Game One Hundred Twenty-Five – Cubs 2, Giants 4
WP – Jake Peavy (4-6) LP – Kyle Hendricks (6-6) Save – Santiago Casilla (31)
Kris Bryant singled in two runs in the first inning with a two-out clutch hit off Jake Peavy. Kyle Hendricks settled down after a rough first inning. Hendricks ran into trouble in the sixth and gave up two runs on three extra basehits while his teammates were not able to push across any more runs against Peavy. And the Cubs lost game two of three in San Francisco to the Giants on Wednesday night.
Kris Bryant (2-for-4 with a double and two RBI) delivered the Cubs only run-scoring hit. After scoring two runs in the first inning, the Cubs managed just three hits the rest of night. Kyle Schwarber (2-for-4 with a double and a run scored) and Chris Coghlan (0-for-2 with two walks and a run scored) scored on Bryant’s basehit.
The Cubs offense had a rough night. The Cubs did not capitalize on a couple of scoring opportunities that ended up being the difference in the game. The Cubs finished the night 1-for-8 with RISP and left five men on base.
Kyle Hendricks turned in a solid start after a bad first inning. Hendricks was staked to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Hendricks gave up a home run to Nori Aoki, the first batter he faced on his second pitch of the game. Hendricks let the homer impact his game plan. Instead of attacking hitters, he tried to make perfect pitches and the result was three walks and a tied game by the time he recorded three outs.
Hendricks did a very good job of righting his outing. Hendricks pitched a 1-2-3 second inning, faced the minimum in the third thanks to Addison Russell. Hendricks set the Giants down in order in the fourth and fifth inning.
The Giants scored a pair of runs on three extra basehits off Hendricks in the sixth.
Kyle Hendricks allowed four runs on five hits with three walks and six strikeouts. Four of the five hits went for extra bases and he threw 92 pitches, 59 for strikes, in six innings.
Travis Wood and Tommy Hunter retired six of the last seven batters in relief of Hendricks.
Addison Russell (0-for-3) started an incredible double play in the third inning. Russell is just so smooth at shortstop.
With Wednesday’s loss, the six-game winning streak came to an end and the Cubs slipped to 73-52 on the season.
Kyle Schwarber started the game with an infield double. Schwarber popped a 0-2 pitch straight up. Peavy and Posey bumped into each other and the ball fell in between not more than 20 feet from homeplate and Schwarber ended up at second. Schwarber hustled out of the box and respected 90. Starlin Castro grounded out to Duffy toward the hole at short. Schwarber had to hold. Chris Coghlan walked and put two on with one down.
Anthony Rizzo rolled a 1-2 pitch to first. Belt got the out at first as Schwarber and Coghlan moved up 90 feet.
Kris Bryant ripped Peavy’s first pitch into center. Schwarber and Coghlan scored, 2-0 Cubs. Bryant was thrown out at second to end the inning. The Cubs made Peavy work, 21 pitches in the first, 16 for strikes.
Kyle Hendricks took the hill and two pitches in to his outing he gave up a run. Nori Aoki pulled a 0-1 pitch down the right field line and the long homer made it a 2-1 game.
Hendricks was rattled by the Aoki homer and started pitching around the zone. Hendricks walked Matt Duffy on four pitches. Brandon Belt struck out swinging (2-2 pitch) for the first out. Duffy stole second on a 1-1 pitch to Posey and advanced to third when Posey flied out to Denorfia in right center. Hendricks lost his command at this point with a runner on third and two outs. Hendricks walked Marlon Byrd and Kelby Tomlinson to load the bases.
Juan Perez grounded a 0-1 pitch to Russell at short. Russell fielded the ball and flipped to second. Due to the secondary lead Tomlinson was allowed to take, he beat Russell’s throw. Duffy scored and tied the game at two. Ehire Adrianza grounded out to Rizzo to finally end the inning. Hendricks made 30 pitches in the first inning, 16 for strikes.
After one complete, the game was tied at two.
Kyle Hendricks settled down after the first inning and kept the game tied at two through five innings. The Cubs could not cash in first and third with one out in the sixth. Anthony Rizzo struck out swinging and Kris Bryant flied out to right to end the inning.
The Giants jumped on Hendricks in the sixth. Brandon Belt hit a sinking liner into left center (3-2 pitch). Chris Denorfia thought he had a play on the ball and tried to make a diving catch. Denorfia misplayed the ball, it rolled all the way to the track. Belt slid in at third with a leadoff triple.
Buster Posey smoked a 1-1 pitch into right center. Belt scored easily, 3-2 Giants, on a double by Posey. Hendricks caught Marlon Byrd looking at a 2-2 pitch for the first out.
Kelby Tomlinson doubled to right, Posey scored and the Giants took a 4-2 lead. Juan Perez lined out to right. Tomlinson tagged and went to third. Hendricks struck out Adrianza swinging to end the inning.
The Giants had a 4-2 lead after six innings.
And that was the final score. The Cubs could come up with a clutch hit in the seventh after putting runners on second and third with one out. Addison Russell struck out swinging against Hunter Strickland, and Javier Lopez struck out Kyle Schwarber swinging to end the inning.
The Cubs went down in order against Sergio Romo in the eighth and Santiago Casilla pitched a three up, three down ninth inning on eight pitches.
Dan Haren takes on Madison Bumgarner in the regular season finale against the Giants on Thursday afternoon (2:45pm CDT).