It was a tough weekend for the Chicago Cubs in Boston. After taking the first game of the three-game series rather convincingly, the final two were not as favorable. Saturday was an absolute massacre as the Cubs were shut out for the first time this season. On Sunday, the team showed fight late, but the Red Sox blooped their way to a walk-off victory.
Sunday night’s game was just weird, to put it bluntly. The Cubs were getting bad breaks in every way possible. The strike zone seemed like a different size, and uncommon plays kept coming their way; it felt like the Cubs were constantly under fire. However, Mike Tauchman had just about enough when he launched a three-run home run to straightaway center. This tied the game and gave the Cubs their fire back, which had been lost since Friday. But a bloop single in the ninth inning scored a run from third to give the Red Sox the series win.
As disappointing as the loss was, the Cubs have shown time and time again that they bounce back from these situations. This is just their second time losing two consecutive games this year, matching their longest losing streak. The Cubs are still a good baseball team playing through mountains of adversity.
And the Cubs are still well within reach of their ultimate goal. If the season ended today, they would be securely in the playoffs as the National League’s second wild card. However, that’s not exactly where they want to be. The Cubs want to win the division. Thanks to some old friends, they are still very close.
Former Cubs Keep Brewers In Check; Cubs Remain Within A Game
The New York Yankees were in Milwaukee this past weekend to take on the Brewers. As I’m sure all of you know, New York is now the team a couple of our old friends are on. First baseman Anthony Rizzo, Second Baseman Gleyber Torres, and starting pitcher Marcus Stroman all spent time in the Cubs’ organization and helped the Cubs as if they were still wearing our pinstripes instead. The Yankees dropped the series’ first game but absolutely dominated the final two.
Rizzo went a combined 7-8 on Saturday and Sunday, scoring six times and racking up 15 total bases. He also launched two home runs, the second being the 300th home run of his career. Once a top prospect in the Cubs organization, Torres accounted for five hits and four runs batted in during the three-game series. Stroman, who pitched two seasons for the Cubs, started the game for the Yankees on Sunday. He was only able to go four innings, giving up four runs on six hits. But his teammates picked him up after his departure in a big way.
Because the Yankees took two of three from the Brewers, the Cubs remain just one-half game behind the Brewers in the National League Central division. The Brewers will stay home for a three-game set against the Tampa Bay Rays, whom the Chicago White Sox just swept. The Cubs will head to Flushing, New York, to take on the Mets for the next four days.
