Tuesday notes…
NOT STREAKING: The Cubs have lost three consecutive games just once, at home against the Giants on May 6-7, then at New York vs. the Mets on May 9. The Mets are the only other team with a lone streak of at least three losses. The Astros, Cardinals, Padres, Royals, Tigers and Yankees have had two such streaks. The Astros, Mets, Tigers and Yankees have not lost more than three straight games. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
ABOUT THE CLOSE ONES: The Cubs’ loss last night was only their fifth of the season by one run and just their second of its kind in 35 games beginning May 1. The previous one, 18 games earlier, also had been a walk-off, by 8-7 in nine innings at Miami on May 19. The Cubs have won nine games by one run. Last season, the Cubs were 23-28 in one-run games. In the three previous years, they were 21-24, 26-27 and 24-27. They were 10-9 in the 60-game 2020 season. The last full season in which they had a winning record in one-run games was 2018, when they went 26-25. They were 19-27 in 2019. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
THE SHAW FILES: Matt Shaw, 19 games since being recalled: .319/.356/.464 (22-for-69) with seven doubles, a home run, seven stolen bases and 11 runs scored.
TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Ernie Banks hits three triples in an 8-2 win over the Astros, June 11, 1966, tying a franchise (and MLB) record that had been set by Charlie Hollocher in 1922. Shawon Dunston is the only other Cub with three triples in a game; he did it in 1990. It’s been done 49 times in MLB history (Modern Era).
Here are today’s particulars.
Cubs lineup:
Phillies lineup:
Colin Rea, RHP vs. Mick Abel, RHP
Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Last week, Ben Brown went back to starting after one game with an opener, and Brown put together a fantastic outing against the Tigers.
So… now Colin Rea is doing the same, going back to starting after throwing really well in a game where he had an opener.
Will the strategy work? Rea made one start and one relief appearance against the Phillies last year, for a total of 6⅔ scoreless innings. That’d work.
Mick Abel was the Phillies’ No. 1 pick (15th overall) in the shortened 2020 draft out of high school in Oregon. He has been a Top 100 prospect ever since, and after 10 good starts for Triple-A Lehigh Valley this year, the Phillies called him up May 18. He threw six shutout innings vs. the Pirates that day, then was sent down again. Recalled again June 4, he threw 5⅓ innings against the Blue Jays, allowing one run. In the two starts he has 11 strikeouts and no walks.
Hope the Cubs have a good scouting report.
Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. You can find out if Marquee is available via a provider in your area here.
Here is the complete MLB.com live streaming page for today.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
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The 2025 Game Thread procedure will be identical to last year’s.
You’ll find the game preview posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game, including the First Pitch Thread and the overflow thread, as well as the recap when it’s published. The recap will also live on the front page as a separate post.
You will also be able to find the preview, First Pitch Thread and the overflow thread in the box marked “Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page (you can also find them in this section link). The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
The First Pitch thread will post at five minutes before game time, then an overflow thread at 90 minutes after the scheduled game time.
Discuss amongst yourselves.