(Photo credit score: Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images)
The Chicago Cubs are working skinny in proper discipline as they attempt to clinch a National League playoff spot.
Chicago (84-64) is 6 1/2 video games behind the first-place Milwaukee Brewers within the NL Central and has a 3 1/2-game lead on the San Diego Padres for the highest wild-card spot regardless of a 5-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday.
The Cubs and Rays (73-75) will play the rubber recreation of their sequence Sunday afternoon in Chicago. The Cubs gained the opener 6-4 on Friday.
Chicago proper fielder Kyle Tucker stays on the injured listing with a left calf pressure. Seiya Suzuki missed a second consecutive recreation Saturday with an sickness, and supervisor Craig Counsell mentioned after the sport that Suzuki is predicted to overlook Sunday’s contest as nicely.
Chicago introduced up prospect Owen Caissie to fill in. Caissie left the sport after making a working catch within the third inning however tripped over Pete Crow-Armstrong, who had slid to keep away from a collision. Caissie’s momentum despatched him into the ivy-covered brick wall at Wrigley Field, head first.
Counsell mentioned Caissie is in concussion protocol.
‘Suzuki continues to be beneath the climate and never wanting good,’ Counsell mentioned. ‘His standing is certainly in query for tomorrow. Caissie actually hit his head arduous and was not feeling nicely within the dugout.’
Willi Castro crammed in after Caissie’s damage.
The Cubs did get a lift from rookie Moises Ballesteros, who hit his first main league house run within the second inning in his eighth profession recreation.
‘He did a pleasant job and like we knew, he’s an enormous offensive expertise,’ Counsell mentioned. ‘He is mostly a menace and a really proficient hitter.’
The Cubs had runners on first and third with nobody out in opposition to Tampa nearer Pete Fairbanks on Saturday however couldn’t tie the sport. The menace was ended by a fielder’s selection and two strikeouts.
The large play within the inning got here when Matt Shaw hit a pointy grounder to 3rd and Dansby Swanson was caught in a rundown off third.
‘We had a number of moments once we may have gained that recreation, and it simply didn’t occur,’ Counsell mentioned. ‘Ultimately, we simply couldn’t get it executed.’
Chicago will ship left-hander Shota Imanaga (9-7, 3.21 ERA) to the mound on Sunday. His final win got here Sept. 2, when he beat the Braves 4-3. He misplaced the rematch with Atlanta on Monday, 4-1. The native of Japan has by no means pitched in opposition to Tampa Bay.
The Rays will counter with right-hander Adrian Houser (8-4, 3.11 ERA), a trade-deadline acquisition from the Chicago White Sox in July. Tampa Bay has gained 5 straight Houser begins, and he’s 2-0 throughout that stretch.
Houser is 4-2 with a 3.98 ERA in 10 begins in opposition to the Cubs, together with 1-0 in 2025 after a 12-5 win on July 25 as a member of the White Sox.
Tampa Bay acquired a raise from Nick Fortes on Saturday because the catcher got here off the bench to get a pinch-hit double within the seventh and the game-winning house run within the ninth. The leadoff blast broke a 4-4 tie.
‘We have a extremely resilient group,’ Fortes mentioned. ‘We have good guys who’re prepared to return off the bench each time they should. This was only a actually good win.’
–Field Level Media