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Chicago Cubs: Takeaways from the team’s Opening Night loss

By Jake Misener

Apr 2, 2017; St. Louis, MO, USA; The Anheuser Busch Clydesdales run on the warning track prior opening night between the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 2, 2017; St. Louis, MO, USA; The Anheuser Busch Clydesdales run on the warning track prior opening night between the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 2, 2017; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Randal Grichuk (15) celebrates after hitting a walk off single off of Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Mike Montgomery (not pictured) during the ninth inning on opening night at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 2, 2017; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Randal Grichuk (15) celebrates after hitting a walk off single off of Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Mike Montgomery (not pictured) during the ninth inning on opening night at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /

Aside from Grichuk, clutch hits few-and-far-between

St. Louis outfielder Randal Grichuk ended the night with a pair of hits and three RBI, including the game-winner in the bottom of the ninth.

Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs /

Chicago Cubs

The image of Grichuk racing to first with his fist raised in triumph is what will stick in the minds of Cubs’ fans – and probably Cardinals Nation, as well. But that image certainly doesn’t encapsulate the performance we saw from either team Sunday night.

Despite winning 4-3, the Cardinals went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position – with the lone knock coming in the form of Grichuk’s ninth-inning single. The big hit seemingly evaded St. Louis the entire night – unless Grichuk was at the plate.

His other two RBI came in the form of an opposite-field, two-run blast that, at the time, appeared to be the proverbial nail in the coffin. In the other dugout, the visiting Cubs couldn’t have felt a whole lot better.

Timely hits evade both teams

Chicago went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position, thanks to Contreras’ game-tying home run in the top of the ninth. The Cubs enjoyed a one-out, bases-loaded situation in the eighth that quickly got away from them.

Give some credit to Carlos Martinez and Jon Lester. Each did their job – and did it well. But these two clubs are too good to combine for a .118 mark with runners in scoring position.

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