Given that it was a cold evening in Chicago with the wind blowing in from Lake Michigan, a low-scoring affair seemed in the cards for Game 2 of the Colorado Rockies–Chicago Cubs series. When the game ended in extras, the Cubs had walked off the Rockies in extras, 4-3

The offense was better but not good enough

The first two innings saw a pitchers’ duel with Márquez and Horton working quickly and retiring batters with relative ease.

That changed in the bottom of the third when the Cubs scored two runs on three hits. In addition, the Rockies allowed three stolen bases. Although this has become a Cubs calling card, it’s a part of the Rockies defensive game they will need to address. Neither Hunter Goodman nor Jacob Stallings has been effective in preventing stolen bases.

In the fourth, the Rockies got on the board. Jordan Beck was hit by a pitch and promptly stole second, his seventh stolen base of the season.

A Ryan McMahon single brought him in to score followed by a Brenton Doyle walk and a Mickey Moniak bunt to load the bases.

(Warning: Warren Schaeffer has been clear that he likes bunting, so brace your feet going forward because there will be bunting — and not the parade kind.)

However, Michael Toglia flied out to center to end the rally.

After that, things settled down until Goodman got on after hitting a single at the top of the sixth. However, he was caught stealing. (It’s worth pointing out that with 54 hits, Goodman leads all MLB catchers in hits.)

In the seventh, Brenton Doyle tied up the game with a 371-ft. home run on a slider that missed. (That was his first homer since April 30.)

And with that, Cade Horton’s evening ended. He allowed four hits, two for runs (both earned), walked one, and struck out six, including 13 swing-and-misses.

Doyle cracked the door open, but the Rockies couldn’t push any runs across home plate, and the inning ended with two stranded on base.

The Rockies had their chances in the ninth. First, Tyler Freeman hit a single but was caught stealing. Then Michael Toglia scored a walk only to have Kyle Farmer ground into an inning-ending third out.

The Cubs failed to score in the ninth, and it was off to extra innings.

Old Friend Chris Flexen took the mound for the Cubs in the tenth and kept the Rockies from scoring while Tyler Kinley stymied the Cubs.

The eleventh inning saw Flexen returning and the Rockies going ahead after a Goodman single moved Ghost Runner Tovar to third, and a Doyle out was enough to bring him home.

It would not be enough, however.

In the eleventh inning, Ghost Runner Pete Crow-Armstrong would score on a Michael Busch single. A bloop single by Matt Shaw brought home pinch runner Jon Berti, which ended the game.

“It’s always frustrating when you lose, but the boys fought hard tonight,” Schaeffer said.

Worth noting, the Cubs stole six bases. The Rockies were only able to catch Dansby Swanson.

Márquez looking good

After a solid start against the Philadelphia Phillies last week, Germán Márquez continued to make progress as he works to return from Tommy John surgery.

Tonight, he relied mostly on his four-seamer and knuckle curve, which were enough to keep the Cubs on their heels (back paws?).

In six innings pitched, Márquez surrendered seven hits, two for runs (both earned). He walked one and struck out six on 84 pitches.

It’s looking like maybe pre-Tommy John Germán Márquez is back, and, Reader, it’s a beautiful thing.

The bullpen was stellar — until it wasn’t

Jake “The Dirty Bird” Bird continues to excell. He threw 10 pitches in the seventh inning, eight for strikes, giving out one hit and striking out one. His current ERA? 1.67.

The eighth inning went to Seth Halvorsen, who got three outs thanks to a Goodman throw that caught a stealing Dansby Swanson.

As for Zach Agnos, it was three up, three down with a third-out Carson Kelly fly ball that the crowd thought was gone as Brenton Doyle caught it without effort.

Schaeffer entrusted the tenth and eleventh innings to Tyler Kinley who got three outs on 11 pitches after issuing in intentional walk to Kyle Tucker (the only sensible decision, frankly). He did less well in the eleventh, however, as the Cubs won.

Up next

Tomorrow, the Rockies will look to avoid being swept.

Game time is 6:05.

See you then.

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