The Cubs were going along just fine until a disastrous eighth inning.
The headline is what baseball folks will tell you. Walks are going to happen, but leadoff walks almost always lead to bad things.
That’s what happened to the Cubs in the eighth inning of Saturday’s game, after yet another brilliant outing from Matthew Boyd. Ryan Brasier issued a leadoff walk — on four pitches — and then a hit. Two outs were recorded with a run scoring, but the usually-reliable Caleb Thielbar then allowed another hit and a three-run homer and the Cubs could not come back, losing 4-3 to the Orioles on yet another gorgeous Chicago afternoon.
Before that, it was all Matthew Boyd again. He had yet another outstanding outing, allowing just four hits over seven innings. Just one Orioles hitter got past first base, on a two-out double by Adley Rutschman in the fourth — and that was after Boyd executed his MLB-leading eighth pickoff [VIDEO].
Boyd also helped things out with this nice defensive play in the fifth [VIDEO].
Boyd didn’t walk anyone and struck out eight [VIDEO].
Here’s more on Boyd’s 95-pitch (58 strike) outing [VIDEO].
And more from BCB’s JohnW53:
Boyd’s start was the sixth this season by a Cubs pitcher of at least seven scoreless innings. It was Boyd’s third, all in his last four starts. The previous two were eight and seven innings. Cade Horton, Shota Imanaga and Justin Steele had the three others. The Cubs had 11 such starts all of last season, after having had seven in both 2022 and 2023.
While all that great pitching was going on, the Cubs were fashioning a 3-0 lead. Two runs scored in the second. With one out, Ian Happ doubled and stayed there while Willi Castro lined to left. At first the ball was ruled caught, but the umpires conferred — no review called for — and decided it was a hit. Happ stayed at second.
Nico Hoerner was the next hitter [VIDEO].
Had the ball not stuck in the ivy, two runs would have scored and Nico would have easily had a triple. That proved to be important. Reese McGuire’s sac fly scored Castro to make it 2-0 [VIDEO].
If Nico’s ball is a triple, it’s already 2-0 and the sac fly would have made it 3-0. But Matt Shaw struck out, leaving Nico stranded.
The Cubs did make it 3-0 in the fourth. With one out, Castro tripled on a ball that got by right fielder Jeremiah Jackson [VIDEO].
That’s already more triples than Vidal Bruján had in his entire time with the Cubs. Castro had a nice day in his Cubs debut, two hits and played well in the field.
More on Castro’s triple from BCB’s JohnW53:
Willi Castro’s fourth-inning triple made him the 500th different Cub to hit a triple at Wrigley Field.He is the 178th with exactly one.
The record, appropriately today, belongs to Ryne Sandberg, with 48. Stan Hack had 46; Phil Cavarretta, 44; Ernie Banks and Billy Williams, 42; Don Kessinger and Ron Santo, 39.
Castro’s was the Cubs’ 2,351st triple in their 8,612 games at Wrigley.
Castro scored on this single by Hoerner [VIDEO].
That’s where it stayed until the awful eighth inning. This is how relievers are at times. Fickle. Brasier and Thielbar have been two of the Cubs’ most reliable relievers, except in this game, they weren’t. Brasier had walked only three of 78 batters faced before this game, and then the leadoff walk that started things off for Baltimore. Thielbar had allowed just two home runs in 154 batters faced before Saturday. It happens. It just came at the worst possible time.
The Cubs went down 1-2-3 in the eighth, and new Cub reliever Taylor Rogers threw a 1-2-3 ninth. The latter is a good thing, anyway.
The Cubs did attempt to mount a ninth-inning rally. With one out, Carson Kelly batted for Michael Busch and walked. Jon Berti ran for Kelly. One out later. Seiya Suzuki also walked, putting the tying run in scoring position.
Pete Crow-Armstrong came to bat with the house still full and loud chants of “PCA! PCA!” He ran the count to 2-2, fouled off a couple of pitches, and then … [VIDEO].
PCA struck out on a changeup right down the middle. Again, it happens. This one was tough to swallow, especially on a day given to honoring Ryne Sandberg by having all the Cubs wear No. 23.
So that’s a tough one. There’s still plenty of time left this season, so DON’T PANIC!
The Brewers, at this writing, lead the Nationals 5-2 in the seventh. If Milwaukee wins the Cubs’ deficit in the NL Central will be two games. Again… DON’T PANIC!
Colin Rea will start Sunday’s series finale against Baltimore, and the Orioles will counter with Brandon Young. Game time is again 1:20 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.