The Chicago Cubs went from looking like a juggernaut to looking like they’d never seen a baseball in their lives. And in doing so, they managed to stumble into a piece of history nobody wants.
Two days after demolishing the San Diego Padres 23-3 in one of the biggest blowouts in franchise history, the Cubs showed up at Wrigley Field on Friday and got absolutely flattened by the St. Louis Cardinals 17-1. The whiplash was brutal enough that it actually created a first.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Cubs are the first team in Major League Baseball history to win a game by at least 20 runs and then lose the next game by at least 10 runs. OptaStats also pointed out they’re only the second team ever to win by 15-plus and then lose the next game by 15-plus. The only other team to pull that off? The 1894 Boston Beaneaters. So yeah, it’s that kind of rare.
This season has been a roller coaster for Chicago. They’ve had two separate 10-game winning streaks and a 10-game losing streak. Only the 2017 Los Angeles Dodgers had done that before. But they’re still sitting second in the NL Central at 49-39, trailing Milwaukee by 5.5 games. So it’s not like they’re buried. They’re just … unpredictable.
The Cardinals Didn’t Let Up
St. Louis jumped on Cubs starter David Peterson early. Nathan Church launched a three-run homer in the second inning and it was basically over from there. The Cardinals scored in every inning except the eighth and finished with 17 hits. Church now has three homers in four games and eight RBIs during that stretch.
Masyn Winn crushed a three-run homer of his own and drove in four. Alec Burleson also had two hits and four RBIs. Ivan Herrera and Blaze Jordan each collected three hits. It was one of those games where you just start hoping the grounds crew can speed things up.
Andre Pallante improved to 10-5 after holding Chicago to five hits and one walk over 5 2/3 innings. The Cubs went 0-for-8 with runners on while he was on the mound. Not great.
Peterson’s second start since coming over from the Mets on June 25 was even worse than his first. He allowed a career-high 10 earned runs on nine hits in 3 2/3 innings. Statcast says he got nine whiffs, but the Cardinals kept making hard contact. Seven balls were hit at least 100 mph. Four more went over 95. Even with two outs, Peterson couldn’t stop the bleeding. Bryse Wilson came in and gave up the remaining seven runs, including Winn’s homer.
Alex Bregman had two hits and drove in Chicago’s only run with a seventh-inning double. Pete Crow-Armstrong, who was named NL Player of the Month for June right before the game, went 1-for-3 with his 14th double. Not the encore he was hoping for.
The Cubs have a day to figure out which version of themselves shows up next. Nobody really knows which one it’ll be.
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