Chicago Cubs fall to D-backs as Corbin outduels Lester

The Chicago Cubs got five solid innings from Jon Lester. It was the sixth that left him snakebit. A four run sixth inning did the Cubs in as they fell to the Diamondbacks, 6-2. Worse yet? The St. Louis Cardinals caught them in the standings.

Saturday night wasn’t a good one for the Chicago Cubs. It wasn’t just the loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks, although that was disappointing. No. It was the fact that the St. Louis Cardinals have pulled even with the Cubs in the standings. The Cards are taking advantage of a weaker schedule, something the Cubs need to take notes on.

The Cubs (60-55) came in holding a slim margin on the Cardinals and felt good with Jon Lester (8-7, 3.99) on the mound. And the last time the Cubs faced the D-backs (65-51) starter, Patrick Corbin (9-11, 4.52)? The Cubs roughed him up at Wrigley Field for eight runs (seven earned) on 10 hits in a blowout win.

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Lester was having a pedestrian type of outing until the sixth, and things turned ugly quickly for him. After coasting for much of the night, Lester allowed four runs in the sixth as it got away from the Cubs. Lester’s line wasn’t terrible (6 IP, 4 R (3 ER) 7 H), but most of the action happened in that one inning.

The Cubs put together a small rally with two-out in the ninth. Kris Bryant singled to center, scoring Victor Caratini and Jon Jay to cut it to 6-2. After an Anthony Rizzo single, Ben Zobrist came to the plate, and the outcome may be tough to watch–for any baseball fan.

The Cubs might not have won this game. But when you should have the opportunity to see another pitch? Anything can happen. But we can’t blame this one on the umpires. The Cubs managed just two runs after scoring eight the night before. I’ve said the magic number for the offense is four, and they fell short of that again.

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The Cubs will face the D-backs in a 3:10 p.m. CT start at Chase Field. Jake Arrieta (11-8, 3.83) will take on former Cubs’ farmhand Zachary Godley (5-4, 2.94). Godley was one of the pieces sent over in the Miguel Montero deal.