The Chicago Cubs couldn't take a lead over the lowly Miami Marlins on Sunday as their pitching once again became their downfall. Kyle Hendricks provided no relief for a team hoping to take the weekend series at Wrigley Field.
Tale of the Tape
In what appeared to be a decent start to his outing, Hendricks came out firing. The veteran induced two ground ball outs and one strikeout of the Marlins' hottest hitter, Bryan De La Cruz.
Hendricks recorded out in the top of the second inning before succumbing to his biggest weakness by allowing a one-run solo shot to Jesus Sanchez.
Fortunately, Nico Hoerner countered in the bottom half of the second with a two-out single that scored in Mike Tauchman.
Hendricks' third inning of work was a glimmer of what he used to be not even a season ago.
The Cubs must hope that such flashes of brilliance from their starter will be just what the doctor ordered as he looks to rebound from an awful start to the season.
The game remained tied until the top of the fourth when Hendricks struggled mightily once again. He allowed three singles, all of which crossed home plate as the Marlins got them on and moved them forward.
Hendricks got out of the inning, but it marked the end of his day as Drew Smyly came on in relief.
With Miami ahead 4-1, the Cubs made one last hurrah in the bottom of the fourth. Thanks to the hot-hitting Nico Hoerner's RBI double and Cody Bellinger's RBI single, Chicago got within one run.
However, the North Siders didn't score the rest of the day and the Marlins tacked on runs in the fifth and seventh innings to secure a 6-3 win.
Takeaways
While Nico Hoerner continued his hot stretch at the plate with three hits, Kyle Hendricks still couldn't overcome his early-season struggles on the mound. The Cubs need to evaluate whether it's worth waiting on a potential return to form for the veteran starter.
Adbert Alzolay pitched out of the bullpen and provided a much cleaner outing than his recent showings as a closer. The right-hander allowed no hits and recorded one strikeout in a scoreless eighth inning.
With Justin Steele throwing live batting practice before Sunday's game, it's a cautious reminder that the Cubs will have a tough decision to make once their ace can return to the mound.
The Cubs' record dropped to 13-9 as they failed to gain ground on the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers. For a team trying to reach the postseason, these games against the Marlins should've been gimmes.
What's On Tap Next?
After an off day on Monday, the Cubs welcome the Houston Astros to Wrigley Field for a three-game series beginning Tuesday. The probable starters for the series opener haven't been announced as of this writing. First pitch is at 6:40 PM CT and the game will air on Marquee Sports Network.
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