Might 22, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs supervisor Craig Counsell (11) appears on from the dugout earlier than a baseball recreation in opposition to the Houston Astros at Wrigley Area. Obligatory Credit score: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Pictures The Chicago Cubs know their dropping streak will not go on ceaselessly, however the lengthy string of defeats positively is getting uncomfortable.
The Cubs will try to finish their seven-game skid once they host the Houston Astros in the finale of a three-game sequence on Sunday afternoon.
The dropping streak is Chicago’s longest since a nine-game slide from July 7-16, 2022.
“You stick to issues which have gotten you out of (dropping streaks). You stick to issues which have made you good, and you retain attempting to reinforce that the problem is to stick with that stuff if you’re not getting outcomes,” supervisor Craig Counsell stated. “We have struggled as a workforce for 2 weeks right here.”
The Cubs have been shut out for the second time in three video games on Saturday, losing a stable seven-inning effort by Colin Rea in a 3-0 defeat to the Astros. Counsell tried shuffling his batting order, however the Cubs nonetheless managed simply three singles.
Houston starter Kai-Wei Teng confounded the Cubs along with his breaking ball for six innings earlier than three relievers blanked them the remainder of the best way.
“We’re attempting to sq. balls up, and we’re simply not having a lot success,” Counsell stated after the sport. “The breaking ball immediately was good from (Teng). He simply threw a variety of breaking balls at sort of various shapes, and we struggled with it. We could not sq. it up, primarily ended up being a bunch of pop-ups and a few swing-and-miss.”
Teng’s six shutout innings marked the third time in the previous 4 video games that Houston’s starter went not less than 5 innings with out permitting a run.
“Similar to hitting, pitching might be contagious too,” Astros supervisor Joe Espada stated. “Everyone’s beginning to do their half. The extent of confidence is beginning to rise. The fellows are beginning to imagine in each other. ‘It is my flip. I would like to cross the baton to the following man,’ and we’re beginning to get high quality begin after high quality begin.”
The Astros, who’ve gained three of their previous 4 video games, plan to begin right-hander Peter Lambert in the sequence finale.
Lambert (2-4, 3.57 ERA) has misplaced his previous two outings, however the Cubs mixed for one run in these video games. The suitable-hander most just lately gave up 5 runs and three hits in six innings of an 8-0 loss to the Texas Rangers final Sunday.
Lambert has made three appearances in opposition to the Cubs in his profession, together with two begins, and is 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA.
“Our offense continued to produce some good at-bats (Saturday) once more, however for us to get going and create consistency in how we win video games, we’d like each side of the ball, and it begins with our pitching,” Espada stated.
Left-hander Shota Imanaga (4-4, 3.38 ERA) is scheduled to begin for the Cubs on Sunday.
Imanaga is coming off his worst outing of the season, surrendering eight runs and 9 hits in 4 1/3 innings of a 9-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday to finish a streak of three high quality begins.
“Shota simply did not have a great evening,” Counsell stated. “He simply did not have actual good command, the command that he normally has. … It was, frankly, not having the ability to put the ball the place he needed to put it.”
Imanaga has by no means confronted the Astros.
–Area Degree Media
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