The Chicago Cubs dropped the series finale at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks by a score of 3-2 in extra innings on Easter Sunday. Despite failing to secure the sweep against Arizona, the Cubs still took two out of three games from Arizona.
A delayed start
After a pregame rain delay caused the game to start 40 minutes after it was originally scheduled, another rain delay in the bottom of the first inning delayed the game an additional hour. When the rain subsided in Chicago, both offenses seemed to still be on a delay.
This game did not feature the offensive output of the previous two. Credit to both Jameson Taillon and Merrill Kelly, who were both excellent on Sunday. Taillon went five innings, allowing just one run on three hits. Kelly tossed a very similar outing. He threw 5.2 innings with only one run allowed and allowed just two hits.
It’s reasonable to assume that both the Cubs and Diamondbacks’ offenses were hindered by the weather delays.
Battle of the bullpens
The Cubs’ bullpen would relieve Taillon in the sixth inning. Cubs manager Craig Counsell deployed Julian Merryweather, Ethan Roberts, Porter Hodge, and Ryan Pressly for the remaining four innings, and they all did well to limit the Diamondbacks’ damage to zero runs.
But Arizona’s bullpen was rock solid on Sunday as well. Ryan Thompson, Jalen Beeks, and Shelby Miller combined to shut out the Cubs.
Extra Innings Mayhem
On to extra innings, where the Cubs trotted out recently called-up Jordan Wicks. Wicks had a brutal outing against the Diamondbacks on Friday in which he didn’t even make it a full inning. He pitched well for the most part. But on a bunt, his throw to first was mishandled by Nico Hoerner, and a run scored.
Thankfully, that would be the extent of the damage as he would escape the inning with no earned runs allowed.
Hoerner would redeem himself in the bottom of the tenth with a single up the middle to score Dansby Swanson and tie the game.
In the eleventh, the Diamondbacks would take a 3-2 lead thanks to Josh Naylor. Afterwards, he attempted to steal home, but Wicks was able to throw him out just in time.
Then, on their last breath, the Cubs were unable to score. Ian Happ would hit a rocket line drive that doubled him and Carson Kelly, and the game would mercifully end five hours after the scheduled first pitch.
While the Cubs were unable to secure a sweep, taking two out of three from the Diamondbacks is no small feat. Additionally, this is the last time that the Cubs are scheduled to play Arizona this year, and they own the tiebreaker over them.
The Cubs will have a day off on Monday before playing host to the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers for a two-game series. The Cubs have held their own against Los Angeles and will hope to do the same at Wrigley Field.
Shota Imanaga will get the ball for the Cubs, while Dustin May will be the starter for the Dodgers.
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