Bleacher Bums Forum

Gausman not on his best.  Got a lucky good one last game, but he's not a guy who's going to give many good ones consistently.  4.66 ERA on the season, and most of the better ones were in the spring.  Like a lot of old guys, he'll sometimes have his game and be good, but can't do that with any consistency anymore. 

Cubs were 15 games over .500 on May 9.  Assuming they lose this one, they'll be 15 games over .500 on Sept 9.  Last 4 months, .500 ball.  In a given series, a .500 team can win.  And old guys like Gauman, Shota, Boyd, they can give good games on occassion, even if not consistently so.  There's a chance to win the wildcard series. 

There's a chance to win the wildcard series.

This assumes they make the playoffs. The D'Backs and Padres are now close objects in the rearview mirror.

BJ Murray batting in a crucial situation is an indictment of this organization's depth and farm system.

Who was avialable on the bench to PH?  Is that what an $8 million manager gets you?

You worry way too much about me, Reb.

Bregman OPS now at .800.

Now in range for a 5 WAR season.

Wow.

Holmes kinda loses his control in the late 5th and 6th.  Leaves with bases loaded two outs in the 6th.  Last walk was typically Cubs obnoxioius.  In 5th, walked .160-hitter Davis on 4 pitches.  In 6th, gets ahead 0-2, then follows the Cubs plan and wastes a chase pitch 12 inches outside,  Then wastes another chaser 15 inches outside.  Mixes it up with a an inside chase chaser 12 inches up-and-in.  Finally with full count, throws something somewhat competitive, and walks him 5 inches outside. 

Cubs got 1st two in the 4th, quick DP.  Bregman first-pitch hit in the 6th, but Busch first-pitch DP's. 

Nice win!  Ramirez, crucial double in the 8th off a big-stuff pitcher.  He ripped it.  Disciplined, patient AB by Seiya to walk the based loaded.  Likewise a good, disciplined AB by Shaw to walk in the tying run.  Conforto eventually chased a full-count pitch that was off the plate, could have walked in another run. 

Some effective if variably lucky relief. Shaw came in with Holmes bases loaded, Cruz hit it pretty hard, but right at Ramirez.  In 9th, Bregman misplayed a ball leading off, to put runner on base.  The Rollison went to 3-0 on Cruz, and then gave up a hard rocket, but right at Taylor for an out.  That was lucky, could have been a double or a HR, or a walk to get 1st-2nd no outs.  The Zeferjahn went to 3-1, but his final K pitch was really a beauty, great pitch. 

Nice go steal the win off of a really talented use-when-winning reliever. 

Rare game where Cubs defense was problematic.  Hoerner error set up the 3-run HR.  Might have been a 2-run homer anyway, I guess.  But also guessing that Holmes works a little differently without that error setting up the high-stress situation.  The Bregman misplaying to put the typing run on base to open the 9th.  Nice that Rolison and Zeferjahn worked around it.