Cub Tracks' Brown outs
The going is weird. Cub Tracks™ turned pro a long time ago. Cub Tracks™. Where the great ones run away.
A victory straight out of the old school. Ben Brown did okay, huh? I mean, a whole hit in six full innings. Showed some moxie, he did. Can't say enough about the Cubs pitching of late. Advanced gerontology or not, their collection of arms in advanced years and promising callow youth seems to be working, for now.
Sometimes the bats just aren't batting. Sometimes it just takes hustle. Cubs can't sweep but they can meatloaf today. And they might have a new closer. Things are looking up. The Cubs have mana. Or mahna, as the case may be.
Advertisement
*means autoplay on, (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome). {$} means paywall. {$} means limited views. Italics are often used on this page as sarcasm font. The powers that be have enabled real sarcasm font in the comments.
Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Seiya's clutch knock, Brown's 9 K's cap Cubs' tight win vs. Reds. 'The old ballpark's unique dimensions created an opening for a much-needed run on Saturday.'
Andy Martinez (Marquee Spots Network*): Ben Brown, Cubs ready to build off successful outing using an opener. 'Ben pitched great,' Counsell said after the game.
Emilie Ikeda and Rohan Nadkarni (NBC Sports Chicago*): Not everyone is a fan of Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga's long hair. '... his mom and friends think it's time for a trim.'
Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): 'It's always a gut check,' but Ryan Pressly is trusting the process as role evolves in Chicago Cubs bullpen. 'There's going to be times when you get beat. You've just got to tip your cap.'
Jared Wyllys (Forbes*{$}): Chicago Cubs pitching staff will need trade deadline help. 'Chicago is poised to be a buyer at the trade deadline in July.'
Andy Martinez (Marquee Sports Network*): Cubs injury updates: Porter Hodge, Shota Imanaga, other pitchers' status. 'So, we're looking at a couple weeks still.'
Vinnie Duber (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Dansby Swanson's hair takes over Wrigley Field as shortstop finds yet another way to help Cubs win. 'Swanson beat out a grounder for an infield hit that drove in a late insurance run in the Cubs' 2-0 win.'
Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball*): Kyle Tucker's subtle excellence on the bases keeps adding value for Cubs. 'Tucker is making plays, and not just when it's his turn to swing the bat.'
Food for thought:
Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series. We are 100% in favor of human sportswriting and will not wittingly publish A. I. -driven articles or content. Thanks for reading!
More from bleedcubbieblue.com:
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Cubs play the Pirates with 2-1 series lead
Pittsburgh Pirates (29-43, fifth in the NL Central) vs. Chicago Cubs (43-28, first in the NL Central) Chicago; Sunday, 2:20 p.m. EDT PITCHING PROBABLES: Pirates: Mitch Keller (1-9, 4.15 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 65 strikeouts); Cubs: Colin Rea (4-2, 3.92 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 48 strikeouts) Advertisement BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Cubs -173, Pirates +145; over/under is 7 1/2 runs BOTTOM LINE: The Chicago Cubs bring a 2-1 lead into the latest game of the series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Chicago has a 43-28 record overall and a 22-12 record at home. The Cubs have a 33-6 record in games when they have more hits than their opponents. Pittsburgh is 10-24 on the road and 29-43 overall. The Pirates have gone 12-3 in games when they