MILWAUKEE — For the second consecutive game, the Chicago Cubs‘ bullpen blew a late-inning lead against their NL Central rivals, falling to the Milwaukee Brewers, 4-3 in 10 innings on Tuesday.
Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio homered off Cubs closer Jacob Webb to tie the game with two outs in the ninth before right fielder Luis Lara won it with an RBI single in the 10th. Chicago’s bullpen is in a collective slump, starting with Webb who has given up three, late inning home runs over his past six outings. The Cubs lost all three games.
“I’m tired of letting the team down, to be completely honest,” a dejected Webb said afterwards. “It’s pretty tough to watch every time I give up a homer.”
Later, Webb described his performance as “piss-poor.”
The Cubs bullpen ranks 23rd in ERA since mid-August while giving up 16 home runs in that time frame, second most in MLB. The team’s most expensive relievers are all on the injured list while former closer Daniel Palencia is still working his way back into rhythm after an extended arm injury.
Meanwhile, a key trade deadline acquisition — righty Ryan Zeferjahn — has struggled since being acquired from the Angels, leaving manager Craig Counsell with little answers as the team battles for a playoff berth.
“We made a bad pitch with a man on base,” Counsell said of Chourio’s home run. “It’s the one thing that can’t happen there. Unfortunately, it happened.
“We have eight guys down there. Those are the guys we’re going to rely on. We have to figure it out.”
Webb, in particular, has been thrust into a key role in the Cubs pen. He signed a 1-year, $1.5 million free agent deal to help bridge the middle innings but has been closing games since early in the season. Until recently, he was doing a good job but he’s hung three off speed pitches recently that have been hit for home runs, casting doubt on whether Chicago has a closer for October baseball.
“I think we’re going to get back on track,” Webb said. “I have confidence in myself. I have confidence in this team, this bullpen. I’m just tired of letting the team down right now.”
Webb and Zeferjahn aren’t the only pitchers struggling — the poor performances seem to rotate among the relievers making it even harder for Counsell to know who to call on. On Monday, he tried leaving starter Matthew Boyd in to pitch the eighth inning but that backfired as well.
“It hurts when it happens,” Counsell said. “It hurts when it happens consecutively.”
The Brewers won their fourth game this season after trailing by two or more runs in the ninth inning or later, tied for second most in MLB. Milwaukee had three such wins in previous three seasons combined. The victory was their 90th of the season, making it the fastest to 90 wins in franchise history.
“I think the adrenalin takes my game to another level,” Chourio said through the team interpreter about his home run.
Milwaukee can clinch a playoff berth as early as Wednesday while the Cubs lost a chance to move ahead of Philadelphia for the top wild card spot in the NL. They might end up in a dogfight just to make the postseason if their bullpen continues to blow leads. Both San Diego and Arizona won their games, tightening the race for the three wild card spots even further.
“It tests you,” Counsell said of the tough losses. “You have to use the hurt to get you to a better place. And it can.”
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