So what’s the Cubs’ latest excuse for not hitting at Wrigley Field? Is it too hot outside?
Whatever the reason, the results are clear.
The Cubs scored only 12 runs in their three-game series against the Texas Rangers, who sport the second-worst pitching staff in baseball.
The Cubs fell 7-4 Thursday after producing a mere five hits against former teammate Ismael Valdes and friends.
“And the wind was blowing out,” manager Don Baylor said. “That’s the discouraging part.”
No it’s the mind-boggling part.
When Cubs right-hander Matt Clement returned to the dugout Thursday after having pitched 61/3 innings, one of his teammates patted him on the behind and told him he had fared well given the conditions.
“I didn’t know the wind was blowing out until [then],” Clement said.
Of course he didn’t. At that point the Cubs had only one hit, a Corey Patterson home run to lead off the bottom of the first.
Then the Cubs went to sleep as Valdes retired 21 consecutive batters.
Clement pitched well until the seventh, allowing two runs while striking out seven.
But Todd Greene led off the seventh with his second homer of the season, and Kevin Mench followed that with an equally prodigious blast onto Waveland Avenue.
“I threw two bad fastballs and they did what they’re supposed to do with them,” Clement said. “It makes me more upset to give them up to two right-handed hitters.”
Clement entered the game having allowed only five homers in 303 at-bats. Right-handers were batting .197 against him.
After Clement departed the Cubs rallied from their 4-1 deficit. Moises Alou singled and Todd Hundley drew a walk, sending Valdes to the showers.
Alex Gonzalez then ripped a homer off Anthony Telford to tie the game.
But the Cubs’ bullpen gave it right back. Juan Cruz surrendered home runs to Rafael Palmeiro and Mench, who enjoyed his first career two-homer game.
In his return to Wrigley Field, Palmeiro homered in all three games.
“If I don’t ever come back here and play again, at least I have these three games to look back on,” he said.
Cruz became the league’s first nine-game loser, falling to 1-9.
Baylor was asked if he could keep calling on Cruz in tight situations.
“Who am I down to then [if I don’t]?” Baylor said. “He was throwing well enough to get guys out. Palmeiro hit a changeup 8 inches off the ground. Mench hit a high fastball. Location is very important here. I don’t know who [else] you go with. Our bullpen has fallen on some hard times.”
Baylor appears to have lost faith in lefty Jeff Fassero, at least for now.
With the left-handed hitting Palmeiro stepping to the plate with the bases loaded in the ninth, Baylor called on right-hander Joe Borowski.
Baylor had said before the game that he was reluctant to use Fassero, who gave up three runs Wednesday in another 7-4 loss and saw his ERA rise to 6.00.
“Last year he relied more on his cut fastball,” Baylor said of Fassero. “Maybe he should think about going back to it.”
