Cubs 5, Giants 2: finally strong throws and timely strikes in the same game

Watching the Giants bullpen implode in the eighth inning Tuesday night at Wrigley Field as the Cubs mounted a game-winning rally, I couldn’t help but think: This is what it looks like from the other side.

It was great to see the Cubs fight back and score three runs in this inning and hold on for a 5-2 win over the Giants. Before I get into the details, I dusted this off since it hasn’t been used in a while:

There are a lot of good things in this win, so let’s get to it.

The first inning of this game unfortunately looked like the first inning of many recent Cubs games: a good pitch from the Cubs starter (this time Justin Steele), a quick 1-2-3 from the Cubs hitters.

But the Cubs got on the board first. In the second inning, Ian Happ singled with one out.

Dansby Swanson then put a baseball into the stands (VIDEO).

Yes, this balloon had the help of a strong wind blowing at 16 miles per hour. The Cubs will take it.

Steele continued his excellent pitching into the fourth. Only two Giants reached base in four innings, but Steele got into trouble in the fifth with two walks. Then Curt Casali, who was in the Cubs organization earlier in the year, doubled off both runners to tie the game.

Don’t worry too much about that. Casali wouldn’t have been the answer to the Cubs’ catching woes.

The Cubs loaded the bases in the bottom of the fifth on two singles and a walk, but…sigh…left all three runners on when Seiya Suzuki flied out to the warning track.

Steele pitched the seventh and was relieved by Tyson Miller with two outs and a runner on first in that inning. Miller struck out Casali to end the threat. It was another great outing for Steele, who struck out eight. Walks in the fifth were the only real problem in his start.

But the Cubs still couldn’t score, falling 1-2-3 in the sixth and seventh. Miller, meanwhile, threw a 1-2-3 eighth and, in my opinion, has now established himself as a truly useful setup man.

Then the Cubs exploded for three runs in the eighth. Michael Busch led off with a double and Cody Bellinger hit him with a single (VIDEO).

This is a very good throw, not only going the other way, but taking second base on the throw to the infield.

Suzuki followed with a single that moved Bellinger to third, then Seiya stole second. Ian Happ singled in the second run of the inning (VIDEO).

Suzuki stopped at third, and with runners on first and third and no one out, a contact play occurred when Swanson ended up at third. Suzuki was out at the plate, leaving runners on first and second with one out. Pete Crow-Armstrong struck out for the second out, but the Cubs weren’t done. While David Bote was hitting, Happ and Swanson executed a double steal (remember? I told you Casali wasn’t the answer to the Cubs’ catching problems), and Bote then walked to load the bases.

Craig Counsell sent Christopher Morel to bat for Miguel Amaya and Morel made it (VIDEO).

Morel’s infield single made it 5-2. Would that be enough?

Keegan Thompson was warming up until the bottom of the eighth; he was going to pitch the ninth regardless of the score.

And he did, striking out the side to end the match. Here is the final output (VIDEO).

Thompson threw mostly offspeed stuff, cutters and sliders, but they were effective. Would I try it closer? Yeah maybe. He has the repertoire to succeed, it’s just a matter of having the right mindset.

Before I wrap up this recap, I wanted to note, as you’ve no doubt all heard, that legendary Giants superstar Willie Mays passed away Tuesday night, at the age of 93. The news broke during the game and the Cubs put this tribute on the video board (VIDEO) .

A “moment of silence” is traditional at times like this, but I feel like Mays deserved a loud, exuberant cheer for the way he played baseball for more than two decades. He is one of the greatest – some say, maybe THE greatest – to ever play the game. Condolences to his family, friends, Giants fans and all baseball fans. The beautiful sunset you see behind the Mays tribute video made this scene even more poignant.

MLB, the MLBPA and many others paid tribute to Mays following his passing. Here’s the one from the Cubs:

“The Chicago Cubs join the Mays family, the San Francisco Giants and the baseball world in mourning the passing of Willie Mays. Quite simply, Willie was a pioneer as part of the first generation of African-American players in Major League Baseball and one of the greatest players in the history of the game. Not only was he one of the most talented players on the field as a World Series champion, two-time league MVP, 24-time All-Star, 12-time Gold Glove winner and Hall of Famer, but off the field he was an inspiration to generations of fans baseball. The “Say Hey Kid” delighted fans with his electric energy on the field in every stadium he played, including 179 games at Wrigley Field. Mays will always have a place in the long history of America’s pastime.

Mays holds the all-time record for most home runs by a visiting player at Wrigley Field, with 54, a mark that will likely stand forever.

Let’s return to this match well pitched by Steele, who had an exceptional outing for the fourth time in a row. Here are his eight strikeouts (VIDEO).

And here are Counsell’s post-game comments (VIDEO).

This win doesn’t solve all of the Cubs’ problems, but in my opinion it shows how good this team can be if its players all play up to their talent. Let’s hope this continues. Good game facts from BCB’s JohnW53:

The Cubs were 4 for 11 with runners in scoring position. They hadn’t had more than three hits with RISP in their previous 18 games, as they were 4-for-10 in a 5-2, 10-inning victory at Milwaukee on May 28.

They last took the lead in the eighth inning and held it on June 4, when they scored twice in the eighth and beat the White Sox, 7-6.

The Cubs will aim for the series victory Wednesday afternoon at Wrigley Field. Kyle Hendricks gets the start for the Cubs, hoping to build on the excellent appearance he had in relief of the injured Jordan Wicks last Friday. As of this writing, the Giants have not announced a starter for Wednesday afternoon’s game. Game time is 1:20 p.m. CT and television coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.