If you would have told me that John Lackey would out-pitch Jake Arrieta during yesterday’s doubleheader in hitter-friendly Coors Field, I would have looked at you like you were a moron. Granted, Arrieta has been nowhere near as good as he’s been the past two years but overall I think most Cubs fans still have more confidence with the ball in his hand rather than Lackey’s.
This is why we are just fans.
Arrieta was absolutely destroyed during Game 1 of the double header yesterday which saw him last only 3.2 innings while giving up a staggering nine runs.
#Cubs starters' shortest outings
Brett Anderson ⅓ IP, 5 R
Anderson 1⅓ IP, 7 R
Jake Arrieta 3⅔ IP, 9 R <<< TODAY
Anderson 3⅔ IP, 7 R— Michael Liu (@liuchiahow) May 9, 2017
The loss pushed the Cubs to 16-16 on the season before Game 2 when Lackey took the mound. I’ll be 100% honest with you all — anytime Lackey pitches, I expect the worst. It’s nothing personal against him or his large set of perfectly white teeth, I just feel like I’ve seen him get rocked more so than any other Cubs starter the past two years so when he pitches I rarely expect much.
This is why I’m just a fan.
With the Cubs sitting right at .500, playing against a team that just hung up 10 runs at a ball park that is known to give up long balls, Lackey took the mound and completely stymied the Rockies offense because, you know — baseball.
Lackey threw 7 scoreless innings allowing only four hits and zero earned runs. It also helped that the Cubs offense finally woke the f*ck up and put up a five spot in the second inning to support Lackey but that’s neither here nor there.
Lackey’s performance yesterday was not only dominant, but it was historic as well.
Per ESPN: Lackey first visitor to pitch at least 7 scoreless with at least 10 Ks at Coors Field since Pedro Martinez, 1997 (they're only 2)
— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubCub) May 10, 2017
There’s no doubt the Cubs have been struggling to start the season but I’m hoping yesterdays dominant start by Lackey (paired with Miguel Montero telling the team to “wake it up, shake it up”) will turn into the spark the team needs to return to the dominant 2016 team that we all grew to love.
How great would it be if it was John Lackey out of all people who helped turn the tide for the 2017 Cubs?
John Lackey, not the stopper we deserved, but the stopper we needed. #Cubs pic.twitter.com/Y8TChuELl1
— Aldo Soto (@AldoSoto21) May 10, 2017
