This is going to be a quick one. I watched this game for about three innings before heading off with my family for dinner. Boy, did I pick a good one to miss. I basically announced I was trust falling with this team yesterday and then I splatted into this game. Yuck.
The Cubs offense was missing in action Thursday afternoon. The pitching wasn’t much better. Kevin Gausman started well, but didn’t sustain. Remember that one awful David Peterson start? He’s been awfully good besides that. Bad games are gonna happen. One on a Thursday afternoon on the way out of town isn’t going to ruffle my feathers.
This team has finally played enough good ball that you can look at a game like this and just tear the page off of the calendar and keep on trucking. We’re a savvy group around here. No one has to be reminded that good pitching, when it is executing the game plan, is basically going to always win. It has to be both. You have to have very good pitching and you have to have a very good plan. On Thursday, the Nats had both. The Cubs were tarred and feathered.
Not a lot of fun. Moving along.
Three Positives:
- Michael Busch had a single.
- Dansby Swanson drew two walks.
- Aaron Civale threw 3.1 innings and gave the other seven relievers a day off.
Game 122, August 13: Nationals 7, Cubs 0 (71-51)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
- Superhero: Aaron Civale (.006). 3.1 IP, 13 BF, 3 H, 0 BB, 1 R, K
- Hero: Tyrone Taylor (.000). 0-1
- Sidekick: Dansby Swanson (-.012). 0-1, 2 BB
A negative WPA game makes a rare appearance on the hero podium.
THREE GOATS:
- Billy Goat: Kevin Gausman (-.189). 4.2 IP, 22 BF, 7 H, BB, 6 R, 7 K (L 1-1)
- Goat: Alex Bregman (-.060). 0-3
- Kid: Pete Crow-Armstrong (-.056). 0-4
WPA Play of the Game: Dylan Crews batted with a runner on first and one out in the fourth, the game scoreless. He had an RBI-double. (.143)
Cubs Play of the Game: With the Cubs trailing by one in the fifth, there were runners on first and third and no outs in the fifth. Kevin Gausman struck out Keibert Ruiz. (.052)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 121 Winner: Alex Bregman with 90 of 92 votes.
Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)
The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.
- Pete Crow-Armstrong +28
- Alex Bregman +20
- Carson Kelly +14.5
- Shōta Imanaga +14
- Trent Thornton +13.5
- Phil Maton -10
- Nico Hoerner -11
- Jameson Taillon -13
- Dansby Swanson -18
- Caleb Thielbar -19.5
Up Next: Back to sweet home Chicago, where the Cubs are 35-24. They’ll start a three-game set with the Cardinals ,who are 61-60. The Cardinals had the luxury of an off day Thursday after a day game Wednesday at home. That’s a pretty friendly setup for them. Clay Holmes (4-5, 2.86) will make his second start as a Cub and second start since getting off of the injured list. The first wasn’t great. He pitched against the Cardinals back in March as a member of the Mets and won, allowing two runs on four hits in 5.2 innings. More of that please.
Lefty Matthew Liberatore (5-9, 5.15) starts for the Cardinals. He’s been a bit better of late, but still not winning games (2-4, 4.25, 36 IP) over his last seven. Last time out, he allowed five runs in five innings in a loss to the Rockies. On July 27, the Cubs posted three earned runs on eight hits and two walks in just 3.2 innings. They also got four runs (three earned) in five innings against him in Chicago on July 5. So he’s 1-2 in three starts. More of that, please, too.
Start a good home stand off on the right foot.