Chicago Cubs Winning Streak Snapped on Late Rally

The Chicago Cubs are looking to set a franchise record for the best start to a season in-game 1 of a day-night doubleheader against the Padres (14-20).

Coming into the start of the day, the Chicago Cubs (25-7) have tied their franchise record for the best start to a season at 25-6 (set in 1907, the first year the Cubs won the World Series). A win in game one this afternoon means the Cubs would break that record and things did not start off favorably for the Cubs.

Kyle Hendricks (4-1, 3.03 ERA) gave up two first-inning runs. The first run scored when Will Myers reached on a throwing error by Javier Baez and the second run scored on an RBI single by Matt Kemp.

However, the Cubs offense got to work quickly, getting one back in the first inning on an RBI single by Anthony Rizzo. Cubs tied the game in the second on an RBI single by the hot-hitting Ben Zobrist.

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After the shaky first inning, Hendricks settled down and at one point struck out five of six hitters and the Cubs took the lead in the fourth inning on a back to back run scoring doubles by Addison Russell and Tim Federowicz.

Things were looking good for the Cubs. Hendricks was dealing and the Cubs held a 4-2 led heading into the seventh inning when things took a turn for the worse.

Hendricks started the inning and retired the first two batters he faced. He then allowed a bunt single, which prompted Maddon to remove him from the game and Pedro Strop came in to try to get one out. And he couldn’t.

Strop was all kinds of wild in the inning, throwing a wild pitch and walking two, which ultimately led to Brett Wallace giving the Padres a 6-4 lead as he launched a go-ahead three-run homer to left field.

The Padres added a run in the seventh inning off of Neil Ramirez to make it a 7-4 game and the Cubs didn’t do much the rest of the way. They did put the first two guys on in the eighth, but left them stranded in the middle of the order was unable to produce.

Next: Rizzo heating up, watch out

Thus, the Cubs eight-game winning streak has come to an end and while it was inevitable that the Cubs were going to lose a game eventually, it stings a bit more when you lose because your bullpen blew a late lead.

Cubs are looking to get back into the win column and avoid back to back losses for the first time all year in the nightcap tonight at 7:05. John Lackey (4-1, 4.02 ERA) goes against Drew Pomeranz (3-3, 2.12 ERA).