Cubs Shut Out by Pirates at Wrigley Field: A Look into the Game's Key Stats
In a challenging matchup at Wrigley Field, the Chicago Cubs were bested by the Pittsburgh Pirates with a decisive 5-0 victory for the visiting team. This outcome shifts the Cubs' season tally to 71 wins and 68 losses, while propelling the Pirates to a record of 65 victories against 73 defeats.
Throughout the nine innings in Chicago, the Cubs found themselves ensnared in an offensive quagmire. Despite managing five hits over the course of the game, they were unable to capitalize on these opportunities to score. The team's performance was quantified by a batting average of just .156, coupled with an on-base percentage of .250 and an identical slugging percentage of .156—highlighting a day marked by struggles both in reaching base and advancing runners.
Individually, there were glimmers of resistance among some Cubs players against their overall offensive woes. Dansby Swanson and Cody Bellinger each managed a batting average of .333 for this game, making valiant efforts to spark their team's offense. Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki also made contributions with averages of .250 apiece; however, these individual achievements fell short against Pittsburgh's formidable pitching.
On the mound for Chicago was Kyle Hendricks who absorbed his first loss after yielding two earned runs across five innings—a performance that left him with an earned run average (ERA) of 3.6 from this outing alone. Hendricks did manage to strike out five batters while maintaining a walks plus hits per inning pitched ratio (WHIP) at 1.2.
The relief pitching presented mixed outcomes; Tyson Miller faced significant difficulties as evidenced by his ERA soaring to 27 after allowing three earned runs without securing any strikeouts during his time on the mound. On a more positive note, Ethan Roberts provided some stability from the bullpen by notching an ERA of zero along with averaging one strikeout per inning pitched.
Defensively speaking, Chicago showcased their reliability in fieldwork without committing any errors throughout play—a silver lining amid challenging conditions.
Fans looking forward to witnessing another contest between these two teams can mark their calendars for September 4th when they meet again at Wrigley Field in Chicago. The game is scheduled for a 7:40 PM EDT start and will be broadcasted on SportsNet PT network channels.