scored five or more runs. The matchup Sunday is the seventh meeting between these teams this season. The Cubs hold a 4-2 advantage in the season series. TOP PERFORMERS: Nico Hoerner has a .288 batting average to lead the Cubs, and has 16 doubles and a triple. Seiya Suzuki is 11 for 42 with three home runs and four RBIs over the last 10 games. Advertisement Oneil Cruz leads the Pirates with 24 extra base hits (10 doubles, a triple and 13 home runs). Andrew McCutchen is 11 for 39 with two doubles, two home runs and eight RBIs over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Cubs: 5-5, .228 batting average, 2.53 ERA, outscored opponents by four runs Pirates: 6-4, .226 batting average, 2.73 ERA, outscored opponents by five runs INJURIES: Cubs: Miguel Amaya: 10-Day IL (oblique), Porter Hodge: 15-Day IL (oblique), Eli Morgan: 60-Day IL (elbow), Shota Imanaga: 15-Day IL (leg), Javier Assad: 60-Day IL (oblique), Justin Steele: 60-Day IL (elbow) Pirates: Endy Rodriguez: 60-Day IL (elbow), Joey Bart: 7-Day IL (concussion), Colin Holderman: 15-Day IL (thumb), Enmanuel Valdez: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Justin Lawrence: 60-Day IL (elbow), Tim Mayza: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Jared Jones: 60-Day IL (elbow), Johan Oviedo: 60-Day IL (elbow), Dauri Moreta: 60-Day IL (elbow) ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Associated Press
10 hours ago
- Associated Press
Cubs play the Pirates with 2-1 series lead
Pittsburgh Pirates (29-43, fifth in the NL Central) vs. Chicago Cubs (43-28, first in the NL Central) Chicago; Sunday, 2:20 p.m. EDT PITCHING PROBABLES: Pirates: Mitch Keller (1-9, 4.15 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 65 strikeouts); Cubs: Colin Rea (4-2, 3.92 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 48 strikeouts) BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Cubs -173, Pirates +145; over/under is 7 1/2 runs BOTTOM LINE: The Chicago Cubs bring a 2-1 lead into the latest game of the series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Chicago has a 43-28 record overall and a 22-12 record at home. The Cubs have a 33-6 record in games when they have more hits than their opponents. Pittsburgh is 10-24 on the road and 29-43 overall. The Pirates have gone 12-3 in games when they scored five or more runs. The matchup Sunday is the seventh meeting between these teams this season. The Cubs hold a 4-2 advantage in the season series. TOP PERFORMERS: Nico Hoerner has a .288 batting average to lead the Cubs, and has 16 doubles and a triple. Seiya Suzuki is 11 for 42 with three home runs and four RBIs over the last 10 games. Oneil Cruz leads the Pirates with 24 extra base hits (10 doubles, a triple and 13 home runs). Andrew McCutchen is 11 for 39 with two doubles, two home runs and eight RBIs over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Cubs: 5-5, .228 batting average, 2.53 ERA, outscored opponents by four runs Pirates: 6-4, .226 batting average, 2.73 ERA, outscored opponents by five runs INJURIES: Cubs: Miguel Amaya: 10-Day IL (oblique), Porter Hodge: 15-Day IL (oblique), Eli Morgan: 60-Day IL (elbow), Shota Imanaga: 15-Day IL (leg), Javier Assad: 60-Day IL (oblique), Justin Steele: 60-Day IL (elbow) Pirates: Endy Rodriguez: 60-Day IL (elbow), Joey Bart: 7-Day IL (concussion), Colin Holderman: 15-Day IL (thumb), Enmanuel Valdez: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Justin Lawrence: 60-Day IL (elbow), Tim Mayza: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Jared Jones: 60-Day IL (elbow), Johan Oviedo: 60-Day IL (elbow), Dauri Moreta: 60-Day IL (elbow) ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Cubs 2, Rockies 1: Sweep!
