Bleed Cubbie Blue - Cubs vs. Diamondbacks Thursday game threadsA Chicago Cubs Fan Community Since February 9, 2005https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47557/cubbieblue.png2018-07-27T09:00:11-05:00http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/rss/stream/173661672018-07-27T09:00:11-05:002018-07-27T09:00:11-05:002018 Cubs Heroes and Goats: Game 102
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<img alt="MLB: Arizona Diamondbacks at Chicago Cubs" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/T-48vv2NHE8PGg3lzC7MEnXupcU=/123x98:1205x819/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/60583765/usa_today_10987203.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Cubs come from behind in epic fashion to stun D-Backs</p> <p id="TZwnva">I thought I’d have trouble finding just the right image today. If you haven’t picked up on the pattern, I use a photo of the Superhero every day. And so, that image is a big spoiler for the day. Well, on Thursday the <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> had two Superheroes. Yep, in the oddity of that epic comeback, <span>David Bote</span> and <span>Anthony Rizzo</span> finished with exactly the same WPA. Tie would have had to go to Bote for the game-tying home run which qualifies as the biggest moment of the game (and one of the bigger moments of the year). But Rizzo gets a big nod for the bigger game (but Bote also made that immensely important defensive play). </p>
<p id="wgVqoN">Phew. Those days are why it is fun for me to be a baseball fan. By all rights, the D-Backs should have coasted home with a three game series victory. The Cubs trailed 6-1 in the fifth and to that point had posted just five runs in 31 innings against Arizona pitching. The Cubs bullpen did their end of things throwing four shutout innings to close out the game. Over the final four innings the pitchers allowed just two hits and two walks. </p>
<p id="xTbmGp">For their part, the Cubs hitters just kept on clawing and hustling. The Cubs had their catcher score from first on a single, another run score on an error, a run score on a dropped third strike with two outs and even at that, found itself down two heading to the ninth. Bote hit an 0-2 pitch out of the park to tie the game and Rizzo followed with a walk-off home-run of his own, his first since 2014. There’s a lot to look at, so I’ll get us to the numbers.</p>
<p id="aOncsc">With that, we turn our attention to yesterday’s game as we look at what WPA had to say about Heroes and Goats. As always the Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA (Win Probability Added — <a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/3/28/17159170/cubs-heroes-and-goats-2018-season-primer">here’s a good explanation of how WPA works</a>) and are not in any way subjective. Many days WPA will not tell the story of what happened, but often it can give at least a glimpse to who rose to the occasion in a high leverage moment or who didn’t get the job done in that moment. Also note, for the purposes of Heroes and Goats, we ignore the results of pitchers while they are batting and hitters while they are pitching. With that, we get to the results.</p>
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<iframe src="https://www.fangraphs.com/graphframe.aspx?config=0&static=0&type=wins&num=0&h=450&w=450&date=2018-07-26&team=Cubs&dh=0" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" height="450" width="450" style="border:1px solid black;"></iframe><br><span style="font-size:9pt;">Source: <a href="https://www.fangraphs.com/wins.aspx?date=2018-07-26&team=Cubs&dh=0&season=2018">FanGraphs</a></span>
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<p id="9vqT0N"><strong>THE THREE HEROES:</strong></p>
<ul><li id="lYgGnO">
<strong>Superhero (tie): </strong><span>Anthony Rizzo</span> and <span>David Bote</span> (.424). This collectively is the eighth-highest single game WPA score of the season for the Cubs and two guys recorded it in the same game. Crazy stuff. Anthony had three hits in five at bats. In addition to the game winner, he also started the comeback with an RBI single in the sixth. Anthony is now hitting .307/.418/.453 in July. It’s easy to say he’s alternated bad and good months. But his June was only down a bit as his on-base percentage and batting average were a little low by his standards at .270/.345. As a leadoff hitter, in a small sample size 59 plate appearances, he is hitting .426/.525/.702. </li></ul>
<p id="Vi6Df2">David Bote had two hits and scored two runs in his four at bats. In a similar sample size, he has 57 PA in the majors. He’s produced a line of .326/.421/.522 (wRC+ of 148). Not a bad start for a guy who was dismissed as organizational depth often early in his minor league career. Good coaching and a good attitude are a powerful combination. Who knows how good Bote will be over time? I’m enjoying watching him get his chances. With the production he’s had so far and the defensive flexibility he has, he’s making a strong case to be the hitter the team adds for the playoffs. </p>
