Games 62-63- Getting The Number

There are some teams that have the number of the Cubs. The Reds for one. But the Cubs have the number of other teams, namely the Cardinals. In this short weekend series the Cubs have dominated with pitching (Hamels pitching an absolute gem on Friday) and with hitting (the Cubs coming back from 4 runs to win 9-4).

Hitting home runs over the last few games is Javy and Kyle. The offense is definitely clicking as the team goes for the sweep today. Here is Cubs Insider's recap!

https://www.cubsinsider.com/2019/06/08/chicago-cubs-score-and-recap-6-8-19-cubs-9-cardinals-4-cubs-erase-early-deficit-to-pound-cardinals/


Cubs Games Watched: 9.5
Cubs Games Listened To: 36
BCB/CI: 17.5

Game 54- Lights Out

The Cubbies came out swinging again and that made all the difference. Bryant and Schwarber both hit solo shots and Hendricks showed up again and shut down the Astros. Given that this may be a pseudo-World Series preview it was great to see the Cubs battle to shut the Astros down and the pitching limit the damage.

Listening on the radio you never got the sense that Cubs were going to score many runs in this which usually leads to an impending sense of doom but Hendricks was so on (8 innings pitched, 1 run, 1 walk) that it didn't really matter.

Given the travails of Darvish and Lester it great to see the rock of Hendricks living up to his extension and anchoring this rotation.

Cubs have an off day and then a series against the Cardinals, can't wait!

Cubs Games Watched: 9.5
Cubs Games Listened To: 34
Gave Up, Read BCB: 10.5

Game 48- Eh?

When it rains it pours. Jon Lester is a very good pitcher who typically isn't good in the first inning. He wasn't good in yesterday's first inning (2 runs) or the third inning (another 2 runs) nor the fourth inning (3 runs!).

The fact the Cubs battled back in this game is a testament that with this offense, they are never truly out of it. Rizzo 4 for freaking 5. Schwarber 2 for 4, heck even Chatwood went 1 for 1 with a DOUBLE.

As terrible as Lester was, the bullpen was also terrible giving up an additional 2 runs which ended up being the difference in this game.

Given the start Lester had, the team had no legitimate chance of winning but it is still crazy that they almost had one but for the bullpen. Still and L is a L although this definitely felt like a playoff series. Maybe this will be revisited in October?

Games Watched: 9.5
Games Listened To: 29
Gave Up: 9.5