Cubs' offensive woes continue in a 2-1 loss to the Pirates despite Kyle Hendricks' strong outing
The implementation of the designated hitter in the National League has prevented pitchers from hitting in 2020.
And at the rate the Chicago Cubs offense is regressing, it’s a shame for pitchers such as Kyle Hendricks to pay the price for the lack of support.
After allowing back-to-back home runs Wednesday night to Adam Frazier and Ke’Bryan Hayes, Hendricks retired 22 of the next 24 batters but was saddled with a 2-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
This marked the 25th time in 56 games the Cubs (32-24) scored three runs or fewer.
Assuming this was Hendricks’ last start, he finishes the regular season with a 2.88 ERA and an NL-leading 81? innings and 0.89 walks per nine innings.
Hendricks’ September was particularly impressive, as he went 3-1 with a 1.45 ERA in five starts and pitched into the eighth inning in each of his final four starts.
Anthony Rizzo accounted for the bulk of the Cubs offense for the second consecutive night with a one-out homer in the first. Including Rizzo’s two-run homer Tuesday night, the Cubs have scored 13 runs in their last seven games.
There were no dramatic changes to the Cubs lineup, as Pirates starter Trevor Williams was thought to be the perfect cure for the struggling offense.
Williams, who won 14 games with a 3.11 ERA in 2018, entered Wednesday’s game with 27 runs allowed on 38 hits (including 11 home runs) in 25? innings over his last five starts.
But the offense was listless against Williams, except for Rizzo’s home run and a pair of doubles by Cameron Maybin.
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Maybin hit a one-out double in the fourth and advanced to third on a fielder’s choice, but Jason Kipnis struck out to end the inning.
Frustrations reached a high in the sixth. Willson Contreras was robbed of a hit by Hayes at third. Schwarber wasn’t happy with a strike call by Ramon DeJesus that appeared low before finishing the at-bat with a called third strike.
Maybin ripped a double down the third-base line, and left-hander Austin Davis replaced Williams. Jason Heyward drew a walk, and Maybin and Heyward advanced on stolen bases.
But Javier Baez flied to deep center for the third out.
During their season-long struggles, manager David Ross and the Cubs batters have lamented the numerous times their line drives have landed in opponents’ gloves.
That continued in the seventh off Nik Turley when David Bote — making his second consecutive start at third base in place of the injured Kris Bryant — lined to Erik Gonzalez at shortstop.
Ian Happ singled with two out to bring Rizzo to the plate representing the go-ahead run, but his line drive was hit directly at first baseman Colin Moran for the final out.
In the ninth, Kipnis singled off the glove of Richard Rodriguez with one out, and pinch runner Nico Hoerner stole second. But Happ struck out on a full count to end the game.
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