<ul><li id="W9ntkN">
<strong>Sidekick - </strong><span>Ben Zobrist</span> (.094). Sorry Ben, chicks dig the long ball. Ben’s lead-off walk was a key to the ninth inning. Ben always seems to have a great at bat when the stakes are the highest. </li></ul>
<p id="TInJAx"><strong>THE THREE GOATS:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li id="jdk2oC">
<strong>Billy Goat - </strong><span>Brian Duensing</span> (-.287). Brian faced three batters. He managed the pitching version of a Dunn. He walked a batter, allowed a home run, and struck out a batter. Three true outcomes indeed. It is striking how fast Duensing fell apart this year. I can’t comprehend how he was having such a fine season and just lost it. I’ve not heard it said, but I wonder if he is tipping his pitches or something.</li>
<li id="LuzTXb">
<strong>Goat - </strong><span>Ian Happ</span> (-.155). Tough day at the plate for Ian. He was hitless in four at bats and struck out twice. He lands here for his strike out in the eighth after <span>Willson Contreras</span> was hit by a pitch to start the inning.</li>
<li id="tNK4mG">
<strong>Kid - </strong><span>Jason Heyward</span> (-.074). Jason was also hitless in four at bats. He finishes one spot better because he didn’t see any leverage at bats on the day.</li>
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<p id="0uzPBQ"><strong>WPA Play of the Game: </strong>There wasn’t a lot of question on this one. A two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to tie the game is going to be worth a very large WPA number. With one out, that number was .472 and it is the second largest positive WPA event of the Cubs season (behind the Heyward walkoff slam). </p>
<p id="Islo6U">Honorable Mention: Anthony Rizzo with a walkoff home-run in the ninth inning. Again, with one out, it was worth .417. The third largest positive WPA event of the season. In two batters, the Cubs chances of winning improved 98.6%. Totally insane.</p>
<p id="03ZIy9">*<a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> Play of the Game: I don’t suppose there is a lot of drama to this one either. <span>Nick Ahmed</span> came to the plate in the top of the fifth inning with the bases loaded and two outs. It was a 2-1 game at the time. He hit a grand slam. (.267)</p>
<p id="xmJxFa"><strong>Cumulative Standings:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li id="ZirDPA">
<strong>Superhero - </strong><span>Javier Baez</span> 19.5</li>
<li id="5ojNPp">
<strong>Hero - </strong><span>Brandon Morrow</span> 13</li>
<li id="17nsYz">
<strong>Sidekick - </strong><span>Pedro Strop</span> 12</li>
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<p id="cA9ugJ"><strong>Up Next: </strong>The Cubs avoided a series loss and still haven’t lost a series since late June. They move to St. Louis to take on the <a href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">Cardinals</a> on the road for the last time this year. The Cubs just split a series with the Cardinals last week in Chicago. The Cardinals concluded their seven game road trip by losing two of three in Cincinnati. They’ve fallen into fourth place behind the red-hot <a href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/">Pirates</a> who themselves looked headed for fifth place just two weeks ago. The Cardinals have been heading in the wrong direction for a while, losing six of 10, 11 of 20 and 17 of 30. But they always seem to play well against the Cubs. They lead the season series 7-6.</p>
<p id="v4lrZz">The Cubs send <span>Mike Montgomery</span> to the hill. Mike is 3-3 with a 3.73 ERA on the season in 82 innings of work. Over his last seven starts, he is 1-2 with a 3.92 ERA. Be it the struggles of starting every fifth day for months or teams figuring him out a bit, he’s tailed a little, particularly leading up to the All-Star break. However last time out against these Cardinals, he was very good. he threw six innings and allowed five hits, two walks and one run. The Cubs won the game but he didn’t pick up the win. That was the only start Mike has ever made against the Cardinals.</p>
<p id="xXrK3P"><span>Luke Weaver</span> is the opposition. He started that same game last week. Overall he is 5-9 with a 4.79 ERA. In his last seven starts he is 2-4 with a 5.59 ERA. Clearly not trending positively. In that start against the Cubs last time out he took the loss. He threw four innings and allowed seven hits, five walks and three runs. In three starts against the Cubs this year he is 0-2 and has allowed 13 runs in just 12 innings of work. In fact, in his last five starts against the Cubs he’s 0-3 with a 10.89 ERA. He’s never recorded more than four innings of work and never allowed less than two runs. This match-up looks awfully favorable on paper.</p>
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https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/7/27/17621108/2018-cubs-heroes-and-goats-game-102Thomas Smith2018-07-26T18:00:02-05:002018-07-26T18:00:02-05:00Cubs 7, Diamondbacks 6: Anthony Rizzo walks it off!
