CI Recap (5/29/17) – Padres 5, Cubs 2: Cubs Get Slammed in San Diego

Fresh off getting swept by the Dodgers, the Cubs looked to rebound against the lowly Padres. San Diego gave the Cubs every chance they could to get right, but the Northsiders once again gave away a winnable game and added to the frustration of 2017.

Padres starter Jarred Cosart had control problems immediately on Monday, walking two and hitting another to load the bases for Jason Heyward. The redeemed right fielder ripped a 2-0 fastball for a two-run single and a 2-0 Cubs lead.

Cosart continued to put Chicago runners on, but the Cubs couldn’t add to their lead. Kyle Hendricks looked very sharp early, retiring the first 10 batters he faced.

Then, seemingly in a flash, Hendricks fell apart in the bottom of the 4th. Yangervis Solarte reached on an infield single, then another single and a hit batter loaded the bases for Hunter Renfroe, who hammered a high pitch for a grand slam to left.

Just like that, the Cubs trailed 4-2. Hendricks allowed another run on an RBI grounder in the 5th, but the lead might as well have been 10 runs for all the Cubs offense could muster.

The Padres walked the bases loaded in the top of the 7th (their 10th walk of the game), but they escaped when Heyward grounded into a double play. The Cubs went quietly after that, losing their 4th straight 5-2. This might have been the most annoying loss of the season.

Stats That Matter

• Kyle Hendricks looked great the first three innings Monday before the doors fell off: 5 IP, 5 R, 6 H, 5 K, and no BB. The Professor continued the pattern of allowing devastating home runs with men on base.
• Jason Heyward went 2-for-4 with the Cubs’ only two RBI. He’s hitting the ball better of late, but like the rest of his teammates, he failed to come through late with men on.
• The Cubs stranded 11 men on base and went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position. With 10 walks and two hit batters, the Padres gave up 12 free runners. Only scoring two runs under those circumstances seems impossible, but it happened.

Bottom Line

The Padres tried hard to give this game to the Cubs, who would not take the gift and stranded tons of runners. This was a very frustrating loss to say the least.

On Deck

The Cubs look to snap their four-game losing streak in game two of the series Tuesday night. Eddie Butler does battle with righty Dinelson Lamet at 9:10 CT. The game can be seen on CSN-Chicago Plus, which is a real station for such overflow contests.