So, take your pick. Any of these No. 1 hits by Taylor Swift, who had some personal business to attend to in New York, could have served as soundtrack Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field.
“Is It Over Now?”
“Look What You Made Me Do”
“Shake It Off”
Forgive Cubs fans, even the Swifties among them, if they were in no mood to sing along.
Forty-eight hours after a 23-3 beatdown of the San Diego Padres, the Cubs were subjected to a thrashing of similar outlandish proportions by the St. Louis Cardinals, the across-the-border rival who brought their own fireworks to Fourth of July eve, winning 17-1 before a sweltering assembly of 39,440.
“Obviously, it was a rough day, you know,’’ said Cubs manager Craig Counsell.
Rough doesn’t begin to describe it. The Cubs became the first team in big-league history to win one game by 20 runs, then lose the next by 10 or more runs, according to Elias Sports Bureau. Adding further insult: OptaSTATS reports no team since 1894 has won a game by 15-plus runs, then lost their next game by 15-plus runs.
Naturally, the Cubs were involved in that late 19th-century folderol. They lost to the Boston Beaneaters, 25-8, then rebounded 17-2. They were known as Colts, not Cubs, back then.
It was 3-0 after 2, 6-0 after 3, 11-0 after 4, 14-0 after 5, 16-0 after 6, 17-1 after 7. Detect a pattern? The Cardinals had 17 hits, including three home runs, on a day the wind was a nonfactor.
Nathan Church, Masyn Winn, and Bryan Torres went deep for the Birds. Winn and Alec Burleson had four RBIs apiece.
The Cubs, who had set a club record with 13 home runs combined in their previous two games, kept the ball in-house Friday. Rookie Pedro Ramirez tripled and scored on Alex Bregman’s double in the seventh for the Cubs’ only run.
Newcomer David Peterson, a winner in his Cubs debut last weekend against the Brewers in Milwaukee, suffered through what statistically was the worst outing of his career. His line: 3 2/3 innings, 9 hits, 10 earned runs. He also took a comeback liner off his chest with two out in the third, one batter before Church opened the scoring with a three-run home run. “A little sore, but I’m fine,’’ he said.
Peterson’s forte is inducing ground balls. Not so Friday, as Counsell noted.
“The one thing I think, we go to get the ball on the ground more,’’ he said. “I think today he faced 23 hitters, [two] batted balls on the ground.’’
Peterson did not disagree. “That’s a big part of my game, and I wasn’t really able to get those ground balls today. Part of it is, I think I left [pitches] a little too much up in the zone. They put some good at-bats together and took some good swings.’’
No mercy for Wilson
Bryce Wilson, who like Peterson came up big last weekend in Milwaukee, pitching 4 1/3 scoreless innings of relief, had a rough introduction to the home folks Friday. Wilson gave up 8 hits, including two home runs, and 7 runs in 3 1/3 innings.
With the game out of hand early, Wilson was left in to take a beating so Counsell didn’t have to burn other relievers.He understands the game.
“I feel like I take a little pride in doing my best to save the bullpen,’’ he said. “It’s certainly not ideal, but if I pitch better, then you know it’s not like I’m being left out to dry.’’
Hoyer has no beef with Bregman
Upset with Alex Bregman for not busting it down the first-base line Sunday against the Brewers? Cubs VP Jed Hoyer did not share your angst. He said he did not discuss the play with Bregman, the manager, or the other players. “I feel like it’s kind of a nonissue,’’ he said. “Probably my favorite thing about this team is that this is the best prepared team I can ever imagine…it doesn’t really even enter my mind that someone is not giving 100 percent.’’
Pomeranz returns
Drew Pomeranz, a Cub last season signed to a minor-league deal last week, was added to the roster Friday, with Jordan Wicks optioned to Iowa. Pomeranz pitched a scoreless ninth.