Hand to God, I can’t remember the last time the Cubs bullpen took a close game and let it get way away. Heck, I can’t even remember the last time the bullpen allowed more than a run or two in a relatively close game. So in that regard, I can’t be too mad about the 8th inning of this one.
I am not even all that made about the first stretch of innings, either. Jake Arrieta still wasn’t quite as sharp as you wish he could be, and once again pitched with a ton of traffic. But, with some good luck and some good pitches in key moments, he got through five innings allowing just two runs. You’ll take that every time from him.
Offensively, the Cubs got the homer from Kris Bryant and four times reaching base from Jason Heyward, but not much else.
Your terrifying moment came on a fastball off the hand of Willson Contreras, who stayed in the game, but we’ll see what comes next. It would be surprising to see Contreras not sit down for the next one.
