Brewers’ errors help Cubs score four runs in ninth to win, 5-2.
Shoddy defense foils Barnes
The story at Miller Park on Saturday afternoon wasn't that Jacob Barnes allowed four runs in the ninth inning in his first attempt at closing a game since Corey Knebel went on the disabled list.
The story was the defensive mistakes that hung Barnes out to dry and gave him no chance to succeed. All the infielders had to do was get outs on plays where they had outs, and the Milwaukee Brewers would have gone home with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs.
Instead, two errors and another play that wasn't converted into an out allowed the Cubs to come away with a 5-2 victory that was gift-wrapped for them like a late Easter present. And this wasn't the first shoddy game in the field for the Brewers.
The Brewers have committed 13 errors, most in the major leagues, including 11 in the first six games of their opening home stand. Eight have been infield errors, including two that paved the way for the Cubs to snatch away this game.
So, do the Brewers have a bad infield or a good infield having a bad week?
"I think they are a good defensive infield," manager Craig Counsell insisted. "We've made too many infield
mistakes, there's no question. We've made a bunch of infield mistakes."
With that being said, let's look at where the outs should have come to secure a victory. With one down, Victor Caratini hit a dribbler up the middle that was trouble because shortstop Orlando Arcia was shifted far to the right. Arcia tried to make an off-balance throw on the run but skipped it past first baseman Eric Thames, allowing Caratini to advance to second.
Of that ball, Counsell said, "I wasn't sure there was an out to be had," and he was probably right. Keeping the runner at first base would have left a double play in order but that became moot when Barnes walked Jason Heyward, who has not been a tough out while playing for Chicago.
Javier Baez followed with a grounder to third baseman Travis Shaw, who got handcuffed by the ball and allowed it to get away. The general consensus was that Baez wouldn't have been doubled up, but an out had to be converted somewhere.
"It was one of those top-spin ones," Shaw said. "I kind of froze on it. I just misplayed it. You've either got to go get it or go back. I kind of just froze there and got caught in an in-between hop, and misplayed it."
Of that play, Counsell, a former infielder, said, "No question it was an inbetween hop. It's doubtful we would have turned two. I was just thinking (one) out when he hit it."
Ben Zobrist chopped a 0-2 pitch from Barnes to the right side and Thames gloved it with a dive to his right. He bounced up but wasn't sure immediately where to go with the ball, and when he turned and flipped to Barnes covering first, it was too late to prevent a gametying infield hit.
"The Zobrist ball, I think there was an out in there somewhere," Counsell said. "You have to make a decision right away. It looked like (Thames) looked a couple of ways. It was a tough ball. They had a couple of balls they just hit to the wrong place."
That should have been three outs and a 2-1 victory for the Brewers. Instead, there was only carnage afterward, including a two-run single by Ian Happ the only ball to leave the infield against Barnes. After an intentional walk to Kris Bryant, the Cubs poured salt in the wound by having pitcher Jon Lester pinch-hit and squeeze home a run.
Afterward, Counsell was loud and clear that the loss should not have been placed on the shoulders of Barnes, who had not allowed a run in his first four appearances.
" 'Barnsie' pitched great," said Counsell, who did not have relievers Josh Hader and Matt Albers available after each pitched two innings the previous evening.
"He broke probably three bats that inning. There was a lot of soft contact. In the end, we had a play to make on one of those, but we just couldn't make a play."
This is where the Brewers are really going to miss Knebel, expected to be out 4 to 6 weeks with a hamstring injury. Knebel is one of the top strikeout pitchers in the game (126 in 76 innings last season), and you can't make errors when the hitters don't put the ball in play.
There wasn't much Barnes could do after this one but shake his head and hope he gets another chance. And when he does, hope his defense makes some plays.
"It's part of the game, unfortunately," Barnes said. "You execute pitches, and unfortunately sometimes it goes in the wrong spot. That’s all you can do.
"I didn’t feel much more pressure, to tell you the truth, and I thought I pitched pretty well. Obviously, there were runs given up, and no one every wants to do that. But it wasn’t hit hard. They literally didn’t leave the infield besides that one (by Happ)."
Which made it all the more frustrating.