The Cubs went into Coors Field, always a good ballpark for hitting, hoping to awaken their bats.
All it did was awaken Rockies bats against Colin Rea. They scored seven runs off Rea in the first three innings and the Cubs lost to the Rockies 7-3. Sorry if this recap reads pretty bland, but that’s pretty much what this game was from a Cubs standpoint.
Two in the first, three in the third, two in the fourth. You knew the Cubs weren’t going to come back from that, not the way this offense is hitting right
now. Even in Coors Field.
The Cubs scored once in the third. Dansby Swanson led off with a double. Pete Crow-Armstrong and Michael Busch walked, sandwiched around a Moisés Ballesteros strikeout.
Bases loaded, one out. Good chance, right?
All they got was a single run on this Alex Bregman sacrifice fly [VIDEO].
Two more Cubs runs scored in the sixth. Busch led off the inning with a home run [VIDEO].
Bregman singled, his second hit of the game. So that’s good, I guess. After a pitching change by the Rockies, Ian Happ walked and a wild pitch moved both runners up.
A ground out by Seiya Suzuki scored Bregman [VIDEO].
If you’re keeping track, that’s a solo homer and two runs that scored on outs. Meanwhile, the Rockies were pounding the ball all over the yard off Rea. Ryan Rolison, Ethan Roberts and Hoby Milner threw scoreless ball for 3.1 innings. So that’s good, I guess.
Willi Castro had three hits in this game. I think he had three hits the entire time he was with the Cubs last year (okay, 17, but it felt like only three).
The Cubs got a couple of runners on with two out in the eighth, but all that did was increase the Cubs’ ineffectiveness with RISP — 0-for-8 on the night.
I realize this recap sounds pretty bland, but then… so was the Cubs offense in this game. Perhaps they will wake up in the second game of this series. Perhaps if they do, the writing of the recap will be a more interesting read.
This, from BCB’s JohnW53, is interesting, if a bit depressing:
After the last win of the Cubs’ second 10-game winning streak on May 8 at Texas, their run differential was a season-high +56: 215 scored, 159 allowed.
It is now -1: 306 scored, 307 allowed.
In the 28 games beginning May 9, while going 7-21, the Cubs have been outscored 148-91, an average of more than two runs per game, 5.29 to 3.25.
Oh, and also this. Yes I know the uniform has nothing to do with the performance on the field but maybe, just maybe, put the gray jerseys away for a while? Just to be a little stitious, maybe?
The Cubs will try it again against the Rockies Wednesday evening at Coors Field. Shōta Imanaga will start for the Cubs, the first time he’s ever pitched in Denver. Good luck, Shōta. Michael Lorenzen will go for Colorado. Game time is again 7:40 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
