Chicago Bullpen Melts Down Again as Cubs Blow 9th Inning Lead in Loss

Once again, the Chicago Cubs received a quality performance from a starting pitcher, and once again, manager David Ross made an early call to the bullpen that would prove costly for the Cubs, as they fall 4-3 at home to the Cincinnati Reds.

Chicago Cubs games in the late summer of 2022 continue to be stories that rewrite themselves.

After suffering three straight losses at the hands of its bullpen last week, the Cubs arm barn imploded once again on Thursday at Wrigley, blowing a seventh-inning, 2-1 lead over the Cincinnati Reds, and then another 3-2 lead in the top of the ninth inning.

Manager David Ross once again chose to take the ball out of his starter's hand early, pulling Adrian Sampson at 75 pitches, despite allowing just one run and five hits, walking nobody through six innings.

After giving up a lead-off home run that brought the Cubs' 2-0 lead to within a run, Ross decided Sampson's day was done, and made a decision to call upon left-handed relief pitcher Brandon Hughes.

Hughes ran in to trouble, giving up a single to Jake Fraley and walking Aristides Aquino. He managed to get Spencer Steer to pop out, and after striking out Nick Senzel with runners on first and second, Ross once again made a call to the bullpen.

This time, Ross called upon righty Manuel Rodriguez, appearing in the fifth game of his young Major League career.

Rodriguez got Jose Barrero to strikeout swinging, ending the inning. But in the eighth inning, Rodriguez ran into trouble of his own, culminating in a game-tying RBI single from Kyle Farmer, the same Red who homered off Sampson an inning earlier.

Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki would hit a solo homer in the bottom half of the eighth, reclaiming the lead for the Cubs, entering into the top of the ninth.

Mark Leiter Jr. would enter to pitch the top of the ninth, and give up two hits, one walk and two runs in the Cubs' loss.

It seems to be a recurring trend for the Cubs to have a starting pitcher contribute a solid outing, then go to the bullpen early, use several pitchers in relief, and lose.

With their 4-3 loss Thursday at home, the Cubs fall to 57-80 on the season. They will open a three-game home series Friday afternoon against the San Francisco Giants.