History and nostalgia aside, Wrigley Field has not been kind to the Blue Jays.
Seven years ago, the Jays were swept in a three-game series.
In their return to Chicago’s North Side, a repeat perhaps awaits unless the Blue Jays suddenly find their groove at the plate.
They made things interesting in the series opener when an extended stretch of hitless innings would be forgotten in a memorable ninth as the visitors tied the game before losing in 10 innings.
Toronto made it interesting again on Saturday, but still lost, 3-2, to the Cubs in yet another one-run game.
It took the Jays until the seventh inning Saturday to put pressure on the Cubs, who were able to get out of the frame by giving up only one run after George Springer was thrown attempting to steal third base on a perfect throw before Vladimir Guerrero Jr. flew out to centre field.
For Springer, it was the first time he had been caught stealing this season.
For the second game in a row, the Jays mounted a rally in the ninth when Addison Barger stroked a leadoff home run.
Rain once again began to fall and it would intensify.
With two outs, Vlad Jr. came to the plate representing the game-tying run.
He came close Friday when he nearly hit a two-run homer.
Saturday, he struck out swinging.
HAPP-LESS
No one was buying what Chris Bassitt was selling in the aftermath of his most recent start when he blamed the roof at Rogers Centre being closed in explaining a six-run first inning, including two home runs surrendered to the Oakland A’s when the visitors had 11 hitters come to the plate.
There is no roof at Wrigley and no excuses other than poor pitching to explain Ian Happ’s leadoff home run on the game’s very first pitch that put the Cubs on the scoreboard and what would follow.
Bassitt couldn’t find the strike zone and even had pitching coach Pete Walker pay a mound visit.
Bassitt avoided a second straight first-inning implosion when the Cubs couldn’t get out of their own way.
Chicago hit four home runs in its series-opening win, including a two-run belt off the bat of Cody Bellinger in the first inning.
In the Jays’ second at-bats Saturday, even Wrigley’s most faithful fan would have preferred a retractable roof over their head when rain came pouring down following the frame’s first out, prompting the grounds crew to roll out the tarp as the game went into a rain delay.
Shortly after play resumed, the game went into its second rain delay.
Once the first inning was in the books, Bassitt looked fine and persevered through the weather interruptions.
Chicago’s additional runs off Bassitt could have been prevented had Daulton Varsho been able to make the catch at the wall deep into centre field on a two-run triple.
It was also Varsho who dove head first to reach base on an infield hit and the same Varsho who knocked in the Jays’ first run on a bunt single.
GREAT NATE
Two rain delays were enough for the Cubs, who elected not to have starter Justin Steele pitch in the third inning after the left-hander struck out three and gave up no hits in two innings.
Enter Nate Pearson, who faced his former team for the first time following his trade in the days leading up to last month’s deadline.
Pearson needed seven pitches to retire the side in order.
In the fourth, Pearson faced Vlad Jr. to lead off the inning and gave up a double.
Then came Pearson’s former battery mate in Alejandro Kirk, who drew a five-pitch walk.
One out later, Pearson had Will Wagner at the plate.
The count went full before Wagner took a very close pitch that did catch the corner of the plate as the bases would get loaded.
Pearson then struck out Davis Schneider swinging.
A fly ball off the bat of Steward Berroa went for a long out as Pearson escaped the inning unscathed.
Berroa entered the game two innings earlier when he pinch hit for Leo Jimenez (right knee soreness).
Pearson needed 22 pitches to get out of the fourth inning, which turned out to be his last in his first meeting against the team that drafted him 28th overall in the 2017 draft.
In the sixth, the Jays faced another familiar face in Julian Merryweather as the reunion at Wrigley continued.
He gave up a two-out single to Will Wagner, who has recorded at least one hit in each of his four games to give him a total of eight.
For the first time, Wagner did not record a multi-hit game, striking out on a check swing in his final at-bat Saturday.
E-5
On the game’s very first pitch, an error would be committed by Cubs third baseman Isaac Paredes.
A few batters later, a mental mistake would be committed when Chicago failed to turn a routine double play.
Chicago’s penchant for sloppiness continued in the home half when, for reasons that defy logic, the Cubs tried to steal third base knowing Bassitt had just walked two straight batters and was behind the count when facing Paredes.
Instead of adding to its 1-0 lead, Chicago let Bassitt off the hook
In Friday’s extra-innings win, Chicago committed two errors in the fourth inning.
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