Cubs drop costly game against lowly Royals |
CHICAGO - The Chicago Cubs (62-59) certainly aren't making it easy on themselves, are they? Just when the Cubs put themselves within striking distance of the first-place Brewers and an opportunity to surpass them with an easy stretch of games, the offense has sputtered yet again after dominating for nearly a month. After splitting with the Chicago White Sox earlier this week, the Cubs welcomed another AL Central foe to Wrigley Field on Friday as the last-place Kansas City Royals (40-84) come into town for a three-game set.
Despite being one of the worst teams in baseball, the Royals have been playing much better lately, which doesn't bode well for a team getting into some of their old habits at the wrong time. Looking for a bounce-back start after getting roughed up by the Blue Jays was Jameson Taillon, who has carved up the Royals across his MLB career. Entering the game with two earned runs in 25 innings in his career against the Royals, Taillon was solid once again as he gave the Cubs six innings of work. Granted, he did allow four runs, but only two were earned as a costly Patrick Wisdom error in the sixth led to the game-winning two-run shot from Bobby Witt JR as the Royals took game one from the Cubs 4-3. Taillon wasn't overpowering, but he didn't need to be, as he didn't walk a hitter and struck out three while scattering six hits. The problem for the Cubs was getting to left-hander Cole Regans, who the Royals acquired in the Aroldis Chapman deal with the Texas Rangers. Regans have all the tools to be a front-of-the-line pitcher in the MLB, and with his second Tommy John surgery behind him, it appears he is coming into his own. Regans matched Taillon with six innings of work, allowing three runs on eight hits. He walked two and struck out nine to give the Royals a fantastic effort. Chicago had their chances to get to Regans especially early, as Christopher Morel led things off for the Cubs with a walk while the Nico Hoerner single put two on with no outs. Regans managed to escape that situation without allowing a run, setting the tone for what was to come. With the score tied 0-0 in the third, the Royals were looking to strike first as Drew Waters led things off with a single. Waters would advance to second with a stolen base and then came home on the one-out Kyle Isbel single to put KC in front 1-0. Taillon managed to get out of that inning without further damage, but after a leadoff single from Witt Jr to begin the fourth, it was the Cubs once again in trouble. Looking to limit the damage again, Taillon would allow a sacrifice fly to Salvador Perez to make things 2-0, but things could have been far worse. It didn't take the Cubs long to respond, and one out double from Yan Gomes ignited what would be a massive fourth inning for Chicago. That double was followed by a Seiya Suzuki single to put runners on the corners, with Jeimer Candelario putting the Cubs on the board with another single. On the verge of a big inning, Patrick Wisdom singled to keep the line moving while Morel reached on an RBI infield single to tie things up 2-2. There was an error by former Cub Matt Duffy on that play as the Cubs continued to keep the pressure on. The hustle by Morel to extend the inning paid off as Hoerner smoked a liner past Witt Jr up the middle to bring home the Cubs third run of the game as they took a 3-2 lead into the fifth. That would be it for the Cubs in terms of their offense, but when you look at how poorly the Royals pen has been this season, you had to like their chances. Holding their 3-2 lead in the sixth, the top of the Royals continued to be an issue for the Cubs as Duffy reached on an error from Wisdom which proved costly in the end. That error was followed by a Witt Jr homer that put the Royals in front 4-3, and they never looked back. Royals take down the Cubs thanks to a Bobby Witt Jr. home run in the top of the sixth inning. Helps the #Marlins when it comes to the playoff chance.#Royals pic.twitter.com/5y7oIEEWvn
Despite the struggles from the Royals pen, you have to give them a ton of credit, as they were not fazed by the Cubs and went right after their hitters. With Dylan Coleman and Taylor Clarke matching Michael Fulmer and Jose Cuas pitch for pitch, the Royals maintained their 4-3 lead entering the ninth as the Cubs wasted an opportunity to potentially draw even or take the lead in the bottom of the eighth. Down to their final three outs, Hoerner set the Cubs offense up with one out single only to be thrown out trying to stretch things into a double. That was the game right there as Ian Happ followed that up with a walk before a rare Cody Bellinger strikeout ended the game with the Royals stealing game one 4-3. The loss drops them to 1-2 on this homestand and pushes them back to 2.5 games behind the Brewers. The most frustrating part of this loss was the 10 hits the Cubs had, as Hoerner led the way with three. Gomes and Suzuki added two hits as the bottom of the order did the most damage. As he was rounding third after his homer, Bobby Witt Jr. says he spotted his sister Nikki, who often took him to Wrigley Field as a kid while her husband, James Russell, was pitching for the Cubs: "That was a pretty special moment." #Royals pic.twitter.com/fCUy1DEER1