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<figcaption>Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>... after David Bote tied the game with a two-run ninth-inning blast.</p> <p id="Bflnep">And so it was written that on the 33rd day since <span>Anthony Rizzo</span>’s last home run, that he would slam a ball to the very back of the right-field bleachers at Wrigley Field to send a full house into ecstasy with a walkoff <a href="http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/boxscore.jsp?gid=2018_07_26_arimlb_chnmlb_1">7-6 Cubs win over the Diamondbacks</a>.</p>
<p id="57RE5i">It was the fourth walkoff homer of Rizzo’s career, but his first in almost four years, since <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN201409150.shtml">September 15, 2014</a>, when he won a 1-0 game against the <a href="https://www.redreporter.com/">Reds</a> with a homer.</p>
<p id="vAbwpK">And it came two pitches after <span>David Bote</span>, just recalled from Triple-A Iowa to replace the injured <span>Kris Bryant</span> on the roster, did his best Bryant imitation by smacking his second homer of the season with <span>Ben Zobrist</span> on base to tie the game.</p>
<p id="Swn7sA">I couldn’t remember the last time back-to-back homers won a game for the Cubs on a walkoff. Turns out it’s been more than 14 years:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cubs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cubs</a> hit back-to-back HR with the second one being a walkoff for first time since 4/16/2004 vs Reds - Sammy Sosa & Moisés Alou</p>— Christopher Kamka (@ckamka) <a href="https://twitter.com/ckamka/status/1022600819726839823?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2018</a>
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<p id="pLELO7">Let’s look at both of those homers before we unpack this busy game. <a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/botes-game-tying-homer-in-9th/c-2311202383">First, Bote’s [VIDEO].</a></p>
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<p id="mpa1Iv">That one was smoked:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Barrel: David Bote (4) [CHC] off Brad Boxberger [ARI]: 104.9 mph, 22 degrees (Home Run - 417 ft)</p>— MLBExitVelocity (@MLBExitVelocity) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLBExitVelocity/status/1022598195623411712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2018</a>
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<p id="D8u6LB"><a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/rizzos-walk-off-solo-homer/c-2311205083?tid=277827014">And then, Rizzo’s walkoff [VIDEO].</a></p>
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<p id="qSMuNW">And that one was a majestic blast to the last row of the right-center field bleachers:</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Barrel: Anthony Rizzo (13) [CHC] off Brad Boxberger [ARI]: 106.9 mph, 30 degrees (Home Run - 453 ft)</p>— MLBExitVelocity (@MLBExitVelocity) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLBExitVelocity/status/1022598704925171712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2018</a>
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<p id="vT9spA">What a finish! Now, let’s rewind back to the beginning of this contest.</p>
<p id="kofDFh"><span>Tyler Chatwood</span> got out of the first inning unscored-on, and without a walk! (The latter wouldn’t last long, though.) He got help on a play that was reviewed, after plate umpire Mike Estabrook ruled that <span>A.J. Pollock</span> got hit by a Chatwood pitch:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/Cubs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Cubs</a> challenge call that A.J. Pollock is hit by pitch in the 1st; call overturned, no hit by pitch.<br><br>Powered by <a href="https://twitter.com/Mitel?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Mitel</a>. <a href="https://t.co/IdssM38zPP">pic.twitter.com/IdssM38zPP</a></p>— MLB Replay (@MLBReplays) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLBReplays/status/1022559296167395328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2018</a>
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<p id="D5IILN">You can see the ball go off the knob of the bat, and since <span>Willson Contreras</span> caught it, it was ruled a foul tip strike three.</p>
<p id="2IF5rp">Chatwood walked two in the second but got out of the inning, in part thanks to a nice play by Bote on a grounder by <span>David Peralta</span> that ended the frame.</p>
