by Boutros Boutros Ghali
The experiment continues....
I advocated for the fifth starter to be replaced with three innings each by long relievers way back in the beginning of this season when the Cubs were sporting Wada, Wood, and E-Jax in the bullpen. We almost got to see it once, but this was the first time anyone the bullpen was explicitly tasked with taking a start.
According to reports (pretty much everybody reported on this, I don't have a personal source), Maddon went with his bullpen in the start due to weather conditions. Apparently there was a strong possibility of a sharknado and since the Cubs are short on starters, he figured he would offer up relievers for the Goats of the Sea and Wind.
Wooderson looked good in his first start since mid-May, but since Maddon was not going to completely burn him out, he only got 3 innings of work although he did enter the fourth inning for one batter. Wood held the Philistines to 3 hits and no runs with 5 strikeouts. Pretty good wood.
Trevor Cahill took the bump in the fourth inning. Cahill was once a starter for the A's and the Diamondbacks before finding out it was really hard to see batters multiple times in a game. Cubs trotted him out as their starter part B and he also kept the Phils from scoring for three innings.
Once again, it's a mad, mad, mad, Maddon World and the creative manager put together a two pitcher quality start that put the Cubs in line for the win although it was tenuous with the handsome youngsters only giving one run in support.
That run came in the third inning. when Hulk Schwarber introduced himself to the puny pitcher Jerad Eickhoff. Schwarber has proven that he can go deep in all parts of the yard and this time he pulled a high pop fly into the fourth row of seats in right field.
Unfortunately, the plans of a Maddon Genius are not without their dangers. Grimmlock was brought in for the seventh inning and fell victim to the bullpen's lack of proper 3 out hat tilting that makes it hard for Cubs relievers to close out innings.
Grimm struck out the first two batters he faced and then the Philly floodgates opened. Altherr walked and then Rizzo had an uncharacteristic fielding error that kept the inning alive. Rizzo took his eye off the ball as Grimm ran to cover first base and just booted it.
Ryan Howard then hit a double to make the Cubs pay for the mistake. Altherr scored and it was tied 1-1. The wheels continued to spin and Grimm walked Bogusevic to load the bases. Then he walked in a run as Darnell Sweeney took the free trip to first and Andy White scored.
Captain Hook was late from the dugout and the Cubs were losing 2-1 with the bases loaded when he replaced Grimm with Rosscup. Rosscup got the thumbs down from Cesar Hernandez who doubled to clear the bases. Cubs 1-Phils 5.
In years past, the Cubs would not have any chance in this game and fans could turn the channel to watch Lost because the numbers were against them. You can never count out the Handsome Youngsters though and these Cubbies can come back.
Luis Garcia came in to relieve Eickhoff and Dexter Fowler hit the first ball he threw out to right field for a single. Schwarbear is can crush, but it's the ability to be patient and take walks that really makes this guy dangerous. Runners were on first and second when Cobra Coggs stepped to the plate and get the runs going.
Cobra struck and doubled on a slow roller all the way into the right field corner of the ballpark. Fowler and Schwarber both scored on the play. Cubs 3-Phils 5.
Gomez took Garcia's spot on the mound to face Rizzo. Not surprisingly, Plunk got plunked. The umps sent Rizzo to first base after being hit in the shield on the sleeve of his jersey. That's Plunk's 26th HBP of the year.
Kris Bryant continued to bring the Cubs back with a double off the wall in left field. Coggs scored and Rizzo and Bryant were in scoring position with no outs. Cubs 4-Phils 5.
Montero hit a long sacrifice fly to deep right center field that moved Bryant and Rizzo up 90 feet each. Rizzo scored on the play and the Cubs had tied the game with only one out in the inning.
Javy Baez hit a grounder up the middle of the field to Cesar Hernandez and instead of taking the sure out at first base, Hernandez threw the ball home where Bryant slid into a collision with Catcher Erik Kratz.
Bryant was called out. Maddon challenged the call, but it was pretty clear on the replay that it was out and the call stood for the second out of the inning.
*Side Note: listen to the idiots covering the game in the link above. Holy Cow they are stupid. They literally just do not understand the rules. I did not get to hear Len and JD's call of the play and review, but I doubt it was as asinine as the dreck from the guys in the clip. Side Note/Rant over.
Russell struck out but the Cubs had tied the game 5-5 going into the bottom of the 8th inning. Pedro Strop entered and made his dead relatives proud with a 1-2-3 inning.
The Cubs had the top of the order coming to the plate in the ninth inning vs. Ken Giles, but the only one who could reach base was Fowler on a walk because Fowler walks.
Rondon came in for the non-save situation in the bottom of the ninth and unfortunately, he could not get the Cubs through to the 10th. He got Andy White to strike out and then Ron Howard popped out for the first two outs of the inning. Then Rondon's lack of proper three out hat tilting came in to play and the Phillies won the game.
Erik Kratz walked and then Cody Asche came up to bat as a pinch hitter. He hit the ball off the right field foul pole for a two run home run and the Cubs left the field with a loss. Asche had one walkoff home run to his credit and it had come one year to the day of this one. So, I guess the book on Asche is to not pitch to him on September 12th.
Cubs lose but so did St. Louis. The Pirates won to gain another game on the Cubs and Cardinals and the race for placement continues in the central.
That's your reckless recap. Go Cubs!
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