Bullpen Struggles, But Chicago Cubs Complete Sweep

4. 8. 6. 9. Final

The Chicago Cubs completed a three-game sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday. Kris Bryant delivered a monstrous blast and Miguel Montero had a grand slam, but the bullpen once again struggled.

The Chicago Cubs continue to tighten their grip on the last Wild Card spot in the National League. They completed the sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday.

The Cubs continue to own a 7-and-1/2 game lead over the Washington Nationals as they won their game as well. They have 27 games remaining, so the numbers say they are on the brink of qualifying for the playoffs.

If the Cubs go just 14-13 the rest of the way, the Nationals need to go 23-3 to pass the Cubs.

I am just quoting the numbers now, not saying it is in the bag or anything. These are the Cubs, remember, and anything can happen.

After losing their last three series, the Cubs won their first one yesterday with another one of Jake Arrieta‘s gems. Sunday kept the momentum going.

The Cubs took awhile getting going in this one. They did not get their first hit until the fifth inning, but oh what a hit it was.

Kris Bryant hit a tremendous home run that hit the video board. The blast was estimated to be hit 495 feet, the longest home run hit in the major leagues this season.

Bryant tied Billy Williams and Geovany Soto for the Cubs’ record for RBI with 86, and ties Soto’s club record for home runs with 23

Miguel Montero continued the scoring in the sixth. After Chris Coghlan led the inning with a hit, and Bryant and Anthony Rizzo followed with back-to-back walks, Montero stepped in and blasted a grand slam against his former teammates.

There was a sour note to the game. The bullpen was shaky again. The Cubs had a 6-1 lead going into the ninth, but Wellington Castillo hit a solo home run against Trevor Cahill, and Nick Ahmed hit a two-run home run off Pedro Strop. Strop did finish the game and preserved the Cubs victory, but the bullpen is still a concern.

Manager Joe Maddon spoke about trying to rest the bullpen by having the starters go more innings. “We have had our starters not go as deep into the game as you’d like,” Maddon said. “You’ll see teams whose bullpen numbers are really good. That’s because their starters go deep into the game. I’d love to get more innings out of our starters, but you can’t just because you want to do that. You have to make the adjustment.”

In Sunday’s contest, starter Kyle Hendricks could only throw five innings. He allowed one run on three hits with two walks and four strikeouts. He made 75 pitches. Maddon must have felt he was too shaky to go out for the sixth, so he pulled him.

The starters need to go six or seven innings to give the bullpen a rest. It was a good thing the Cubs had a big lead or more people would be talking about the bullpen.

The Cubs now embark on a ten-game road trip. Six of those games are against the St. Louis Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Pirates. These are the teams the Cubs will have to play if they make it to the playoffs so they must show something against them, especially the Cardinals.

The Cubs have lost some very tough games against the Cardinals. There were games that they owned leads late, yet gave up runs and ended up losing.

The Cubs need to show they can hold leads so the Cardinals can take them seriously.

It all begins Monday night as Dan Haren takes to the mound against Lance Lynn.

Next: What The Chicago Cubs Need To Do To Make The Playoffs

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