With runners on first and second and one out in the fifth inning Saturday, Cubs left-hander Jordan Wicks faced 2020 National League MVP Freddie Freeman. With his pitch count approaching 100, Wicks threw a sinker that got Freeman to swing for strike three. With that, his day was done.
‘‘He pitched his way through it and got a good hitter in Freeman out after a pretty good battle,’’ Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. ‘‘At that point, I thought he emptied the tank to get Freeman out.’’
Wicks kept the Cubs in the game, but the offense couldn’t capitalize on two bases-loaded chances in a 4-1 loss to the Dodgers.
The game showed Wicks’ growth. His pitch count was a career high. He allowed two earned runs and six hits and struck out seven. The outing was an improvement from his previous game against the Rangers.
‘‘I did a better job today of slowing those situations down when you might have guys in scoring position or when the bases are crowded,’’ Wicks said.
Wicks was in a jam in the first. With runners on second and third and one out, he struck Teoscar Hernandez and Max Muncy to prevent the Dodgers from scoring. With one out and a runner on third in the fourth, Wicks struck out Chris Taylor and Miguel Rojas. Learning to navigate those situations is vital for Wicks’ development.
‘‘The beauty of this league is you face tough tests in every lineup,’’ Wicks said. ‘‘There’s going to be guys that are extremely talented, really good at the plate, really good lineups with every team. Each team presents its own unique challenges, so going from outing to outing keeps you on your toes.’’
The Cubs loaded the bases in the first and second but failed to score. Then Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, facing the Cubs for the first time, got into a groove and ended the day with eight strikeouts in five innings on his way to his first major-league victory.
‘‘We were well-prepared and had some good chances early on,’’ second baseman Nico Hoerner said. ‘‘We weren’t able to capitalize there, and he [Yamamoto] had some strong innings after that.’’
The Cubs left nine men on base, and their streak of six consecutive games with five or more runs ended. After the two bases-loaded jams, the Cubs only got three hits against Yamamoto. Hoerner said the Japanese star had a unique delivery and commanded his breaking ball well.
‘‘There’s some plus offspeed [pitches] in there, certainly, and it’s a full package,’’ Counsell said. ‘‘He’s got four plus pitches, so he’s going to be a challenge. We put some pressure on him in the first two innings, and we couldn’t break through, unfortunately.’’
The Cubs hurt themselves with self-inflicted wounds. The Dodgers’ first run came on a wild pitch. In the eighth, Taylor reached first base on a throwing error and eventually scored to extend their lead to 4-0. When facing a pitcher as talented as Yamamoto, such mistakes can be the difference in the game.
‘‘He got into a rhythm, which is what happens against the good ones,’’ Counsell said. ‘‘You’ve got to break through when you get those shots. And, unfortunately in that first inning, we couldn’t break through.’’
