Game Twelve – Cubs 0, Rockies 2
WP – Tyler Chatwood (2-1) LP – Jon Lester (1-1) Save – Jake McGee (3)
Jon Lester allowed one run in 7 1/3 innings, one of two solo homers by Nolan Arenado on the day. The Cubs managed only three hits with one walk and were blanked by the Rockies on Sunday afternoon. The Cubs were shutout for the first time and dropped their first series of the season.
The Cubs offense could not get anything going against Tyler Chatwood. Jorge Soler (0-for-2 with a walk) walked with two outs in the fifth inning, the Cubs first baserunner of the game. Javier Baez (1-for-3) broke up Chatwood’s no-hit bid with a single after Soler’s free pass. But the Cubs could not come up with a hit to tie the game.
Jon Lester (1-for-2 with a double) led off the sixth with a double to right center, the first extra basehit of his career. Lester was stranded after Dexter Fowler (0-for-4) flied out to left center, Jason Heyward (1-for-4 with a double) struck out swinging and Ben Zobrist (0-for-4) flied out to left center.
After Nolan Arenado made it 2-0 in the top of the ninth with a solo homer off Justin Grimm on a 3-2 pitch, the Cubs put two on in the ninth against Jake McGee.
Dexter Fowler was robbed of a hit by a sensational play by Trevor Story. Jason Heyward doubled to right. Ben Zobrist lined out to left. McGee was not fooling anyone. Anthony Rizzo (0-for-3 with a HBP) was hit by a pitch. Matt Szczur ran for Rizzo but Kris Bryant (0-for-4) struck out swinging to end the game.
The Cubs were 0-for-6 with RISP and left five men on base in the loss at Wrigley to the Rockies.
Jon Lester pitched a very good game Sunday. Lester really did not make any mistakes. The only run he gave up was on the solo homer to Nolan Arenado that landed in the basket in left field. Lester pounded the strike zone and found a good rhythm with David Ross. The only ball the Rockies really squared up accounted for the lone run he allowed.
Jon Lester turned the game over to Adam Warren with one out in the eighth after he walked Tony Wolters. Warren retired pinch-hitter Ryan Raburn on a slow roller to third and struck out D.J. LeMahieu to end the inning.
Lester’s outing was wasted as the lefty allowed one run on four hits with two walks and 10 strikeouts. Lester made 99 pitches, 64 strikes, in 7 1/3 innings.
With Sunday’s loss, the Cubs slipped to 9-3 on the season.
The Cubs hit the road and begin a seven-game, two-city trip on Monday with the first of three in St. Louis. John Lackey is scheduled to face Mike Leake in the opener at Busch Stadium.