MILWAUKEE — No one is walking through the Cubs’ clubhouse door to save their bullpen. Not Randy Myers, Rod Beck, Carlos Marmol or Lee Smith. Certainly not anyone from Triple-A Iowa, according to manager Craig Counsell.
“The answers are not there,” he said. “These are our guys. They’re the guys we’re going to rely on. We’ve got to figure it out.”
That has been easier said than done this series against the Brewers. After Carson Kelly hit a go-ahead two-run double in the ninth inning Tuesday night at American Family Field, closer Jacob Webb gave it back in the bottom half of the inning, allowing a two-out, two-run homer to the Brewers’ Jackson Chourio. Caleb Thielbar lost it in the 10th on Luis Lara’s bases-loaded single, and the Cubs lost 4-3 to fall nine games back of the Brewers.
The bigger issue is in the National League wild-card race, where the Cubs (81-56) now trail the Phillies by a half-game for the top spot and lead the surging Diamondbacks by only three games.
Since going 24 outings without allowing a run, Webb has allowed nine runs in his last six. He has blown three saves in that span, the first two on two-out, walk-off homers. At least here, only one runner was on base.
“I’m tired of letting the team down, to be completely honest,” Webb said. “It’s pretty tough to watch every time I give up a homer.”
Said Counsell: “It’s the one thing that can’t happen there. Unfortunately, it happened.”
Webb began the ninth by fanning Joey Ortiz. Garrett Mitchell then lined out to center field. But Webb allowed a line-drive single by pinch hitter Christian Yelich before Chourio smashed an 0-1 changeup into the left-field seats.
“It comes down to location, execution,” Webb said. “I’m not doing that currently.”
Counsell noted: “He’s made some bad pitches with his off-speed. It’s been the off-speed to right-handed hitters.”
Thielbar, who has struggled for much of the season, began the 10th by striking out Jake Bauers. After intentionally walking Willson Contreras, he allowed a single that fell between left fielder Matt Shaw and shortstop Nico Hoerner and another to Lara.
Perhaps Ian Happ would have gotten to that ball if he were still in the game. He fouled a pitch off his foot and had to leave, prompting Counsell to move Shaw from second to left, where he had played only twice this season.
The Cubs’ bullpen had done the job until the ninth. Trent Thornton, Aaron Civale and Ryan Rolison combined for 3⅔ scoreless innings after David Peterson allowed one run in 4⅓. Brewers phenom Jacob Misiorowski allowed one run in 6 ⅓ innings, and the game stayed 1-1 until Kelly’s hit against closer Trevor Megill.
“Carson had an incredible at-bat to give us the lead,” Counsell said. “And then we made a bad pitch with a man on base.”
By the sound of it, Webb will have a chance to redeem himself — again.
“I think we’re going to get back on track,” he said. “I have confidence in myself.”
NOTES: Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong snapped his hitless streak against Jacob Misiorowski. With only two walks in his first 17 career plate appearances against “The Miz,” he singled in No. 18. He has struck out against Misiorowski nine times.
• Craig Counsell said shortstop Dansby Swanson (oblique) will have “some kind of game action, we think, during the Atlanta series” next week. That means Swanson could have a rehab assignment at Iowa or play in a simulated game. He could return during the series in Cincinnati that follows.
• Right-hander Shelby Miller (elbow) and left-hander Justin Steele (elbow) were scheduled to pitch Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, at Triple-A Iowa. Righties Gavin Hollowell (shoulder) and Edward Cabrera (finger blister) saw their outings Tuesday at Iowa rained out.