CI Recap (7/20/18) – Cubs 5, Cardinals 18: Carpenter Goes Off, Lester Struggles to Open Second Half
Following a strong offensive showing Thursday night, the Chicago Cubs rolled over in game two of this weekend set with the St. Louis Cardinals. Not only did the bats fall flat against Jack Flaherty and the Cardinals pitching staff, but so did Cubs pitching.
Jon Lester kicked off his second half in forgettable fashion, allowing eight earned runs over just three innings pitched. The game got out of hand quickly in the 4th inning after the Cardinals put up seven runs in the top half of the frame. All in all, this game was one to brush aside and not take too closely to heart. (Box score)
Why the Cubs Lost
Key Moment
Matt Carpenter was the key moment throughout the entire ballgame. He went an astounding 5-for-5 with three home runs and two doubles, accounting for seven RBI. Carpenter’s day at the plate was representative of the entire St. Louis lineup, as the Cubs basically gave up in their attempt at a comeback halfway through.
Stats That Matter
- The BABIP gods appear to be casting their curse upon Lester. He went 3.0 IP allowing 7 H, 8 ER, 5 BB, while notching just 1 K.
- Anthony Bass followed up Lester’s short outing with a sub-par performance of his own. He was unable to record an out in the 4th inning, allowing three runs with two walks and one hit.
- Cubs All-Stars Javier Baez and Willson Contreras each recorded a hit on the day, with Contreras hammering his eighth homer on the season.
- Due to the Cardinals’ onslaught this afternoon, Joe Maddon turned to Tommy La Stella, Victor Caratini, and Ian Happ to pitch through the latter innings of this ballgame to save on the bullpen. They combined for 3.1 IP and three runs.
Bottom Line
The Cardinals put up 12 runs over the first four innings of the ballgame, which is hard to overcome for any team. Relief specialists La Stella, Caratini, and Happ provided some enjoyment over the last few innings of the game but overall this matchup was one to forget.
On Deck
The Cubs will face the Cardinals in a doubleheader Saturday. The first game, a makeup from April 16, will get underway at 12:05pm CT when Tyler Chatwood squares off against Luke Weaver. The second game will commence at 6:15pm CT when Mike Montgomery faces John Gant. The first game can be seen on WGN & MLB Network (out-of-market only) while the second game can be seen on FOX.
