Cubs give up 3 first-inning runs and pack it in from there in season-ending loss
The irony came in pairs after the Chicago Cubs laid an egg in their season-ending loss to the rival Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday, 4-0, at American Family Feld.
The first was the Cubs allowed three runs in the first inning and the game was decided by the time the second inning rolled around. The other was the ending: A pitcher with the last name Junk (Janson Junk) officially ended the season with 2 2/3 innings of one-hit pitching, while striking out three.
The only runs the Brewers, who will face off with the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League Wild Card round starting Tuesday in Milwaukee, came in the first inning. Mark Canha singled home Christian Yelich, Josh Donaldson forced home William Contreras with a bases-loaded walk, and Garrett Mitchell lofted a sacrifice fly to score Canha.
That was all starter Adrian Houser (8-5) needed as he went five innings, giving up three of the Cubs’ five hits, walking two batters and striking out five. Andrew Chafin and Junk closed the Cubs out with two-hit relief over the final four innings.
Tyrone Taylor put the final touches on the Brewers’ National League Central Division-winning season with his 10th home run of the season in the sixth.
Starter Drew Smyly (11-11) did not make it out of the first inning, pitching just one-third of an inning, allowing all three runs on two hits with three walks.
Christopher Morel had two of the five hits as the Cubs, who finish with a winning record at 83-79, but face numerous questions in the offseason, including the return of manager David Ross, who is 262-284 in four seasons with the Cubs and one quick postseason appearance in 2020.
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