<p id="DA0EQ6">The Cubs got on the board in the bottom of the inning. Contreras led off with a single, and one out later, <span>Kyle Schwarber</span> hit a line drive single <a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/schwarbers-rbi-single/c-2310753283?tid=182435092">down the right-field line [VIDEO]</a>.</p>
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<p id="sWctOk">Brian Butterfield tried to stop Willson, but there is no stopping Willson when he can see an opportunity to be aggressive. He could see the D-backs fielders nonchalant the ball into the infield, so he took off and scored all the way from first base on Schwarber’s hit.</p>
<p id="T3H1gD">Chatwood issued another walk in the third, but got out of it with a double play. In the fourth, it was hits that got him in trouble, a one-out double by <span>Nick Ahmed</span>, followed by a two-run homer by former Cub Alex Avila.</p>
<p id="bo9mdn">I mean, seriously. Walk the guy! Avila came into the game hitting .148 with 61 strikeouts in 122 at-bats. He’s having a horrific season. How you can throw this guy anything he can hit out of the park (yes, he had four homers coming into Thursday, somehow) is beyond me.</p>
<p id="6okcMz">So it’s 2-1 D-backs, and then Chatwood got himself in more trouble with walks in the fifth. Two walks led off the inning, but he got <span>Steven Souza Jr.</span> to hit into a double play. Runner on third, two out, not too bad a situation... until another walk. Joe had seen enough at that point and brought in <span>Brian Duensing</span> to pitch to Daniel Descalso. Somehow, some of the walk things had been left on the mound, because Duensing walked Descalso to load the bases. </p>
<p id="okiZJh">Ahmed was next. Seriously, almost anything would have been better than what happened, a grand slam. Ahmed, not really a power hitter, is hitting them this year — that was his 13th, in 330 at-bats.</p>
<p id="kTfQKI">So the D-backs are leading 6-1. But there are still five innings left for the Cubs to bat, and you know they have been good at comeback wins this year.</p>
<p id="1oZFnD"><span>Tommy La Stella</span> singled with one out in the fifth. That was his 15th pinch hit this year; he’s five away from tying the club record. Bote followed with a single, and Rizzo singled in TLS for his 600th career RBI.</p>
<p id="Xd2vMB"><span>Albert Almora Jr.</span> was next. He hit a ball that probably should have been an inning-ending double play. But D-backs regular third baseman <span>Jake Lamb</span> had left the game after a diving stop on an <span>Addison Russell</span> grounder in the second with a possible shoulder injury, and Descalso had moved to third. Descalso booted the ball, Bote scored, and it was 6-3.</p>
<p id="6cBLIz">Now we’re talking... that’s a do-able deficit.</p>
<p id="fJl9Yv">The Cubs plated one more run in the sixth. Schwarber’s pop fly into short left dropped in between a couple of Arizona fielders, and D-backs starter <span>Zack Godley</span>, still in the game, wild-pitched Schwarber to third while Russell was batting (he eventually struck out) and wild-pitched him across the plate while Javy Baez was batting for Duensing. That wild pitch came on strike three, and Baez reached base. No further runs scored, but when Bote struck out, that meant four K’s for the D-backs in the inning. <a href="http://www.baseball-almanac.com/feats/feats19.shtml">As far as I can tell from this list</a>, that’s happened only one other time in major-league history, a team having four K’s in an inning from two different pitchers. The <a href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/">Mets</a> did it in the ninth inning of this game, <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CLE/CLE201604170.shtml">April 17, 2016</a>, with pitchers <span>Jerry Blevins</span> and <span>Addison Reed</span> combining. a little bit of baseball history trivia for you.</p>
<p id="PfHyRi">The Cubs went down 1-2-3 in the seventh, and Contreras was hit by a pitch (and seemed pretty unhappy about it, slamming his bat down) to lead off the eighth, but was erased on an inning-ending double play.</p>
