Game One Hundred Thirty-Five – Cubs 2, Giants 3
WP – Madison Bumgarner (14-8) LP – Jake Arrieta (16-6) Save – Santiago Casilla (30)
The Cubs were unable to figure out Madison Bumgarner while the Giants took advantage of every physical and mental mistake the defense made with Jake Arrieta on the mound. The Cubs struggled with runners on base and in scoring position again. And the Cubs five-game winning streak came to an end on Saturday afternoon at the old ballyard.
The Cubs had a bad day in the field and gave two runs to the Giants in a game started by Madison Bumgarner. The Cubs physical and mental mistakes were just too much to overcome with Bumgarner on the hill.
Javier Baez (1-for-3 with a run scored and a sac fly RBI) had his hands in both of the Cubs’ runs. Baez scored from second base on a swinging bunt single toward third off the bat of Jake Arrieta (1-for-2 with a RBI) in the fifth. And Baez flied out to right in the sixth with the bases loaded that allowed Ben Zobrist (0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored) to tag and score from third.
The ninth inning summed up the day perfectly. Anthony Rizzo walked to start the inning with the Cubs down 3-2. Dexter Fowler (0-for-4 with a sac bunt) dropped a bunt up the third baseline. Instead of Rizzo being at second base with Kris Bryant (2-for-5) stepping to the plate, Rizzo rounded second too far. Joe Panik threw to second as Rizzo tried to get back. Rizzo was out. Kris Bryant popped out to Brandon Crawford to end the game.
The Cubs had seven hits with three walks and finished the game 2-for-8 with RISP and left nine men on base.
Jake Arrieta pitched a lot better than his final line. The Cubs gave the Giants two runs while he was on the mound, and one of the two Arrieta handed them. Arrieta had good command for a majority of his outing. Arrieta and Willson Contreras could not get on the same page. Contreras had issues catching Arrieta again on Saturday.
The Giants scored in the first inning after a double by Angel Pagan and a throwing error by third baseman Tommy La Stella. With Pagan on third and two outs, Arrieta got the grounder he needed from Hunter Pence to end the inning. La Stella fielded the routine grounder and airmailed his throw to first base.
The Giants kinda earned their second run in the fourth. Joe Panik reached on a two-out bloop single to right. Panik moved to second on a wild pitch. The first of two passed balls on the afternoon by Willson Contreras allowed Panik to take third on ball four to Belt. Arrieta walked Brandon Belt. Eduardo Nunez singled to right, Panik scored and the Giants took a 2-0 lead.
After the Cubs made it a 2-1 game in the bottom of the fifth, the Giants were given their second run of the game in the top of the sixth. Brandon Crawford singled to left center with one out. Arrieta struck out Panik swinging on a 3-2 pitch. Contreras threw a strike to second base. But no one covered the bag. Crawford slid in safe at second base. With Arrieta in the set position and Belt at the plate, Crawford just took off for third. And made it safely. Arrieta’s next pitch got past Contreras. Crawford scored on the wild pitch, 3-1 Giants.
Jake Arrieta was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the sixth. Arrieta was charged with three runs, two earned, on four hits with two walks and seven strikeouts. Arrieta made 103 pitches, 68 for strikes, in six innings.
The Cubs bullpen tossed three perfect innings in relief of Arrieta. Trevor Cahill, Justin Grimm and Travis Wood did not allow a single baserunner. The Giants had only four hits in nine innings and won a game on the road.
With Saturday’s loss, the Cubs slipped to 87-48 on the season.
John Lackey will come off the disabled list and take on Johnny Cueto in the series finale with the Giants on Sunday afternoon (1:20pm CDT).