Bleed Cubbie Blue - Cubs vs. Pirates Monday game threadsA Chicago Cubs Fan Community Since February 9, 2005https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47557/cubbieblue.png2018-09-25T08:00:06-05:00http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/rss/stream/176540072018-09-25T08:00:06-05:002018-09-25T08:00:06-05:00Pirates 5, Cubs 1: The offense vanishes again (except for Cole Hamels)
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<p>The Cubs are going to have to hit better than this if they’re going anywhere in the postseason.</p> <p id="29mowF">That was not good, no, not good at all.</p>
<p id="97fo4I">Besides the fact that <a href="http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/boxscore.jsp?gid=2018_09_24_pitmlb_chnmlb_1">the Cubs lost to the Pirates 5-1</a> and the <a href="https://www.brewcrewball.com/">Brewers</a> beat the <a href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">Cardinals</a> Monday night, leaving various clinching numbers exactly where they were before the night’s action began, the Cubs are simply not going to go far in October if the only way they can put runs on the board is by solo home runs from their starting pitcher.</p>
<p id="ZmrXxI"><a href="https://mediadownloads.mlb.com/mlbam/mp4/2018/09/25/2502650583/1537837914253/asset_1800K.mp4">Oh, sure, Cole Hamels’ homer in the third inning was fun [VIDEO].</a></p>
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<p id="SzW3xJ">And that ball was positively <em><strong>crushed!</strong></em></p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Cole Hamels (1) off RHP Jameson Taillon (23) - 105.0 mph, 25 degrees (437 ft Home Run)<br>94.7 mph Four-Seamer<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pirates?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Pirates</a> @ <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cubs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cubs</a> (B3) <a href="https://t.co/4VR6w2m8xd">pic.twitter.com/4VR6w2m8xd</a></p>— MLBBarrelAlert (@MLBBarrelAlert) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLBBarrelAlert/status/1044387813658152960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2018</a>
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<p id="egOc7Z">Fun fact about Cole’s homer, his first since 2012:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Cole Hamels joins Milt Pappas, Burt Hooton, Ken Holtzman, Don Cardwell & Jim Maloney as pitchers to throw a no-hitter & homer at Wrigley Field (not necessarily in the same game)</p>— Christopher Kamka (@ckamka) <a href="https://twitter.com/ckamka/status/1044393757465104384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2018</a>
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<p id="L6RYHR">Unfortunately, at that time it simply cut the deficit in half, because after getting the first two outs quickly in the first inning, Hamels allowed a single to <span>Josh Bell</span> and then <span>Francisco Cervelli</span> absolutely demolished a baseball:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/pirates?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#pirates</a> Francisco Cervelli with a bomb to Waveland Avenue off the roof of illegally parked vehicle . Only the 4th game home run to reach the street in 2018 . <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/noparking?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#noparking</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cubs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cubs</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/wrigley?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#wrigley</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CarrieMuskat?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CarrieMuskat</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Pirates?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@pirates</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Cubs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cubs</a> <a href="https://t.co/YSuxr0geSf">pic.twitter.com/YSuxr0geSf</a></p>— BALLHAWK.NET (@Super_Dave) <a href="https://twitter.com/Super_Dave/status/1044381485531373569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2018</a>
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<p id="j6NDK5">The ball made a very loud sound when it hit the roof of that vehicle, which was likely a Chicago Police Department unmarked SUV.</p>
<p id="6XMHGR">Still, at 2-1 going into the fourth inning, the Cubs’ chances seemed pretty good in thies game. But <span>Jameson Taillon</span>, who is a very good pitcher having a fine year, retired seven straight Cubs after Hamels’ homer. The Cubs did load the bases with two out in the fifth, but <span>Ben Zobrist</span> grounded out to end that threat.</p>
<p id="y1ygxg">The Pirates added to their lead in the sixth. Cervelli reached on a dribbler that <span>Kris Bryant</span> probably should have just tucked in his proverbial back pocket. Instead, KB threw it away and Cervelli wound up on second, where he scored on a double by <span>Jose Osuna</span> to make it 3-1. And you’re saying, “Who?” Right. Osuna came into the game hitting .205, and ended it at .220 after hitting two doubles off Hamels.</p>
<p id="JW4vOK">Hamels didn’t throw too badly — six innings, two earned runs, seven strikeouts — but the Cubs offense was simply impotent. They got the first two runners on in the sixth, but <span>Kyle Schwarber</span> hit into a double play, and they had just two baserunners over the last three innings, while the Pirates were adding single runs off <span>Jaime Garcia</span> and <span>Steve Cishek</span> in the seventh, and off <span>Brian Duensing</span> in the ninth. (Note to Cubs management: I do not want to see Duensing anywhere near a postseason roster.)</p>