<p id="oEpU4Y">Meanwhile, the Cubs bullpen was putting together some excellent work after Duensing left. <span>Jesse Chavez</span>, <span>Steve Cishek</span>, <span>Justin Wilson</span> and <span>Eddie Butler</span> combined for four shutout innings, allowing three hits and two walks, and striking out two. Fun fact about Cubs relieving:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Jesse Chavez allows his first hit in a <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cubs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cubs</a> uniform.<br><br>That leaves Anthony Rizzo as the only Cub to pitch and not allow a hit this season.</p>— Christopher Kamka (@ckamka) <a href="https://twitter.com/ckamka/status/1022579706586181632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2018</a>
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<p id="yb8ua4">Always fun to laugh at stuff like that after a win like this. Cishek got helped out in his inning by <a href="https://www.mlb.com/video/schwarber-throws-out-marte/c-2311159783?tid=63817564">a terrific throw from Schwarber [VIDEO]</a>.</p>
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<p id="TRXsJH">Give <span>Ketel Marte</span> some credit. That was nice work getting his hand out of the way of Bote’s tag, but Bote stayed with the play and tagged him out just before Marte’s hand came down on second base.</p>
<p id="k5MTzp">And all that great relief work and defense set the Cubs up for the winning rally. Give some credit to Zobrist, too, because he worked a walk on a 3-2 pitch that was pretty close. And in Rizzo’s at-bat, he looked at a first-pitch changeup for strike one. <span>Brad Boxberger</span>, who had his fifth blown save of the year in this one, followed up with another changeup and Rizzo was ready for it. He likely won’t hit a bigger home run all season.</p>
<p id="UUT3YZ">I could say something here about Chatwood’s walks, but really, the complaint department has to be closed after such an exciting win. Just a note that the Cubs really, really, really have to do something to fix that. The win makes the Cubs 11-8 in games started by Chatwood, and that might be the weirdest stat of all for him in 2018.</p>
<p id="dAzSl7">It was the Cubs’ 33rd come-from-behind win this year, most of any team (the <a href="https://www.thegoodphight.com/">Phillies</a> are second with 31).</p>
<p id="0wxLSC">And one more thing. On my way home I was thinking that the <a href="https://www.brewcrewball.com/">Brewers</a>, likely having just arrived in the visitors clubhouse at AT&T Park in San Francisco, might have been watching that ninth inning. Hope so! The win puts the Cubs three full games ahead of the Brewers, with Milwaukee’s late-night game against the <a href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a> scheduled at 9:15 p.m. CT tonight.</p>
<p id="1Gmexm">The Cubs thus head to St. Louis on what will be a very happy flight, to begin a three-game set against the <a href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">Cardinals</a> Friday evening. <span>Mike Montgomery</span> will go for the Cubs Friday against <span>Luke Weaver</span> . Game time is 7:15 p.m. and TV coverage Friday is via NBC Sports Chicago.</p>
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https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/7/26/17619912/cubs-diamondbacks-recap-anthony-rizzo-david-bote-mlb-scoresAl Yellon2018-07-26T16:05:02-05:002018-07-26T16:05:02-05:00Overflow thread 3: Cubs vs. Diamondbacks, Thursday 7/26, 1:20 CT
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<figcaption>Jim Young-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="a0mA91">——</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/7/26/17602124/overflow-thread-3-cubs-vs-diamondbacks-thursday-7-26-1-20-ctAl Yellon2018-07-26T15:20:01-05:002018-07-26T15:20:01-05:00Overflow thread 2: Cubs vs. Diamondbacks, Thursday 7/26, 1:20 CT
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<figcaption>Jim Young-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="a0mA91">——</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/7/26/17602118/overflow-thread-2-cubs-vs-diamondbacks-thursday-7-26-1-20-ctAl Yellon2018-07-26T14:20:02-05:002018-07-26T14:20:02-05:00Overflow thread 1: Cubs vs. Diamondbacks, Thursday 7/26, 1:20 CT
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/zbaqRfZR4ummr1MgmniWgbNdMVw=/0x977:2454x2613/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/60494531/usa_today_10984564.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jim Young-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="a0mA91">——</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/7/26/17602110/overflow-thread-1-cubs-vs-diamondbacks-thursday-7-26-1-20-ctAl Yellon2018-07-26T13:15:02-05:002018-07-26T13:15:02-05:00First pitch thread: Cubs vs. Diamondbacks, Thursday 7/26, 1:20 CT
