Cubs Fall Flat Against Brewers

Another day, another solid start from Ryan Dempster, and another loss.  Such is life at this point with the Cubs, do everything but win.  Once again the Cubs entered the late innings hanging on to a one run lead.  By now, everyone should know that odds are the outcome is not going to be a favorable one for Cubs fans and players alike.

FULL BOX SCORE 

A solid matchup on paper played out on the field today.  Dempster vs Gallardo was all that and then some as each pitcher had their “A” game today.  The Cubs got to Gallardo early, David DeJesus lead the game off with a double, and was moved over to third on a Darwin Barney ground out (we need more quality at bats like that).  Starlin Castro followed with a sac fly and just like that the Cubs manufactured a run and an early lead.  Ryan Dempster didn’t exactly cruise through the first two innings but he managed to get big outs when he needed to and kept the Brewers off the scoreboard.

As we have seen all too often already with this Cubs team they tend to disappear with the bats for way too many innings.  It happened again today, as they could only muster four more hits against Gallardo, Francisco Rodriguez, and John Axford.  Dempster soldiered on, and a seemingly harmless 7th inning turned into the game deciding frame.  Mat Gamel led the inning off with a double to right field, then Dempster settled back in with a strike out of Alex Gonzalez.  Then one mistake to Brewers backup catcher George Kottaras and the complexion of the game completely changed.  Kottaras got a hold of one and launched a two-run home run to right field thus ending any hope of the Cubs having a chance to salvage a split in this four game series.  Now the Cubs will look to get one measly win from the Brewers tomorrow afternoon, hopefully they bring their bats with them.

Born on Third’s Thoughts:
Just when you think it can’t get any worse, or that the Cubs just might win one of these “types” of games they go and crap all over the place.  Sorry, it’s getting frustrating, not because I expect the Cubs to win this year or be a contender because I don’t, I’m realistic.  What gets me is that they have the opportunity to win these games, almost all of them, and they just can’t get it done.  What I’m really getting tired of is Geovany Soto and Marlon Byrd turning in at bats that would make the worst player on your little league team look like an all-star.  Horrible, just horrible at bats, I touched on it early in the Marlon Byrd post.  These guys have no approach at the plate, hell, you could say that about the whole team right now.  We were promised deeper counts, players taking pitches, and it’s not happening.  It’s still early, but things have to change quickly, I guess it doesn’t have to, I mean everyone seems resigned to the fact that the Cubs are going to be a disaster this year.  I’m not, I see a team that is good enough to compete on a daily basis and maybe just needs to learn how to win, the problem is the guys costing the Cubs games already know all about that, and are failing.  Hats off to Dempster and the entire Cubs starting staff sans maybe Maholm.  They have been outstanding and deserve better right now, every time they go out there they have to be afraid to make a mistake because of the lack of offense, but they are still spinning quality starts.  Keep it up guys, eventually you might get some W’s, or at least settle for a few no decisions.  I’m done, see you tomorrow.

Highlights:
Dempster’s Outing
LaHair’s nice play
Soriano’s diving catch
Kottaras’ game winner

Thanks for reading,
– George Cotugno