Facing a path conducive to success, Cubs stumble on first step
A sense of urgency should be kicking in for the Cubs any day now.
In the meantime, it's impossible to ignore the path ahead: They get 13 straight games against teams that are at least 13 games below .500.
The stretch began with Monday's series-opener against last-place Washington. In other words, the time is now. Start winning or some Cubs may not be around when the next homestand arrives.
Monday's game had similarities to some of the late-game excitement in Milwaukee before the break. But the Cubs fell behind early and couldn't catch up in a 7-5 loss to the Nationals at Wrigley Field.
"There's definitely times during the season where you press and try to get something done and that's never helpful," said Ian Happ, who hit a 2-run homer in the sixth inning, his first of the season right-handed.
"So it's just continuing to stick with the process. Try to have good at-bats. That's easier said than done sometimes. The results will be there. It's a long season and there's stretches like this."
Is deadline pressure getting to the Cubs? Heading into Monday's game, Happ and Nico Hoerner, two of the key pieces on the roster, were hitting below .200 in July. Starting pitcher Drew Smyly thought he threw the ball well against the Nationals, but his ERA in the last four starts grew to 10.47.
"The trade deadline's just the trade deadline," Smyly said. "It's there, but I don't think anyone's thinking too much about it."
After the game, manager David Ross talked about the bottom of the order providing more of the offensive production, while Hoerner, hitting leadoff, went 0-for-5 with 3 strikeouts Monday.
"I hadn't seen him, since I've been here, just swing and miss so much," Ross said of Hoerner. "That's probably the stuff that's stood out to me. Players go through this at times. He's working on some things and trying to get right. Just not seeing it right now."
Happ's home run brought the Cubs within 5-3. Daniel Palencia gave up the first earned runs of his big-league career by surrendering a 2-run homer to Washington catcher Keibert Ruiz in the seventh.
Patrick Wisdom's 2-run homer off the scoreboard made it 7-5 in the seventh. The Cubs put the tying runs in scoring position with two outs in the eighth, but pinch-hitter Mike Tauchman hit a line drive to center field that was caught on the run.
"I think we're close, we're right there," Happ said. "It's a great at-bat there, hits a missile right at the guy. That's a tie ballgame. We've had a few of those tough moments where you feel you're right in it and something like that happens. Just got to keep going."
A hot streak often seems beyond the capabilities of this team, but the Cubs did go 11-2 in June while facing better competition - San Francisco, Pittsburgh and Baltimore before the run ended with the first game in London against St. Louis.
"It's tough when you're seven, eight games back," Happ said. "That's the part that makes it tough. It's not about time of the year, it's about wanting to win games to be in the race. We're all here to win games for this team so we're in it and have a chance to win the division and go to the playoffs.
"That's what everybody in this clubhouse is trying to do and the thing that makes it frustrating is we're not getting that done."
The Cubs' two injured infielders, Dansby Swanson (bruised left heel) and Nick Madrigal (right hamstring strain), took batting practice before Monday's game. Both appear to be closing in on a return, but no date is set. Madrigal is expected to go on a minor league rehab stint.
Bears linebacker Jack Sanborn, a Lake Zurich native, sang during the seventh-inning stretch but couldn't bring the Cubs any luck.
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