For the second time in three days, the Chicago Cubs SCORED in the 9th inning against Josh Hader. That’s wild, man. And today, unlike a couple days ago, David Robertson was able to make it stick. With the win, the Cubs took the series, their FOURTH series win in a row (that’s wild!).
PJ Higgins played hero in the 9th inning, scoring Patrick Wisdom (who’d walked and stole second), and Rafael Ortega played earlier hero in the 8th, driving in the then-game-tying run.
The Cubs could do nothing off of Corbin Burnes, who got an absurd 26(!!!) swinging strikes. Once he was finally out of the game, though, the Cubs took advantage.
Adrian Sampson looked perfectly useful again today, and he did a good job working around the middle of the zone:
Once again, Sampson just seemed to have hitters off balance a bit more than you would expect given the profile. The straight-on camera at AmFam helped me see something I had n’t before: Sampson works with just a little bit of a crossfire delivery, which might help with his deception.
Today, Sampson was more contact-management than he’s been the last few times, though. Not that it’s a BAD thing, but it is a reminder that he probbbbbably hasn’t suddenly exploded as some huge whiff and strikeout guy. It was enough to get him another start, though, depending on how the Cubs re-incorporate Marcus Stroman and Drew Smyly.
Great comeback win for the Cubs, great series win, and it’s gotta be a happy clubhouse today.
Full box score.