The Cubs played a weird makeup 5 game series against the St. Louis Cardinals from August 17-19th. In the span of those three days, they played five games including two- seven inning double headers. The Cubs won the series 3-2, dropping both of the first double header games but winning the others.
Bingo was a smashing success with 3 total bingos. Way to go boys!
8/17 Game 1:
Cubs lose 3-1 (7 innings)
Kyle Hendricks was mostly sharp, pitching into the 7th inning with just 1 run allowed. Then he got into trouble and gave up a 2 run double to Brad Miller, this season's recipient of Cardinal's Voodoo.
Offensively, the Cubs mustered just 3 hits. Ian Happ hit a solo home run. Anthony Rizzo walked twice. There just wasn't much going on.
8/17 Game 2:
Cubs win 5-4 (7 innings)
The Cubs had a bullpen day for game 2. Tyson Miller got the start in his major league debut. It was then a parade of relievers: Tepera, Ryan, Underwood, Winkler and Jeffress. Tepera struck out the side, looking really good. Jeffress got through his inning on just 7 pitches. Miller and Ryan had 2 ER apiece.
Offensively, the Cubs managed just 3 hits again. They supplemented with 8 walks this time, and scored 5 times. David Bote had the big blow, a 3 run homer in the 9th inning which proved to be the deciding factor.
8/18:
Cubs win 6-3
Yu Darvish gets the W after 6 innings of 1 run ball. He scattered 8 hits, walked just 1, and struck out 7. That'll do.
Rowan Wick came in for a multi-inning save.
The bats were much better today, as the Cubs managed 9 hits and 6 runs. Ian Happ and Kyle Schwarber both homered. Heyward, Caratini and Kipnis each had RBIs. Ian Happ shifted into the leadoff slot and went 2-3 with 2 walks.
8/19 Game 1:
Cubs lose 9-3 (7 innings)
The kind of game you wipe from the slate. Alec Mills struggled through 3.2 innings, giving up 6 ERs The big blow: a grand slam for Goldschmidt in the first inning.
Ian Happ went 1-3 with a walk and homer in the leadoff spot. Josh Phegly hit his first home run.
8/19 Game 2:
Cubs win 4-2 (7 innings)
Adbert Alzolay was sharp, throwing 5 innings of 1 run ball. Because of some late inning dramatics, he did not come away with a win. Jeffress wasn't as sharp, allowing a game tying run to score in the 6th. Then Kimbrel came on in the 7th, striking out 3 for his 1st save of the year.
David Bote had a huge bases loaded single in the 6th inning. Mr. Clutch did it again.
Sparklespants went 3-0 this series. Pronk failed to wear the pants to work for the day games of the double headers. Because of this grievous repeating error, he is being forced to give up the pants, as they move on to AssMatt. Final Pronk Sparklepants record: 16-3
The Cubs are 16-8. They now have the 3rd best record in all of baseball. They are 4 games up on the Milwaukee Boohooers.