The Cubs beat the Pirates 4-3 on Saturday because the lineup was able to grind out a rally and the bullpen held when it was needed.
Yes, the same bullpen that’s been maligned and pointed to as potentially a fatal flaw threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings. Jacob Webb, who had a 17.36 ERA over his last six appearances, got four outs. He began his day by getting Oneil Cruz to ground out with the bases loaded to end the sixth, keeping the Cubs down a run.
Ryan Rolison followed with 1 2/3 innings and Ryan Zeferjahn struck out Bryan Reynolds to preserve the win.
“The bullpen held it down today. That’s what we need to be doing every time,” Webb said. “I know it doesn’t work like that, but we have a really good bullpen down there and the guys are going to keep putting up zeroes.”
A former reliever, starter Clay Holmes knows what it’s like when a bullpen arm goes through a rough stretch. It’s magnified even more when it occurs late in the season for a team chasing a playoff spot.
“You do your job 40 times [during the] year and then it’s just expected, and then when you’re not perfect a couple times, you feel like the world’s spinning,” said Holmes, who allowed three unearned runs on a three-run sixth-inning home run by Ryan O’Hearn after an error by Nico Hoerner. “You hear a lot of voices, people telling you this and that. It’s really tough just to kind of keep believing in what you’re doing in those moments.
“There’s going to be some rough patches, and you’ve got to believe that things will level out.”
Meanwhile, the Cubs are pretty used to winning games because of their hitters’ ability to work a pitcher. After Paul Skenes threw seven strong innings, they did that to Pittsburgh lefthander Gregory Soto in the eighth. The Cubs tied the game when pinch-hitter Matt Shaw drew a bases-loaded walk and went ahead when Nico Hoerner was hit.
As manager Craig Counsell pointed out, the inning began with Pedro Ramirez doubling and ended with two runs but no more hits or Pirates errors to fuel the rally.
“Nobody tried to be the hero, they just tried to win the pitch,” Counsell said. “That’s good offense. It’s something that has been sustainable and why we’ve been a good offensive team this year.”
Thornton on the shelf
To make room for Edward Cabrera, the Cubs put reliever Trent Thornton on the 15-day injured list with a sprained left ankle.
Counsell said Thornton didn’t feel comfortable during the ninth inning Friday. The Cubs chose to be cautious with Thornton, partly because the problem is near the Achilles tendon he tore last year.
Thornton had a 3.35 ERA in 48 1/3 innings.
Steele at Wrigley
Rehabbing pitcher Justin Steele will throw a bullpen session Sunday at Wrigley Field and then head back to Triple-A Iowa. By bringing him to Chicago, the Cubs will see Steele throw live and give team staff a chance to provide in-person advice he can apply the next time he throws in a game for Iowa.