<p id="LHuNr8">Going back to the Cubs’ four-game series at PNC Park in August, Monday night was the fifth consecutive game against the Pirates in which the Cubs scored exactly one run, on a solo homer. In order: <span>Ian Happ</span>, Schwarber, <span>Ben Zobrist</span>, Schwarber again and Hamels. Not-so-fun fact:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tonight (Cole Hamels) was the first time the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cubs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cubs</a> scored one run - on a solo HR by the pitcher - since Travis Wood 8/28/2012</p>— Christopher Kamka (@ckamka) <a href="https://twitter.com/ckamka/status/1044448546999676928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2018</a>
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<p id="QO2m3T">The Cubs lost <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN201208280.shtml">that game</a>, too.</p>
<p id="SIaHxu">Don’t know what else to say about this one. The Cubs’ lead in the N.L. Central dropped to 1½ games after the Brewers’ win over the Cardinals, and the magic numbers for clinching a postseason spot (two) and division title (five) remained the same as they were before Monday’s game.</p>
<p id="FoKTyV">Joe Maddon summed this one up well:</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> Maddon: "Sometimes you run into the wrong guy. Their pitching staff in general has given us a hard time. ... They are good but we've got to do better."</p>— Carrie Muskat (@CarrieMuskat) <a href="https://twitter.com/CarrieMuskat/status/1044435272937689088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2018</a>
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<p id="OTs8dR">Tip your cap to Taillon, he’s very good. Cubs pitching is going to have to be that good, probably, the rest of the regular season in order to hold off the division competitors.</p>
<p id="yEQlXX">The Cubs will try it again Tuesday evening, <a href="https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-87.65552736818789&lat=41.94819253194734#.W6ojpRNKjmI">weather permitting</a>, with <span>Mike Montgomery</span> on the mound against <span>Chris Archer</span>. Game time again is 7:05 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via WGN, and you can bet the Cubs will wait out rain delays and finish after midnight if they have to in order to avoid having to play a split doubleheader Wednesday.</p>
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https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/9/25/17900202/cubs-pirates-recap-cole-hamels-anthony-rizzo-mlb-scoresAl Yellon2018-09-24T21:05:02-05:002018-09-24T21:05:02-05:00Overflow thread 2: Cubs vs. Pirates, Monday 9/24, 7:05 CT
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<figcaption>Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/9/24/17889922/overflow-thread-2-cubs-vs-pirates-monday-9-24-7-05-ctAl Yellon2018-09-24T20:05:02-05:002018-09-24T20:05:02-05:00Overflow thread 1: Cubs vs. Pirates, Monday 9/24, 7:05 CT
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<figcaption>Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/9/24/17889920/overflow-thread-1-cubs-vs-pirates-monday-9-24-7-05-ctAl Yellon2018-09-24T19:00:01-05:002018-09-24T19:00:01-05:00First pitch thread: Cubs vs. Pirates, Monday 9/24, 7:05 CT
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<figcaption>Photo by David Banks/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p id="EdKuab">Go get ‘em, Cole.</p>
https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/9/24/17889904/first-pitch-thread-cubs-vs-pirates-monday-9-24-7-05-ctAl Yellon2018-09-24T17:00:02-05:002018-09-24T17:00:02-05:00Chicago Cubs vs. Pittsburgh Pirates preview, Monday 9/24, 7:05 CT
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<figcaption>Quinn Harris-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Cubs open their final homestand of 2018.</p> <p id="DHxyWq">Notes as we enter the final regular-season week of 2018, and the Cubs look to reduce the magic clinching number from five:</p>
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<li id="9i5aic">The Cubs have a .635 home winning percentage (47-27), the best home record in the N.L. and fourth best in the majors behind only the <a href="https://www.overthemonster.com/">Red Sox</a> (54-21, .720), the <a href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a> (53-28, .654) and <a href="https://www.draysbay.com/">Rays</a> (48-26, .649). The Cubs have won 16 of their last 24 home games dating to July 25. Also, the Cubs are the only MLB team to win 90+ games each of the last four seasons.</li>
<li id="lr58ch">The Cubs are 21-11 against N.L. Central teams at Wrigley Field this season, a .656 winning percentage that exceeds their overall N.L. best home mark.</li>
<li id="tVAQkH">The Cubs enter this week as one of only five teams with seven home games remaining. The others: <a href="https://www.purplerow.com/">Rockies</a>, <a href="https://www.twinkietown.com/">Twins</a>, <a href="https://www.lookoutlanding.com/">Mariners</a>, Rays.</li>
<li id="9my6UM"> With Cole Hamels’ start tonight, the Cubs will set a new franchise record with 90 games started by a left-handed pitcher in a single season. The previous record of 89 was set by the <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/CHC/1966.shtml">1966 Cubs</a> (Dick Ellsworth, 37, Ken Holtzman, 33, Curt Simmons, 10, Bob Hendley, 6, Rich Nye, 2 and Dave Dowling, 1). The Cubs will have at least two more LH starts, by <span>Mike Montgomery</span> on Tuesday and <span>Jon Lester</span> on Thursday, to extend the record. (H/T: Ed Hartig)</li>
