RECAP: Almora Prevents The Shutout
Big Jon made his first start since coming off the Injured List. Because he hadn’t pitched in over two weeks (Cubs home opener was his last start) he was limited to just 75 pitches. He made the most of those pitches, going 5 full innings of one run baseball but that one run proved to be enough as Cubs offense fell flat.
Lester came in to the game trying to help the Cubs sweep the Dodgers for the first time in a decade. He struck out Hernández looking to lead off the game and followed that up by getting Turner to flyout to Heyward, who was playing in center to start off the game, and then got Freese to flyout to right on a 3-0 pitch to end the first.
Dodgers got their first hit with one out in the second but Lester struck out the next two to end the inning. Lester pitched a clean third and though he gave up a one put single in the 4th, he was able to induce a groundball double play to keep that single from mattering. In all, Lester was cruising and looking like the Ace we all know and love.
Dodgers pitcher Ross Stripling wasnt as effective. His no hitter ended with the third batter he saw when Rizzo ripped a single to right. Javy Baez came up next and improved his personal record vs Stripling to 6-6 when he ripped a single down the right field line that Rizzo was able to advance to third on. Unfortunately, the inning ended shortly thereafter when Baez was caught stealing second. The Cubs would have another chance to score in the second. Descalso was at the plate when Baez was caught stealing so he was able to lead off the second but ended up striking out. Contreras came up next and smoked a groundball past the shortstop that neither third baseman Turner nor shortstop Taylor could come up with. Heyward continued his hot streak with a single to shallow center to put runners on first and third for Schwarber. Schwarbs wound up with a fielder’s choice when his infield hit was picked up by the Stripling and thrown to catcher Rocky Gale as Contreras was half way home. This resulted in Contreras being caught in the run down, though Heyward and Schwarber were both safe at second and first, respectively. Lester came up to the plate next and while he sometimes comes through with big hits, today just wasnt his day and the inning ended with 2 more left stranded. Stripling issued a walk to Bryant in the third but struck out Rizzo and retired Baez for the first time in his career to end the third and retired the fourth in order.
Which brings us to the 5th. The fifth inning was interesting for both teams. After cruising through the first four innings, Lester gave up a lead off triple to Verdugo, though he may have been limited to a double Heyward come up with the ball cleanly. Taylor the smoked a rather routine groundball to shortstop Javy Baez, but he somehow allowed the ball to get past him. Verdugo scored the first run of the game and Taylor was safe at first. Catcher Rocky Gale came up next and sent a single to right field. With runners on first and second, nobody out, and Stripling due up before the rotation flipped back over to the top, it seemed as though this would be the Dodgers big inning in which they ran off Lester. Instead, Big Jon showed why hes our ace and induced a groundball double play. Taylor advanced to third on the double play but he won an 11 pitch battle against Hernández to end the inning and keep the Cubs in the game.
The top of the fifth was Lester’s final inning and though he left with the Dodgers up by one and in line for the loss, he went the full five innings required in order to qualify for the win, should the Cubs offense provide him some run support. And they almost did. Almost.
Schwarber lead off the bottom of the 5th by smoking the ball to the right field wall for a standup double. Zagunis pinch hit for Lester but went down swinging. Zobrist was able to advance Schwarber to third when he put the ball in play on the right side of the field but when he was thrown out at first, it put 2 outs on the inning. With Stripling being a reliever, making a spot start with Rich Hill on the IL, he isnt stretched out to pitch as deep into a game as a starter usually does. Between that and lineup turning over for the third time through, Stripl8ng’s night ended one out shy of qualifying for the win. Reliever Pedro Baez came on for Stripling and issued a walk to the first batter he saw, Kris Bryant, keeping the inning alive for Rizzo. Rizzo launched the ball into the air. Dodgers right fielder Cody Bellinger took a step in before going back. And back. All the way back to the warning track. Which is exactly where the ball came down. Rizzo just barely missed a go ahead homer and instead ended the inning.
Cubs had another shot at scoring in the seventh with Ferguson on the mound. He was able to strike out Heyward but hit the top of Almora’s shoe and then walked Bote to put two on with only one out for the top of the lineup. Zobrist entered the game today looking for his first extra base hit so when he came up in the seventh with two on, it felt like a great time for him to finally get it. Unfortunately, he did something he rarely does and hit into an inning ending double play.
Randy Rosario came in to pitch in the eighth and issued a 4 pitch walk to leadoff hitter, Seager. He threw one more ball to Hernandez before being pulled. Kintzler came in next and induced thr groundball. Hernández hit into what was initially called a double play but a challenge by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts proved that Descalso hadnt actually tagged Seager on his way to second and only the out at first counted. Kintzler then hit Turner with a pitch before being pulled for Kyle Ryan. Ryan immediately issued a walk to pinch hitter Max Muncy to load the bases with only one out for Dodgers star Cody Bellinger. Ryan threw the ball. Bellinger hit the ball in the air to center. Almora went back. And back. And made the catch on the warning track. Bellinger was credited with an RBI sac fly when Seager tagged up and scored to put the Dodgers up 2-0 in the eighth.
With time running out and the top of the lineup due, Robert’s sent Joe Kelly to the mound. Bryant went down on a groundout. Rizzo went down swinging. Javy Baez always seem to come up to the plate with two outs and the game on the line. He launched the pitch to right and literally missed a homer by inches. Instead, he wound up with a long single and kept the inning alive for Descalso. Sadly, Descalso ended the inning and stranded another base runner when Kelly struck him out.
Kyle Ryan stayed in for the top of the ninth and thankfully pitched a clean third with two groundouts and a strikeout.
The Cubs came up in the 9th down by 2, 3 outs away from being shut out, with prolific Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen in for the save. Contreras couldnt help the Cubs cause as he grounded out. Heyward couldnt help, either, as he flied out. Instead, it was Almora who put the Cubs on the board with his first home run, and first extra base hit, of the season. On the board but still down by one, Cubs looked to their favorite late innings hero, David Bote, to do something, anything, to keep the game alive. It just wasnt meant to be today and Bote went down swinging. The Dodgers avoided the sweep as the Cubs lost 2-1.
The Cubs leave Chicago tonight as they embark on a 5 game road trip, playing 3 in Arizona before heading up to Seattle for a two game set against the Mariners before coming back home. The next game is tomorrow night at 9:40 eastern/8:40 central when Kyle Hendricks takes on lefty Robbie Ray.
