Skenes and Pirates silence Cubs |
CHICAGO - For the second time in a week and the fourth time this season, the Chicago Cubs (71-68) were forced to go up against the potential rookie of the year in RHP Paul Skenes. Since the Pittsburgh Pirates (65-73) promoted him in early May, Skenes has put on a show, sitting at 9-2 this season with a 2.13 ERA. He also has 149 strikeouts on the year, which is the most all-time by a Pirates rookie, and he is just getting started.
Anytime you face a team twice within a week, especially coming off a sweep against them last time out, things are going to be much more challenging the second time around, and all of the momentum the Cubs gained has quickly vanished. That has been a theme this season as the Cubs have pulled themselves back into the race several times only to be let down immediately after. This was another one of those games. Kyle Hendricks continues to struggle this season, and although he had a much better outing this time, the Cubs' bats went silent as the Pirates picked up a 5-0 victory to claim the series. In his last start against the Pirates, Hendricks was rocked and removed from the game after just 1 2/3 innings, which was the shortest start of his 10-year career. He was much better on Tuesday, as Hendricks kept his team in the game by allowing just two runs in five innings, walking one and striking out five. His issue was the man he faced as Skenes no-hit the Cubs the last time he pitched at Wrigley Field in June. Skenes wasn't nearly as sharp in this one, which was the case last time against the Cubs in PNC Park, as he lasted just five innings. Skenes walked four and struck out six as the Cubs made him work, but they were unable to cash in on several bases-loaded opportunities. One of those opportunities came in the first as the two-out Seiya Suzuki single started a rally with a pair of walks loading the bases. Skenes managed to pitch out of that jam without any damage, and when you have a guy as good as him on the ropes, you need to capitalize before they can settle in on the mound. The same can be said about Hendricks in the second inning, as a pair of singles from Nick Gonzalez and Connor Joe set the Pirates offense up while a walk loaded the bases. Like Skenes, Hendricks managed to escape the second without damage as the Cubs offense again had a chance to strike first. For the second time in as many innings, the Cubs had Skenes on the ropes, with Dansby Swanson and Christian Bethancourt picking up a pair of singles ahead of a Michael Busch walk as the bases were loaded again with two outs. Once again, the Cubs came up empty, as those two opportunities were the difference in the game. While the Cubs offense failed to capitalize in the early innings, the Pirates broke through in the second as a pair of singles from Isiah Kiner-Falefa led things off before Bryan Reynolds added a single to put runners on the corners and no outs. Andrew McCutchen followed that with a sacrifice fly to bring home the winning run. Pittsburgh would add a second run in that inning off the Rowdy Tellez single, as those would be the only runs they would need. With the Cubs offense wasting another opportunity in the third to push a run across, Skenes began to settle in as he managed to retire the final eight hitters he faced to give the Pirates five innings and put himself in a position to win. In what was now a battle of the bullpens with Drew Smyly and Colin Holderman tossing a scoreless sixth, you had to like the Cubs chances to keep things close until an uncharacteristic bad outing happened in the seventh. Yesterday, it was Jorge Lopez having his worst outing as a Cub, and tonight, Tyson Miller followed that as he struggled on the mound. Like Lopez and Porter Hodge, Miller has been lights out for the Cubs over the past two months, but eventually, even the best relievers have a bad outing. This was the time for Miller to have his as a Nick Gonzalez single was followed by a Joe walk as the Pirates put the first two men on. Two batters later saw the Pirates put the game away as Jared Triolo connected for his third homer of the season against the Cubs and pushed their lead out to 5-0. Those were the final runs of the game for either side as the Cubs managed just one Ian Happ hit the final three innings before David Bednar closed things out for the 5-0 win. Chicago was held to five hits from five different players as they couldn't figure out how to get to Skenes. The Cubs will look to end their season series with the Pirates on a high note as Shota Imanga takes the ball against TBD.
