SEE YOU LATER
Trip ends in frustration vs. Dodgers, who could be evenmore formidable if teams meet in playoffs
LOS ANGELES— The Cubs dutifully put on their little- kid onesies, said their goodbyes to Vin Scully and made their escape Sunday from Dodger Stadium, heading to what apparently was a private, and moody, pajama party on their flight home after losing 1- 0 because of two mistakes in the eighth inning.
Starting pitcher Jon Lester, who clearly wasn’t pleased about getting the arm- preserving hook after six scoreless innings, seemed in no mood for the team onesie picture as he left the clubhouse wearing an American flag- motif onesie, cowboy boots and a stern look on his face.
“You look like a [ gosh- darn] parachute,” teammate Anthony Rizzo told Lester as he exited, eliciting no response from the 14- start playoff veteran with two World Series rings.
The Cubs head home from a winning road swing west, their 14- game division lead intact as they open a seven- game homestand Monday against the Pirates.
But the mood was dampened by a series loss that was a Kenley Jansen blown save Friday from being a Dodgers sweep. The second series loss in the three stops was at least a reminder that for all the fun of dress- up trips and late- summer days at the beach, the road could turn treacherous and turn quickly in the fall.
“Look, it’s the 10th day on the road, two day games in a row,” manager Joe Maddon said after a throwing error by pitcher Trevor Cahill and a mental blunder by Javy Baez led to the lone run. “I’m not going to beat my guys up. I’m pleased with our effort. We had a winning road trip. And anytime you’re upset with a winning road trip, then you’re really losing sight.
“They were tough losses, but I promise we’ll show up tomorrow. And even for our team [ pajama] picture. And it’s still Onesies Night, so don’t miss that.”
And then Dodgers security acted swiftly in a hallway crackdown to ban media from taking photos or video — then throwing them out of the hallway altogether after only a few glimpses of players and staff trudging toward the bus, dressed for a party that some seemed reluctant to attend.
What about the playoff- like atmosphere? What about the value to a team that might coast through September of getting a late- season face- smack from a team in a tight race for a playoff spot?
“The majority of the guys in here have been in the playoffs,” said Lester, who was lifted for a pinch hitter with two outs in the seventh. “It’s not anything new for the guys. I don’t think that really matters.
“It’s kind of like we don’t really have to prep for anything anymore. These are situations now that guys are used to and just go play.” Maybe. The Cubs lost after Baez “completely forgot” it was slow- running Adrian Gonzalez batting when he fielded a grounder at third with the bases loaded and two out in the eighth. He instinctively throw to second, where Ben Zobrist was playing deep on a shift and couldn’t beat the runner to the bag.
The Cubs have lost the only series they’ve played this season against the Giants, who come to town this week in playoff position. They’re 6- 7 against the Cardinals, another possible first- round playoff opponent.
And if the Cubs face the Dodgers again this year, it’ll be in a few weeks when it counts. Against a veteran team with a vivid memory of beating the team with the best record in baseball in back- to- back one- run games after an extra- inning series opener. And it’ll likely be against a Dodgers team that has just activated the best pitcher on the planet from the disabled list in three- time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw.
“If those guys get healthy, they’re going to be really tough to beat down the stretch,” Zobrist said.