PHILADELPHIA – Even a gem from Justin Steele couldn’t cure the Cubs’ woes.
In the Cubs’ 2-1 loss to the Phillies Sunday, Stele threw six shutout innings for his eighth quality start of the season.
“He threw the ball well, all we get asked for,” manager David Ross said. “Just couldn’t get much going offensively.”
The Cubs managed just three hits, including a home run from Christopher Morel. And on the rare occasion that they did put men on base, they didn’t capitalize. For the first time this season, the Cubs were picked off at first base twice.
“For the most part, we put up some decent at-bats and everything, just never really could get anything going,” Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson said of Phillies starter Taijuan Walker. “But got to give credit to him mixing his pitches and on both sides of the plate, up, down.”
The Phillies broke the scoreless tie in the seventh inning. Reliever Adbert Alzolay, who entered the game with a 1.99 ERA, surrendered a double to Edmundo Sosa and a two-run homer to Bryson Stott.
Morel moves up
To begin the series, Morel was hitting eighth or ninth in the batting order, with second baseman Nico Hoerner back from the injured list and hitting leadoff. On Sunday, Ross penciled Morel in at sixth.
“That’s just such a threat in the bottom of the lineup,” Ross said before the game. “Moved him up a little bit in the lineup today to see if we can get that with some more baserunners.”
It didn’t work out quite as Ross had planned, but Morel drove a solo homer off Phillies reliever Craig Kimbrel in the ninth inning for the Cubs’ only run of the game. It was his eighth home run in 11 games, making him the fourth MLB player since 1900 to hit that many homers in his first 11 games of a campaign.
Hendricks close
In a Triple-A rehab start Saturday, Kyle Hendricks (strained right shoulder) allowed one run in six innings. It was his fifth rehab outing and his third of at least five innings.
“Felt really good after his outing,” Ross said. “I don’t know how he is today. Just making sure he’s not sore, then try to look at a slot where we might be able to line him up in the rotation, given everything is healthy.”
Hendricks is expected to join the team in Chicago this week. The Cubs have their probable starters mapped out through their three-game set against the Mets, with Drew Smyly taking the mound in the series opener Tuesday, followed by Marcus Stroman and Jameson Taillon. But if Hendricks recovers well, he could be available to return this weekend against the Reds.
Heuer progressing
Cubs reliever Codi Heuer (Tommy John surgery) made his sixth Triple-A rehab outing Sunday, tossing a scoreless inning. He walked two batters.
Heuer is eligible to be reinstated from the 60-day IL as soon as next week, but the Cubs have not announced a date for his return.