It was another unseasonably chilly night at Wrigley Field Wednesday, with temperatures hovering in the mid-50s and the wind, again, blowing in. And the Cubs got what they needed to defeat the Rockies 2-1 and complete a three-game sweep: Pitching, defense and just enough hitting. The Cubs have won four straight and 10 of their last 12, and continue to lead the NL Central by three games over the Cardinals, who also won Wednesday. Advertisement The Cubs got on the board in the bottom of the first inning. Ian Happ led off with a single and was forced at second by Kyle Tucker. Seiya Suzuki's double scored Tucker for a 1-0 Cubs lead [VIDEO]. Matthew Boyd breezed through the first four innings, retiring 12 of the 13 Rockies he faced, six by strikeout. In the bottom of the fourth, the Cubs extended the lead to 2-0 on this home run by Pete Crow-Armstrong [VIDEO]. Look at that clip again. Did you see where that pitch was? More on that crazy-low pitch smashed out of the yard [VIDEO]. And more! I'll give the last words on PCA's homer to BCB's JohnW53: With his 15th home run, Pete Crow-Armstrong is on pace to hit 43 for the season. That would tie Albert Pujols for the fifth most by a player in his age-23 season. Pujols did it in 2003. Mark McGwire hit 49 in 1987; Juan Gonzalez, 46 in 1993; Ken Griffey Jr., 45 in 1993; and Hank Aaron, 44 in 1957. Five others reached 40: Hal Trosky, 42 in 1936; Eddie Mathews, 41 in 1955; Joey Gallo, 41 in 2017; Orlando Cepeda, 40 in 1961; and Prince Fielder, 40 in 2007. The most by a Cub (so far!) was 26 by Kris Bryant in 2015. Advertisement So... PCA is hanging out with some pretty good home-run company — and it's not even June yet. Boyd got into the sixth inning still leading 2-0. He allowed a leadoff single to Mickey Moniak and then, in an attempted pickoff, threw the ball away. Moniak ran all the way to third while the ball wound up near the tarp. About that: Boyd has an odd pickoff motion, sidearm, almost underhand. The ball just got away from him — he actually had Moniak picked off, had he made a good throw. Moniak scored on a sacrifice fly to make it 2-1. Overall, Boyd's start was very good — four hits, all singles, just the one run which was unearned due to his own throwing error, and eight strikeouts. Here are the eight K's [VIDEO]. Advertisement Here's more on Boyd's outing [VIDEO]. Boyd was also helped out by his defense. Here's a catch of a long drive by Jordan Beck, up against the ivy by Ian Happ: So it was up to the bullpen, and they came through. Ryan Brasier allowed a leadoff single in the seventh, but immediately induced a double-play ball and got out of the inning on just six pitches. Brad Keller allowed a one-out single in the eighth but recorded his 13th straight scoreless outing. In May Keller has a 0.00 ERA and 0.682 WHIP with two walks and 12 strikeouts in 14⅔ innings. The Cubs couldn't do anything against the Colorado bullpen, either. So the game went to the ninth still 2-1, and Daniel Palencia again was given the save opportunity. Advertisement Palencia came through, retiring the Rockies in order. Here's the final out [VIDEO]. That's an unhittable pitch — a rising, 101 mile per hour fastball. I am beginning to think that even after Porter Hodge returns to action, Palencia should continue to close. Here's PCA on his home run as well as the pitching and defense in this one [VIDEO]. And here are Craig Counsell's postgame comments [VIDEO]. The last game note goes to JohnW53: By my count, this was the Cubs' 500th win at night at Wrigley Field. They have lost 436 games under the lights since they were first used on Aug. 8, 1988, for a winning percentage of .534. In day games at Wrigley since then, their percentage is .525, with 1,029 wins, 930 losses and one tie. Credit is due to the Rockies. They played good baseball and did not give in easily to the Cubs, who are clearly the better team. There's some talent on the Rockies — Beck is a good player and so is Ezequiel Tovar. On the other hand: Advertisement The Cubs have now played 15 of the 21 games on the schedule against teams with records under .500. They are 12-3 so far. Remember when I said that a good team should go 15-6 or 16-5 in a stretch like this? The Cubs have a very good chance of doing just that. They need to just split the six remaining games to go 15-6, and winning the next two series would result in that 16-5 mark. I believe they can do exactly that before they have tough series at Detroit and Philadelphia. The Cubs will enjoy their fourth consecutive Thursday off day, then open a three-game series against the Reds Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field. The Cubs starting pitcher is not yet officially listed for Friday, but assuming they stay on rotation it should be Colin Rea. Andrew Abbott will go for Cincinnati. Game time Friday is 1:20 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network (and MLB Network outside the Cubs and Reds market territories). More from
