Left-hander Clayton Richard, who has struggled in limited innings this season, sent a scoreless game quickly toward a 5-0 Cubs loss Tuesday when he gave up hits to the only three Dodgers batters he faced in the eighth inning.
But despite the consecutive singles by the three lefties at the top of the Dodgers’ order, manager Joe Maddon offered a vote of confidence to Richard after the game.
“That was a perfect slot for him tonight to attempt to not beat up the rest of your bullpen,” Maddon said. “It was a tie ballgame, it couldn’t have been lined up any better for him. And I have a lot of faith in him. We just need to get him more work.”
It was the first appearance in a week for Richard, who has been used as a matchup lefty the first two months after work as a long man and spot starter last season.
He has pitched just nine innings 16 outings but allowed eight earned runs on 16 hits, three walks and hit a batter.
“That’s the kind of moment he’s here for,” Maddon said of the three-man sequence of Chase Utley, Corey Seager and Adrian Gonzalez, followed by a fourth lefty, Joc Pederson.
Maddon said Richard’s stuff is fine but his location was the issue.
“It just didn’t happen tonight,” the manager said, “but I still have a lot of confidence in him.”
Notes: Third baseman Kris Bryant made his first appearance at shortstop after a double switch in the ninth inning – his sixth career position. Maddon said he wanted to keep Ben Zobrist at second with the lefty top of the order coming back up when he put Tommy La Stella at third on the switch. Bryant didn’t get any fielding chances at short. … Right-hander Jason Hammel, who left Monday’s start after just two innings because of a hamstring cramp, showed no signs of a more serious injury by Tuesday, the Cubs say and is still scheduled to start this weekend against Arizona. … The Brewers claimed off waivers right-hander Neil Ramirez, who was designated for assignment last week by the Cubs. Ramirez, who had a 1.44 ERA as a rookie reliever in 2014, spent most of last season on the DL and struggled to recoup his top velocity since. … Leadoff hitter Dexter Fowler returned to the lineup Tuesday after getting a day off to rest a sore heel he has been playing through recently. He walked and singled in his first two trips to the plate. … The seven perfect innings from the Cubs’ bullpen after Hammel’s exit Monday were the most perfect innings in a game for a bullpen since Babe Ruth of the Red Sox was ejected from a 1917 game after issuing a walk to the first batter of the game. Ernie Shore then retired every batter the rest of the game for the combined no-hitter.
