Cub Tracks’ Morel victory

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The big question of the day was 15 or 11? Which streak continues? Keegan Thompson and Charlie Morton started out trading zeroes. And, amazingly, it stayed that way through 7⅓ innings and additional pitchers until Jonathan Villar scored on a sac fly by Christopher Morel. David Robertson made max effort for the save but save the game he did, and the Cubs’ losing streak was history.

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• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Cubs snap 2 streaks — 10-game skid, Braves’ 14-game surge. “Per the Elias Sports Bureau, it marked the first time since Sept. 15, 1999 (Phillies over Astros) that a team with a double-digit losing streak defeated a club with a double-digit winning streak.” Tony Andracki has more.
• Alexander Patt (Cubbies Crib*): Cubs fans reaching levels of apathy we haven’t seen in years. “Fans are exhausted to the point that they do not seem to care much anymore.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Cubs injury updates: Suzuki, Stroman, Bote, Roberts. “... there’s a lot to update …”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Cubs president Jed Hoyer is feeling the heat for the team’s ‘multi-system failure’. “Right now, the focus is very much on today, tomorrow, and then getting through this,” Hoyer said. Paul Sullivan has more.
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): There’s only one question Hoyer should be asking. “... How much money will I have to spend and when can I start spending it?”
• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): Cubs turning rebuild narrative into performance art. “This is where the comedy part begins.”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Cubs want to see more from players like Caleb Kilian, Nick Madrigal amid free fall. “This team is obviously not one player away.” Andy Martinez has more.
• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): Cubs, Marcus Stroman won’t rush return from IL again. “I feel good. I’m definitely making a couple strides in the right direction,” Stroman said Friday.
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Doesn’t sound like there have been extension talks between the Cubs and Willson Contreras. “Even if they have talked, I haven’t been told anything by him yet,” Contreras told The Score of the dialogue between his agent and the Cubs.
• Colleen Johnson (Marquee Sports Network*): Why Cubs coach Willie Harris was sold on Christopher Morel a year ago. “He brings energy, he brings excitement, he can play all over the field.”
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): DFA’d Cubs OF Frazier clears waivers — what comes next? “He now has a few days to accept the outright assignment and join Iowa, or elect free agency.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): StubHub site upgrade causes problems for Chicago Cubs and MLB fans looking to sell and buy tickets. “We have unfortunately seen some bugs resurface since initially being resolved earlier this week,” a StubHub spokesperson told the Tribune.

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