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/cre0PIp3dOJ0ybs2b0V7MrPq3Yc=/0x105:3056x2142/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/60494515/usa_today_10977587.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p id="xaPv5L">Go get ‘em, Tyler.</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/7/26/17585922/first-pitch-thread-cubs-vs-diamondbacks-thursday-7-26-1-20-ctAl Yellon2018-07-26T11:30:01-05:002018-07-26T11:30:01-05:00Chicago Cubs vs. Arizona Diamondbacks preview, Thursday 7/26, 1:20 CT
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/dT85fFGwuiD7EdE6j5Z_KAbyi7o=/241x193:2800x1899/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/60504729/1005308148.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>The Cubs go for the series split.</p> <p id="W4YUCf">Thursday notes:</p>
<ul>
<li id="8Ro75H">The win Wednesday gives the Cubs a 32-18 record in day games. The Diamondbacks are 15-19 in games played in sunshine.</li>
<li id="wiF5Cn">The Cubs’ post-All-Star record since 2015 is 153-77. The .665 winning percentage is by far the best in the major leagues. The <a href="https://www.letsgotribe.com/">Indians</a> are second at .612.</li>
<li id="GiXHGk">Today is <span>Anthony Rizzo</span>’s 1,000th career game. 951 of those games are as a Cub. By the end of the 2018 season, Rizzo will rank 30th on the all-time Cubs list in games played.</li>
<li id="rbfuNq">The Cubs continue to lead the National League in runs, runs per game, walks, batting average, on-base percentage and OPS.</li>
<li id="ERXfas">The Cubs’ 400 walks in 101 games is an average of 3.96 per game. That’s a pace for 642, which would be third in franchise history.</li>
<li id="cziX7V">The Cubs’ 511 runs in 101 games is an average of 5.06 per game. That’s a pace for 820. If the Cubs score 800+ runs this year, that would be three straight years of that many runs, the first time for a Cubs team doing that since 1929-30-31.</li>
</ul>
<p id="6vPha8">Happy 34th birthday to Brandon Morrow:</p>
<div id="0b1XV9">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Wishing a happy birthday and a speedy recovery to <a href="https://twitter.com/2Morrow23?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@2Morrow23</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EverybodyIn?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EverybodyIn</a> <a href="https://t.co/NW3IxE6YeT">pic.twitter.com/NW3IxE6YeT</a></p>— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cubs/status/1022466609477300225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2018</a>
</blockquote>
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<p id="VHXXq4">Here are today’s particulars.</p>
<p id="Vergm4"><a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> lineup:</p>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Here is today's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cubs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cubs</a> starting lineup for the homestand finale. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EverybodyIn?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EverybodyIn</a><br><br>Stream on <a href="https://twitter.com/YouTubeTV?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@YouTubeTV</a>: <a href="https://t.co/t4XvcdoeJc">https://t.co/t4XvcdoeJc</a> <a href="https://t.co/FYQXsc5svQ">pic.twitter.com/FYQXsc5svQ</a></p>— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cubs/status/1022496907564933120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2018</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p id="paTjw6"><a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> lineup:</p>
<div id="m0il2H">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dbacks?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dbacks</a> can take the series in the finale.<br><br>Preview: <a href="https://t.co/k33CnrpJF1">https://t.co/k33CnrpJF1</a> <a href="https://t.co/5r6Xbev7BU">pic.twitter.com/5r6Xbev7BU</a></p>— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dbacks/status/1022498862727155713?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2018</a>
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<h2 id="pfJqIz">
<span>Tyler Chatwood</span>, RHP vs. <span>Zack Godley</span>, RHP</h2>
<div class="c-float-left"> <figure class="e-image">
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Ejnb_IFob1nuQ7Q15y5rpK7BGTs=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/11746597/usa_today_10738711.jpg">
<cite>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
