Brewers 4, Cubs 3: In which Craig Counsell again leaves his starting pitcher in one batter too long
Bleed Cubbie Blue • • sports
Key Points:
- The Cubs lost a close 4-3 game to the Brewers, with the key turning point being manager Craig Counsell's decision to leave pitcher Matthew Boyd in too long during the eighth inning, leading to the Brewers taking the lead.
- Boyd had pitched strongly through seven innings but walking the leadoff batter in the eighth should have prompted a pitching change; the subsequent hits off the Cubs bullpen led to four Brewers runs.
- The Cubs showed offensive promise with home runs from Pedro Ramirez and strong baserunning by Pete Crow-Armstrong, who is on pace for a potential 40/40 season, but ultimately fell short due to bullpen struggles.
- The loss dropped the Cubs to half a game behind the Phillies for the top wild card spot, highlighting the importance of bullpen reliability as the postseason approaches.
- The Cubs face the Brewers again Tuesday with David Peterson starting, aiming to improve on their recent bullpen performance and capitalize on past success against Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski.
