Cubs Hand Shane McClanahan First Loss of Season in 2-1 Win Over Rays
CHICAGO — You just never know in baseball. The best team in baseball against the worst team in the National League? This series at Wrigley Field between the Tampa Bay Rays and Chicago Cubs wasn't supposed to play out this way.
But for the second straight night, it was the Cubs who were flashing leather all night long with one great defensive play after another and getting great pitching from start to finish. They also got a timely hit late to win 2-1.
It was the second straight day that the Cubs beat the Rays in a tight one-run game, which was a bit stunning because Chicago was 2-10 in one-run games beforehand. And now, on back-to-back days, they looked like world beaters.
“To win games, we’re going to have to pitch, play defense and get some clutch hitting, which we haven’t had,'' Chicago manager David Ross said. "And I think that’s indicative of our record. These are the kind of wins we should be able to start piling on, hopefully. Winning those two back-to-back feels really good.”
Even better was the fact that the Cubs found a way to beat Tampa Bay ace Shane McClanahan, who came into the game with an 8-0 record and a 1.97 ERA. Cubs leadoff hitter Nico Hoerner smacked McClanahan's very first pitch into the bleachers for their first run, but then they got their second run because of another Tampa Bay defensive lapse.
In the sixth inning, Chicago's Ian Happ led off and hit a shallow fly ball that dropped between Tampa Bay second baseman Brandon Lowe and right fielder Josh Lowe. Either one of them could have caught it, but both looked at each other as the ball hit the ground.
“I've got to go and take charge there and catch that ball 10 out of 10 times,” Josh Lowe said. “The ball goes up in the air, I’m taught to go and get it. That’s kind of how it is.
"There’s no reason that ball should drop there. It hurts to see that happen for Shane, for the team. I know that’s a direct correlation to that play. I’ve got to be better. I’ve got to go after it and get the ball. And we should still be playing the game right now.”
Correct.
Happ wound up at second with a double. McClanahan dialed in and struck out Seiya Suzuki and got Trey Mancini to ground out, but then Cubs center fielder Mike Tauchman singled to left field to plate the winning run. Tauchman had the game-winning RBI on Monday too, driving in an unearned run after a Taylor Walls throwing error in the 1-0 complete game one-hit shutout by Marcus Stroman.
McClanahan threw 5⅔ innings, allowing two runs, six hits and two walks while striking out seven over 98 pitches. He was looking to because the first Rays pitcher ever to start a season 9-0, but instead got his first loss of the season.
“He deserved to still be undefeated,” Brandon Lowe said. “He pitched his ass off.”
The guy who really pitched his butt off was veteran Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks, who was making his second start after missing nearly 11 months with a shoulder injury. He went five innings and gave up six hits and three walks, but pitched around all that trouble and got out of jams with double plays and diving catches.
The Cubs' bullpen, which has been awful lately, took it from there, covering four scoreless innings with just one hit.
Before this series, the Cubs’ bullpen had a major-league worst 8.05 ERA over the previous 14 games. Stroman's complete game gave everyone some much-needed rest, and it showed on Tuesday. They retired 12 of 13 Tampa Bay batters.
“[We] got to reset the bullpen as a whole and let them guys just breathe for a second,” Ross said. “Nobody even had to come out of that thing out there yesterday.”
The two teams wrap up the series on Wednesday in a 2:20 ET game. For the 39-18 Rays, they are looking to avoid being swept for the first time all season. They haven't even lost more than two games in a row all year.
They'll start Zach Eflin, who is 7-1 with a 3.17 earned run average. Cubs ace Justin Steele (6-2, with a 2.77 ERA) is the opposition.
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