. Some of these players are earning a stay so Ross will have some tough calls ahead.

    The bad

     The Tatis injury is unfortunate but at least it doesn't seem serious. Hendricks giving up the runs at the end of his start put a damper on a great start otherwise. The starters could have worked longer into games to give the bullpen a break as well. Honestly not much bad in the series and it's nitpicking but that's a good thing for this team.

    Looking ahead

     The Cubs head out West for 4 games followed by another series with the Padres. The Cubs have a tough June but they have started out in the best way possible. Hopefully, the Cubs stay hot and keep first place during a tough stretch in the schedule.