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<div class="c-float-right"> <figure class="e-image">
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<cite>Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
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<p id="p0aW4Z">Tyler Chatwood. Well, I’ll just repeat what I said in the recap to his last start. If he had thrown 5⅓ innings and allowed six hits and one walk and one run, people would have probably said, “Hey, that’s not too bad.” But six walks and one hit and everyone’s all bent out of shape, even though the result (one run) was decent. </p>
<p id="NQTmjO">Generally, Chatwood’s WHIP has been too high this year. If he can keep the hits down even with too many walks, that’s... weird, but it would work out OK.</p>
<p id="kAiBR8">Chatwood made two starts and one relief appearance against the D-backs last year and posted a 3.21 ERA and 1.143 WHIP in 14 innings. That’s right, a 1.143 WHIP — six walks, but only 10 hits. Current members of the D-backs are hitting .259 (30-for-116) against Chatwood with two home runs... and 14 walks.</p>
<p id="9QbYkU">Zack Godley, as you might remember, was one of the minor leaguers sent to Arizona for <span>Miguel Montero</span> in December 2014. He had not pitched above Advanced-A ball at the time. No one thought he could make the big leagues and succeed as fast as he did. Godley had a good 2017, he’s been somewhat less good this year. In July he’s had two bad starts and two really good ones, so who knows.</p>
<p id="i8hvzd">Last year he faced the Cubs twice, throwing six shutout innings <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN201708020.shtml">August 2 at Wrigley Field</a>, allowing two runs in 5⅔ innings <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ARI/ARI201708130.shtml">August 13 in Phoenix</a>. (With four walks in the latter — maybe he can emulate Chatwood!)</p>
<p id="55SNWg">No current Cub has more than six career AB vs. Godley, but <span>Addison Russell</span> has hit two homers off him.</p>
<p id="Urwe6y">Today’s game is on NBC Sports Chicago. It’s also on MLB Network (outside the Chicago and Phoenix markets).</p>
<p id="47IVCe"><a href="https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/2018/07/26">Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.</a></p>
<p id="Xe5URc"><a href="http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2018_07_26_arimlb_chnmlb_1">MLB.com Gameday</a></p>
<p id="iDRiK8"><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/previews/2018/CHN201807260.shtml">Baseball-reference.com game preview</a></p>
<p id="AScVZw"><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/events/536472/pregame">SB Nation game preview</a></p>
<p id="c01E3n">Please visit our SB Nation <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a> site <a href="http://www.azsnakepit.com/">AZ Snakepit</a>. If you do go there to interact with D-backs fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.</p>
<p id="4R9cxt">The 2018 Game Thread procedure will be the same as the one used during 2017. Here’s how it works.</p>
<p id="uNrOo7">You’ll find the game preview posted separately on the front page, two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).</p>
<p id="Jy7Er2">At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page. The First Pitch Thread and all the overflow threads will be published in that stream, as well as the recap. The recap will also live on the front page as a separate post, and at the time I write the recap I will rename the stream “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of Week) Game Threads” so you can go back and find every thread related to that particular game.</p>
<p id="F5ehVY">You will also be able to find the preview, First Pitch Thread, all the overflow threads and recap in the box marked “Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page (you can also find them in <a href="http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/chicago-cubs-game-threads">this section link</a>). They will also appear in the game’s StoryStream as noted above.</p>
<p id="pjBR1E">The First Pitch thread will post at five minutes before game time, then an overflow thread at one hour, two hours and 2:45 after the scheduled game time.</p>
<p id="cWIBoH">Discuss amongst yourselves.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="j5YFLw">
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https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/7/26/17583116/chicago-cubs-arizona-diamondbacks-preview-thursdayAl Yellon