Cubs drop another tight game to Brewers; Stroman to skip All-Star Game
MILWAUKEE - The Cubs started the week with three all-stars, but the number is dwindling.
After pitching Thursday in Milwaukee, Marcus Stroman confirmed he will not play in next week's All-Star Game. Shortstop Dansby Swanson was out with a right heel contusion and his status is questionable, for both the weekend series in New York and the all-star festivities.
The Cubs finished a wild four-game series with a 6-5 loss to the Brewers. Yan Gomes tied the game with a 2-run homer in the eighth before ex-Cub Victor Caratini answered with a solo home run in the bottom of the inning.
Stroman was solid through four innings, then gave up 4 runs in the fifth, including a 3-run, opposite-field home run by Christian Yelich. After the game, Stroman repeated his theme about needing time off.
"It's been a lot since WBC coming into this year, made every start, which I'm thankful for," Stroman said. "It's been a huge process. Very thankful for everybody who's helped me get to this point. I'm definitely looking forward to having a little bit of a break, kind of just restore my energy, clear my mind and have a good second half."
Stroman was he was undecided about attending the game, but considering the Cubs will be in New York this weekend and the All-Star Game is in Seattle, that sounds unlikely.
"It's been a lot as far as travel from London back to here," he said. "I'm going to put a priority on my body, my mind and doing everything I can to make sure I go into the second half feeling great."
Swanson wants to play in the All-Star Game, but isn't sure about his health. He suffered the heel injury while trying to beat out a double play and was unavailable for Thursday's game.
"That's obviously a tough question," Swanson said. "It's something you want to be a part of. It's not anything we've really decided on yet. We knew coming into today, it would probably be a little bit sore and aggravated. We won't make any rash decisions, so I think it's something we definitely will have discussions about over the next day or so."
The Cubs (40-46) seemed headed for trouble when they left 5 runners on base in the first four innings. Momentum seemed to turn on a 3-2 pitch to Caratini in the fifth.
The pitch looked good on replay, but was called ball four. Stroman spread his arms wide as he looked toward the plate umpire in disbelief.
Brice Turang stepped in next and flied to left for the second out of the inning - or third out in an alternate Brewerverse. A single by Joey Wiemer brought in Milwaukee's first run and Yelich followed by bouncing his home run off the top of the left field wall.
After the game, Stroman refused to use the call during Caratini's at-bat as an excuse.
"It's baseball, man," he said. "I don't like to assess things as far as one pitch. It could have gone either way, but definitely can't walk him there. Overall, I felt like I had good stuff, I felt like I walked too many guys and Yelich just put a good swing on that sinker down and away in that fifth inning."
Cody Bellinger's 2-run homer brought the Cubs within 4-3 in the sixth. The Brewers scored an unearned run in the seventh to stretch the lead to 5-3.
Reliever Michael Fulmer, who hadn't allowed a home run or taken a loss since May 27, served up the Caratini homer.
It was an eventful four games in Wisconsin. The Cubs squandered a 6-0 lead on Monday, then blew a 6-2 advantage, but won in extra innings in Game 2. On Wednesday, they rallied with 3 runs in the ninth to win 4-3, made another comeback Thursday, but couldn't pull it out.
"Just wacky," Swanson said. "Back and forth. There was no real such thing as momentum. I think it was a good testament for some of our guys, just seeing that we are tough and we are capable."
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