SAN FRANCISCO — Things seemed to be lined up for the Cubs Tuesday evening, coming off a three-game sweep in Anaheim and with the Giants 2-13 at home since the All-Star break.
But this one didn’t feel right almost from the beginning. It didn’t feel right when the Cubs stranded two runners in the first, and again in the third. It didn’t really even feel right when the Cubs took a lead in the middle innings.
And those feelings turned out to be correct, as Matthew Boyd allowed a pair of home runs for only
the second time all season and the Cubs offense vanished after the fifth. All that led to a 5-2 loss to the Giants, not the way the Cubs would have liked to begin this series.
Seiya Suzuki and Pete Crow-Armstrong singled with two out in the first. Suzuki took third on PCA’s single and then PCA stole second, putting two runners in scoring position. Carson Kelly was then called out on strikes to end the inning. That one, unfortunately, was more evidence we need the challenge system:
Not close, really, but until next year (most likely) there’s nothing that can be done about things like that.
Boyd served up a home run to Wilmer Flores in the second to give the Giants a 1-0 lead. He was striking out a lot of batters, too — five K’s in the first three innings.
The Cubs put two men on base, again with two out, in the third. Kyle Tucker singled and Suzuki walked. PCA struck out to end the inning.
The Cubs tied the game in the fourth. Ian Happ doubled with one out and took third on a fly to right by Nico Hoerner. Dansby Swanson walked, and Matt Shaw then singled in Happ [VIDEO].
The Cubs actually had the lead for a brief time. With two out in the fifth, PCA hit a ball into short left and legged out a double [VIDEO].
PCA was called out on the field, but he was pretty clearly safe and the call was overturned on review. Kelly followed with this RBI single [VIDEO].
But the Cubs could not hold that lead. Luis Matos led off the bottom of the fifth with a double. Boyd retire the next two Giants, including another strikeout, his eighth. But a double by Heliot Ramos tied the game and then Rafael Devers blooped a single just past a diving Swanson to give the Giants the lead. This is how close Swanson came to making that catch [VIDEO].
Still, it’s only 3-2. But Boyd served up another home run in the sixth, this one to Matt Chapman with a runner on to make it 5-2, and the Cubs offense took the rest of the evening off. Maybe that’s a bit harsh but the Cubs had just one baserunner after Kelly’s RBI single in the fifth — a one-out single by Swanson in the ninth. Between Kelly’s hit and Swanson’s, 11 Cubs went down in order.
The bullpen did a good job of keeping things from getting out of hand. Drew Pomeranz, Taylor Rogers and Jordan Wicks threw 2.2 innings of scoreless ball, with only one Giants single, allowed by Rogers in the seventh. Interesting side note, and I have neither the time nor inclination to look up when was the last time this happened for the Cubs — all four pitchers in this game for the Cubs were left-handed.
One thing I did not like in this game was Craig Counsell’s pinch-hitting choices. He sent Justin Turner up to bat for Michael Busch in the seventh against lefty reliever Joey Lucchesi. Turner struck out. This also meant a pinch-hitter for Turner in the ninth against Giants closer Ryan Walker, a righty. That was Owen Caissie, who struck out to end the game. Counsell also sent Willi Castro up to bat just before Caissie, pinch-hitting for Matt Shaw. Castro also struck out.
The Cubs fell another game behind the Brewers in the NL Central race and now trail by 6.5 games. That’s still not insurmountable, but at this point it seems as if the Cubs are destined for a wild-card spot and now it feels important to keep the lead in that race so they will have home field in a wild-card series.
Oracle Park was pleasant as always. The gameday staff is helpful and efficient, Giants fans are friendly and knowledgeable and the garlic fries are always worth having.
Historical note, which could be incorrect: It was reported during this game that Justin Verlander, who struck out five, passed Walter Johnson on the all-time strikeout list when he struck out Tucker in the first inning. That was Verlander’s 3,516th career strikeout — but per baseball-reference.com Johnson had 3,509 strikeouts (some sources say 3,508). The Elias Sports Bureau credits Johnson with 3,515.
The Cubs will look to even up this series Wednesday evening at Oracle Park. Colin Rea will start for the Cubs and Carson Whisenhunt gets the call for the Giants. Game time is again 8:45 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
