Diamondbacks Rough Up Jackson and the Cubs

Arizona went easy on the Cubs Sunday afternoon. After thumping the North Siders 12-4 the night before, the Diamondbacks won by an 8-4 score. Edwin Jackson continues to be the weak link of the starting rotation. The righty worked around a pair of walks and a wild pitch in the top of the first, but the Cubs offense could only scratch across one run from Arizona starter Patrick Corbin’s own bout of wildness. Two hit batters and a walk loaded the bases, and a walk to Dioner Navarro forced in the run. A drop of a routine fly ball by center fielder Julio Borbon led to a pair of unearned runs for the Diamondbacks in the third and a Jackson wild pitch made it 3-1 in favor of the visitors.

May 31, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Cubs right fielder Scott Hairston (21) catches a fly ball during the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Reid Compton-USA TODAY Sports

Anthony Rizzo went home on a fielder’s choice play to prevent a run in the third and Jackson tried to himself with a RBI single in the bottom of the fourth, but the Cubs starter gave it right back in the fifth. Scott Hairston tied the game at 4 apiece with a two run shot in the bottom half, his second homer of the series as he tries to wake up from an ugly season long slump. Despite getting the first two outs in the top of the sixth, Jackson could not finish the inning. He was singled to death as Arizona strung together four base hits with an intentional walk in between to tag Jackson with three more runs, jumping back ahead 7-4.

Jackson would exit with 12 hits and three walks allowed in just 5 2/3 innings of work, leading to seven runs (five earned). The Cubs offense could do nothing against the Arizona bullpen and E Jax fell to 1-8. It should also be noted that Carlos Marmol continued his struggles, walking three in the eighth and allowing one run. Things could have easily been uglier had the Diamondbacks gone one for two on a double steal attempt that resulted in the second out. This latest Wild Thing outing of course comes after the grand slam debacle the night before.

A series loss to the NL West leading Snakes may have been expected, but the method of the losses surely puts a damper after a solid week of play (mostly at the expense of the White Sox) that saw a season high five game winning streak.