Chicago Cubs have a little bit of everything go wrong in 8-0 loss

The good news for the Chicago Cubs? The bullpen didn’t allow any runs, but the defense commits six errors, and the offense leaves ten men on base in 8-0 loss.

Wow. That was ugly. From the start, this game was not going the Chicago Cubs way.  The leadoff batter of the game for the Braves, Ender Inciarte, popped up a ball down the left field line in foul territory. Cubs left fielder Mark Zagunis had a play on the ball and dropped it. It was the first error of many the Cubs would commit of the night. Then on the very next pitch, Inciarte hit a leadoff home run. That one at-bat pretty much summed up how the Cubs night was going to go.

Yet, that’s not all that went wrong for the Cubs in the first as Javier Baez also committed a throwing error while trying to turn a double play allowing Josh Donaldson to score. After all, was said and done in the first, it was 4-0 Braves with zero runs being charged to starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks.

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This was Hendricks first start since signing his extension with the Cubs. Now he did not get much help from his defense, he would be the first one to tell you that he didn’t have his best stuff tonight.  He went 4 1/3 innings giving up seven runs but only two were earned and striking out four.

The entire Cubs infield committed errors in the game, including two on Cubs first basemen, Anthony Rizzo, on one play. Rizzo misplayed the ball then tried to toss it to Hendricks, and in doing so, he threw the ball into the Braves dugout. In total, the Cubs committed six errors in the game for the first time since September 12, 2006.

Now yes the defense was terrible, but it wasn’t the only downside of this game. The offense had many chances early in the game to make it close, and they could not capitalize on the opportunity. In the third inning Cubs second basemen, David Bote came up with the bases loaded and down by four. Bote battled during the at-bat and ended up grounding out to third. The Cubs in total left 11 men on base throughout the entire game.

Maybe the only small glimmer of hope from this game was the fact that the bullpen did not allow any earned runs. Brandon Kintzler, Randy Rosario, Carl Edwards Jr., and Brad Brach all pitched late in the game. The bullpen has been the question all offseason and especially after the weekend they had in Texas.

The Chicago Cubs have an off day on Tuesday before they play again on Wednesday night when there Opening Day starter Jon Lester takes the mound again hoping to end this three-game losing streak.