<li id="ZwA9Vs">The Cubs bullpen has posted a 3.33 ERA this season, the lowest bullpen ERA in the National League. The Diamondbacks are a distant second at 3.52. The Cubs pen has limited opponents to a .658 OPS against, also lowest in the National League, and their .344 opponents slugging percentage is by far the lowest in the majors. The <a href="https://www.crawfishboxes.com/">Astros</a> are a distant second at .357.</li>
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<p id="GTBM1i">Here are today’s particulars.</p>
<p id="Vergm4"><a href="https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/">Cubs</a> lineup:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Here is tonight's <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cubs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cubs</a> lineup as we open the final homestand of the regular season.<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/Quq5QEi54d">pic.twitter.com/Quq5QEi54d</a></p>— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) <a href="https://twitter.com/Cubs/status/1044303760623898627?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2018</a>
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<p id="q6Ghru"><a href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/">Pirates</a> lineup:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Here's our lineup for tonight, presented by Honda. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LetsGoBucs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LetsGoBucs</a> <br> <br> <a href="https://twitter.com/ATTSportsNetPIT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ATTSportsNetPIT</a><br> <a href="https://twitter.com/937theFan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@937theFan</a><br> <a href="https://t.co/Swy5xDqm5X">https://t.co/Swy5xDqm5X</a> <a href="https://t.co/e8W1wiFOC6">pic.twitter.com/e8W1wiFOC6</a></p>— Pirates (@Pirates) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pirates/status/1044333125143343104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2018</a>
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<span>Cole Hamels</span>, LHP vs. <span>Jameson Taillon</span>, RHP</h2>
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<cite>Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
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<cite>Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports</cite>
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<p id="piYBcw"><span>Cole Hamels</span> had his worst start as a Cub in his last outing against the <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Diamondbacks</a>, although “worst” was really just one awful inning in which he allowed five hits, four runs and a three-run homer. The rest of that start wasn’t terrible.</p>
<p id="UAii4a">The better news is that Hamels has already made two starts against the Pirates this year and has held them to eight hits and one unearned run in 12 innings with 12 strikeouts. The only Pirate who’s had any real success against him is <span>Starling Marte</span> (10-for-20, a double, a home run). Hold him down and the rest of the current Bucs are hitting just .172 (10-for-58) against him.</p>
<p id="HT4lXM"><span>Jameson Taillon</span> has finally shown the potential that got him selected by the Pirates with the second overall pick in 2010 (<span>Chris Sale</span> and <span>Christian Yelich</span> were picked after him in that first round, among others). Taillon has had injuries that have held him back, but he’s been really good this year.</p>
<p id="3sgEuN">This includes an excellent outing against the Cubs <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/PIT201808190.shtml">August 19 at PNC Park</a>, where he allowed just one run in six innings, a solo homer by <span>Kyle Schwarber</span>, back in the day when the Cubs were doing that solo homer and no other runs thing in five straight games.</p>
<p id="C3Ilnw">Since that start Taillon’s been excellent: 1.69 ERA, 0.938 WHIP in five starts covering 32 innings, with only four walks in that span. He’s also allowed four home runs in those five starts, so there’s that. </p>
<p id="CQdC2M">Today’s game is on NBC Sports Chicago.</p>
<p id="47IVCe"><a href="https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/2018/09/24">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_09_24_pitmlb_chnmlb_1">MLB.com Gameday</a></p>
<p id="iDRiK8"><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/previews/2018/PIT201808180.shtml">Baseball-reference</a><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/previews/2018/PIT201808170.shtml">.</a><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/previews/2018/CHN201809240.shtml">com game preview</a></p>
<p id="AScVZw"><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/events/537072/pregame">SB Nation game</a><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/events/537070/pregame"> </a><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/events/537072/pregame">preview</a></p>
<p id="c01E3n">Please visit our SB Nation <a href="https://www.bucsdugout.com/">Pirates</a> site <a href="http://www.bucsdugout.com/">Bucs Dugout</a>. If you do go there to interact with Pirates 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="JaRg01">Discuss amongst yourselves.</p>
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https://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2018/9/24/17883160/chicago-cubs-pittsburgh-pirates-preview-mondayAl Yellon