For the first time this season, the Cubs have lost a series at home as they were defeated in two out of three games against the Phillies. Chicago won Friday’s contest by a score of 4-0, lost 10-4 on Saturday, and then dropped the rubber match 3-1 in 10 innings on Sunday evening.
In the final contest between the Cubs and Phillies, there was controversy surrounding a defensive play from Chicago’s third baseman Vidal Brujan.
A tough 10th inning
Pitching in extra frames for the Cubs was Julian Merryweather. He faced six batters in the 10th inning and ended up walking half of them. Despite throwing just 10 of 23 pitches for strikes, he induced a ground ball with two outs that should have ended the inning and kept Chicago down a run.
Rather, a throw across the diamond from third baseman Brujan was late and Philadelphia tacked on an extra insurance run. Brujan, who was playing deep enough that his foot actually touched the left field grass on the play, was criticized for not charging this potential inning ending ground ball.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell gives his stance on Vidal Brujan’s controversial decision
After the game, Craig Counsell didn’t mince words when discussing Bruján’s decision to field the ball deep, telling reporters, “You gotta go get that ball.” The comment made it clear that Counsell felt Bruján should’ve been more aggressive in making the play. Beyond his positioning, Bruján’s hesitation in setting his feet and delivering the throw also stood out. With a fast runner like Trea Turner hustling down the line, the delay reflected a lack of urgency and situational awareness by Brujan.
What else could the Cubs have done differently?
Hindsight is always 20/20, but extra innings could have been handled differently. Counsell could have gone with a defensive replacement at third base in Jon Berti or Nicky Lopez. One could also argue that Merryweather should have been removed from the game sooner.
Regardless, with an off-day Monday, the Cubs will regroup and turn their focus towards taking on the Pirates on Tuesday.